Weekend warrior Mal Law (Wanaka) will join about 200 off-road running enthusiasts for the 31st running of Dunedin's Three Peaks Challenge tomorrow.
Law (53) has a lifelong love of the outdoors, developed while growing up in Scotland. Encouraged by his father, an avid hill walker, he started ''bagging peaks at an early age''.
''I still get a very special thrill from reaching the summit of a mountain. I can think of nothing better,'' he said.
For Law, the 26km Three Peaks Challenge, encompassing the summits of Flagstaff, Swampy and Cargill, is a stepping stone on a fundraising journey, in which he aims to raise $250,000 for mental health awareness.
He is promoting his ''High Five-O Challenge'' beginning on January 31 next year with an ascent of Auckland's One Tree Hill.
From there, Law will travel down the west coast of both islands and return up the east, seeking to climb 50 peaks throughout New Zealand and run 50 marathons, all in 50 days.
Within that time he will need to climb more than 100,000m, the equivalent of climbing Mt Everest from sea level almost 12 times, or 27 Mt Cooks, or climbing to the observation deck of Auckland's Sky Tower 530 times.
He said his planned 50-day challenge involved many of New Zealand's remote peaks, seven of which stood over 2000m and 25 over 1500m.
''In the space of just 50 days, it will be an adventure that will take in many of New Zealand's wildest landscapes. There will be no rest days and very little time to recover from one gruelling day to the next.''
Law's passion for long-distance trail running evolved only in recent years, after a 20-year dabble in off-road running.
He was bitten by the long-distance bug in 2009, and soon after tackled New Zealand's seven mainland ''great walks'' in seven days. He also completed the Everest in a Day event, and ran Britain's southwest coast path (1014km) in a record 17 days, all to raise funds for various charities.
Returning to defend senior Three Peaks titles won last year will be early favourites Stafford Thompson and Louisa Andrew, both of Dunedin.
Andrew, in particular, has been in powerful form in distance and off-road events, while Thompson will be keen to avoid last year's drama when he broke a wrist attempting to avoid unrestrained dogs 2km from the finish.
Organisers have established a strict set of guidelines for tomorrow's race.
Race director Alan Funnell said after last year's race, in bitterly cold and wet conditions, it was the sensible decision to make.
''Last year, a couple of runners were pulled off the course because they were near hypothermic,'' Funnell said.
''Some runners think they are invincible and just because it's not cold at the start that they will be right throughout the race. But once you reach Swampy Summit, you have run for over an hour, and it's a rare day that it's not cold up there.''
All competitors will have to wear or carry a long-sleeved thermal top, seam-sealed jacket and a beanie. This compulsory gear also applies to the ''Race the Summit'' 11km run, and the 11km recreational walk sections.
Funnell said gear would be checked both before and after the race. Anyone not carrying it would be disqualified.
Three Peaks Challenge: The facts
When: Tomorrow
Where: From Woodhaugh Gardens
Start times: 8.30am (11km walk), 9.30am (26km race)
