Icebreaker - Pure Merino

My name is Alex Asher and many people think I’m a little crazy running near 2,400km of road, rock and sand around the entire east coast of New Zealand’s North Island this summer, but it will be a hell of a good adventure.

I am starting this December and running an average of 40km a day, 6 days a week, which will take me almost 2 1/2 months to get around the coast.  Fortunately, I have a fantastic tag team of friends and family to support me along the way that will pass some stunning parts of NZ such as North Cape, Coromandel Peninsula, swimming Waitamata harbour, East Cape and running through friendly farms on the Wairarapa coast.

I’ve got to come clear: I was lucky enough to work with Icebreaker over the last 4 years – so I know the company inside and out.  One of my favourite stories about Icebreaker is that i’ve run, tramped and played hard in Icebreaker socks during that entire time and have never had a blister.  I look forward to putting them through a real wear test this summer, and I’ll be wearing some of the new IcebreakerGT range along the way too!

Now with this challenge only 2 weeks away, I am rounding off my intense training to focus on my cause.  I am running to raise awareness to protect our unique coastlines and oceans from unsustainable fishing practices, pollution and plastic; threats that I noticed especially after spending some time overseas.  That is why I am supporting and raising money for two fantastic homegrown charities that work hard to keep our coastlines and oceans alive and healthy: Sustainable Coastlines and NZ Forest & Bird.

I hope to keep you updated, not only on the Icebreaker blog, but also through my website and facebook site: www.capetostrait.org.nz

Here you can keep an eye on my progress and help me: donate, become of member, choose sustainably caught fish and stop that next piece of rubbish on the ground from reaching the sea.  Go on…I dare ya!

Many said it wasn’t possible but the words “can’t be done” were like a red flag to a bull when last year Malcolm Law announced he was going to run all 7 of New Zealand’s mainland Great Walks in the space of just 7 days.

Pushing aside the knowledge that it was like running 9 off-road marathons in just 7 days, Mal spent a year preparing for the challenge of a lifetime. His motivation traced back to the loss of his brother, who died from leukaemia when just 13 years old. His driving goal was to raise $50,000 for the Leukaemia & Blood Foundation.

Icebreaker and retail partner Bivouac got involved early in the piece, helping Malcolm and his support runners out with GT150 tops and Run socks. And we shared in his delight when on 4^th December 2009 Malcolm completed the 60km Kepler Challenge, the final leg of his epic week, and announced that he had raised over $85,000 for the cause that is so close to his heart.

After that, you might think that he had earned a rest. But instead, he threw himself into organising another 7in7 Challenge – another epic week-long trail running adventure through iconic New Zealand landscapes – only even harder! And this time he is playing ‘Pied Piper’ to more than 100 support runners who will each run a day or two of the seven with him. With their help Malcolm hopes to raise a further $150,000 in funds to assist leukaemia sufferers and their families. He says “it’s going to really hurt this year, but any suffering I go through will pale in comparison to what the 10,000 New Zealanders battling leukaemia are going through every day of their struggle”.

Needless to say Icebreaker and Bivouac Outdoor are back on board for the 2010 7in7 Challenge, kitting Malcolm and his support runners out with Icebreaker GT tops and Run socks that, according to the man himself “really help prevent chafing, something which I am very prone to, especially on 12-hour days”.

If you’d like to join us in supporting Malcolm, you can do so without needing to put your hand in your pocket. He is entered in the Pure Futures online voting contest to find the most inspiring kiwi. If he can win this he will get $10,000 from the organisers, every cent of which he will donate to the Leukaemia & Blood Foundation. Just go to www.purefutures.co.nz and vote for MALCOLM LAW. Note voting closes very soon (midnight on 30^th September).

To find out more about this year’s Challenge check out Malcolm’s website www.7in7.org.nz

Back in June this year 3 groups of Icebreaker retailers were lucky enough to spend some time with the Todhunters at Lake Heron Station – inland from South Canterbury in New Zealand’s Southern Alps.    I posted a blog after that trip, and you can read it here to refresh your memory.

I’ve kept in touch with Anne and Philip since then, and it’s been a pretty amazing Winter for them.  Philip has been winging around in Helicopters dropping skiers off at some incredible locations, with some great snow, and I got this note from Anne recently:

“Such a beautiful day here that I thought I’d post this shot out to you. This is looking back to the homestead area. A chilly -12C here last night. Just as the weather was starting to warm up, we had a southerly blast through, dumping 20cm of new snow around the house and plenty more in the mountains. Philip and the crew were off heliskiing as soon as the weather cleared and they are off enjoying some primo snow again today.

Meanwhile, the farm keeps ticking along with stock being fed and the blade shearing gang due in a couple of weeks to shear the ewes before lambing. Shearing with blades (like scissors) leaves much more wool on than electric shears so the sheep still keep warm through late winter and spring.”

So their life continues, embracing the weather in all its raw power. They have recently had a short video made showing the station, and the walks that run through their property over the Summer months.  Check it out here: Lake Heron Station.

Whilst technically it’s spring (past the 1^st of September), the Southern Alps of NZ are reluctant to pay attention to the calendar, still being given Winters harshest treatment.   What a sublime place to demonstrate the Icebreaker story of Born in the Mountains, Worn in the Mountains.

Jem Culpitt – Sales Manager, Icebreaker New Zealand