Endurance runner tackles 85-hour challenge

APNZ reporter Lane Nichols runs a few laps with Kim Allan who is running for 85 hours straight, around the Auckland Domain. Photo / Christine Cornege

Last year she fell short - collapsing in a friend's arms, suffering hallucinations and losing all her toe nails after running without sleep for more than three consecutive days.

And Kim Allan admits she's not even that attracted to running.

"To be honest, going out on a two-hour training run is just a drag.''

But the determined vegetarian is back in another bid to beat the women's ultra-distance without sleep world record at Auckland Domain, in the process raising money for the New Zealand Spinal Trust.

The 47-year-old Tuakau single mother of four - who suffered a severe compound fracture a decade ago when a horse trampled on her leg - only took up running in 2010.

She launched her latest record attempt at 6am today and aims to complete 500 gruelling kilometres by Sunday afternoon - the equivalent of about 12 marathons.

The former jockey won't sleep during that time and expects to lose more than 3 per cent of her body weight.

She is aiming to cover 332 laps of the Domain in about 85 hours in order to beat US runner Pam Reed's record, who ran 486km in 2005 in just over 80 hours.

So what's the attraction? Not running apparently.

"There's ultra runners who go out and train huge miles - that's not me.

"I like the mental aspect to it. I'm not a fast runner, I'm never going to be a fast runner. It's the beating my own mind that I like. Thinking you can't do something then you go out and do it.''

Ms Allan spoke to APNZ about 1.30pm, after running for just over seven hours and completing 63km.

She vowed this would be her last attempt - the previous year's effort ending in "failure'' after 85 hours without sleep and 376 painful kilometres completed.

She had suffered severe blisters and was haunted by "scary'' hallucinations on the final day between midnight and 5am.

But she is motivated by the pain she endured recovering from her compound fracture.

"I swore then, `I'm never going to take for granted the ability to get out of bed and walk'.''

Ms Allan is urging Auckland runners to join her at the Domain for a few laps, to help buoy her spirits during the punishing record attempt.

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