A Clydevale cricketer is hoping to smash all boundaries during a fundraising gumboot run for his beloved club this weekend. Clutha Valley dairy farmer Harjinder ‘‘Harry’’ Chander is no stranger to extreme exercise in his rural work wear, having notched up several long-distance runs in gumboots — many exceeding 300km. In 2021, the 36-year-old took on Baldwin St to raise money for the Mental Health Foundation of New Zealand, running 139 circuits and collectively surpassing the summit of Mt Everest in the process. On Saturday, Mr Chander will don his favoured Skellerup 4X4s once more to tackle the Balclutha Bridge, this time hoping to tally over 100km. This will entail completing more than 130 circuits of the bridge, which has spanned the Clutha River since 1935. Funds raised through a Givealittle page will go towards the Clutha Valley Stingers — his cricket club of the past several years. He had dubbed the challenge ‘‘No Boundaries Just Blisters’’. The planned feat was all the more improbable, given Mr Chander had only taken up both sports since his arrival in New Zealand, from India, in 2010. ‘‘I only got into running after taking over a friend’s entry into a half-marathon in 2018. ‘‘I hated it, but once I’d had time to recover, something drew me back in, and I haven’t looked back since.’’ Clutha Valley cricketer Harjinder Chander plans to run dozens of 750m laps of the Balclutha Bridge wearing gumboots on Saturday to raise money for the club. PHOTO: STEPHEN JAQUIERY Despite being from a cricket-loving nation, he had only taken up the sport ‘‘to meet locals and get outside’’ while working on a Taieri dairy farm in 2013. Enjoying the camaraderie, on moving to Clydevale he had then joined the Stingers. ‘‘I enjoy bowling. ‘‘I’m a medium-pacer, but bottom-order batsman. ‘‘Classic bowler.’’ Funds raised would go towards essentials for the rural club based in Tuapeka Mouth, such as a new mower, team kit and clubroom renovations. Although the Stingers were not under immediate threat, he wanted local cricket to be able to carry on for future generations long after he and his team-mates stepped aside, he said. ‘‘For nearly 20 years until 2015, there was no club. ‘‘Thanks to their passion and hard work, a group of locals got it back up and running. ‘‘This is about maintaining that legacy.’’ Club mates, friends and family would be joining him for the occasional lap from 9am on Saturday, hopefully distracting him from his blisters, Mr Chander said. ‘‘You get used to running in gumboots. ‘‘The Skellerups are a snugger fit than other brands, so they’re well suited to gumboot marathons. ‘‘I’m looking forward to the challenge, but stopping will be even better.’’ richard.davison@odt.co.nz
