As New Zealand wakes up under Alert Level 3, PM Jacinda Ardern talks to Newstalk ZB’s Mike Hosking about Covid-19 checkpoints, Deborah Russell, and the wage subsidy scheme. Audio / Newstalk ZB
COMMENT
Anyone who knows me, knows I hate running.
I actively avoid it anytime it's programmed at the gym. You tell me you like running and my response will be 'why?'. Anything further than a kilometre and it's a no from me.
People who enjoy it seem to be strongadvocates but personally I just find it a little boring and repetitive. Each to their own.
But unprecedented times call for unprecedented exercise, which is why I've signed up for Event Promotions' Lockdown 100. The aim is to run or walk 100km over 14 days.
You can do them all in one day, all in a week or evenly spread the kilometres across the fortnight - the wisest decision. Throughout the two weeks, hundreds of others will do the same, all connected virtually over social media, sharing their progress.
I know the locally-owned Event Promotions has had to cancel or postpone many of its events and, like others, has been hit hard by Covid-19. So I'm doing my bit to support them.
Hundreds of other local businesses are facing similar challenges and losses. Many will have reopened this week at alert level 3 with new ways of working.
Rotorua Hospice is finding new ways to fundraise with a virtual bingo evening on Thursday and its chief executive is planning to run a half marathon around a carpark to raise money for the charity on Saturday - what would have been the day of the Rotorua Marathon, another of Event Promotion's events.
Zizi Sparks has signed up for a 100-kilometre challenge. Photo/Getty.
Many cafes and takeaways have reopened, desperate to recover from almost five weeks of lost income.
We locals can help. Whether it be buying the barista-brewed coffee you've been craving, a voucher or goods, or by signing up to traverse 100km in 14 days.
It's unlikely I'll run all 100km, it's unlikely I'll run half of that. It is likely I'll indulge in a few hard-earned coffees during it.
I'm looking forward to exploring a little more of my backyard on foot over the next two weeks and supporting a local business while I'm at it.
