Runner nails funds target ... and keeps going

By Vicki Woolley

NZ Herald·

22 May, 2015 05:00 PM2 mins to read

Malcolm Law raised $505,000 in the High Five-0 Challenge for Mental Health by running up and down mountains with friends. Photo / Allan Ure, Photos4sale

For 50 consecutive days, Malcolm Law and his red-shirted support runners ran an off-road marathon and climbed a mountain in some of the remotest parts of New Zealand.

During the 427 hours the team were on their feet they ran 1659km and notched up a staggering 81,779 metres of climbing - equivalent to almost 10 ascents of Mt Everest.

The goal was to raise funds and awareness for the Mental Health Foundation of New Zealand.

Law completed the 50 days in late March; the physical part of the Partners Life High Five-0 Challenge was over, but he wasn't done.

Fundraising had been so successful that the target of $250,000 was reached relatively early - loving nothing more than an audacious goal, the Wanaka man immediately set a new target of $505,050.

One week out from the day Law was to write a cheque to the Mental Health Foundation he was still $35,000 short of the revised target. Friends, supporters and family encouraged him to "let it go" and be proud of his achievement - but this man simply does not allow failure to enter into his vocabulary, and he continued to lobby for donations.

With $13,000 still needed on Monday May 18, the call went out over social media: Law intended to arrive at the base of Mt Eden early the next morning and start running.

He was not coming off that mountain until the target had been reached.

His body was still ravaged from completing the High Five-0 Challenge, but if there is one thing this extraordinary man is good at, it's pushing himself to the edge of possibility.

Arriving at Mt Eden early Tuesday morning, Law learned that an overnight surge in donations had tipped him over the $505,050 threshold - he had done it.

There was only one way for Law to celebrate. With a handful of red-shirted supporters in attendance, he did what he does best: ran up and down a mountain all morning with his friends.

Shortly after wife Sally arrived at lunchtime, Law looked at her, smiled, and said the words all were waiting to hear: "I think we've done it".