Fun run a real tonic for couple

Gaz Brown and Lucia Tigri get the fun run off to a start. Photo / Herald on Sunday

Gaz Brown and Lucia Tigri are wedding crashers of a different kind.

The Auckland couple were due to marry yesterday, but their plans were ruined when they were involved in a horror car smash three weeks ago.

Brown is personal trainer-to-the-stars - among his clients are radio broadcasters Kerre Woodham and Jay-Jay Feeney, television personality Tamati Coffey and chef Tony Astle.

So yesterday, Woodham and other friends and clients returned the favour by holding a fun run on the day that guests had planned to be throwing confetti over a happy couple.

Despite still recovering from serious injuries, Brown and Tigri donned bridal costumes and attended the event.

A group of 170 runners, most in fancy dress as brides and grooms, pounded a 5km course around Ponsonby to raise money for the couple, who are both self-employed.

Brown, 31, who owns the Get Running training company, and Tigri, 33, a fashion editor, were due to marry at Antoine's restaurant in Parnell.

Antoine's owner Tony Astle, dressed as a vicar, handed out certificates to runners that said: "Thanks for dressing up and making a bit of an arse of yourself in the name of love and friendship. Laughter really is the best medicine."

Brown and Tigri were both seriously injured in a four-vehicle crash on State Highway 2 near Napier on December 27. Both were operated on for bowel injuries, Tigri had surgery on a damaged vertebrae and Brown had a steel plate inserted in his shoulder.

Brown was discharged from Hawke's Bay hospital yesterday and flew home to Auckland just in time to be reunited with his fiancee before their would-be wedding day.

The couple arrived at Western Park in a Bentley, borrowed from socialite Gilda Kirkpatrick for the occasion, and were greeted by cheers and applause.

"It's overwhelming," said Brown, as he and Tigri walked up the make-shift aisle through a tunnel of outstretched arms.

Sarah Jennings of Get Running said it was a way to mark the day: "Gaz does so much for so many people, it's about coming together to show them support."

It was a sprint to the start line, with the organising committee enlisting the help of event organisers Total Sport to get council approval in 10 days. Nicola Carter of Total Sport said an event of this type normally took a year to organise.

To say thanks to emergency services, Brown and Tigri are holding a charity auction on Trade Me of Angela Daniel jewellery worth $3500 to raise money for the Westpac helicopter and a Les Mills membership worth $1600 with proceeds going to St John Ambulance.