Coast to Coast for Coastguard Canterbury!

In February '23 (all training going well!) I'm planning to complete the Coast to Coast, raising money for my Coastguard unit and raising awareness for drowning prevention. I'm pretty intimidated by this beast of an event, so I will need all the support I can get!

A bit about C2C! "The race starts on the West Coast, at Kumara Beach and traverses the South Island, finishing on the East Coast at the Pier on New Brighton Beach in Christchurch. The race starts with a short run, then a bike following the Taramakau River to the foothills of the Southern Alps where they switch their bikes for runners. The 30.5km trail run sees competitors encounter multiple river crossings with frigid crystal clear water and an elevation gain of nearly 800m on their way to Goat Pass and the start of the descent. A 15km ride follows before the second jewel in the course. The mighty Waimakariri River. 70kms of braids and a stunning gorge, the river section is for many both the highlight and the crux of the race. It takes competitors from the heart of the Southern Alps out on to the Canterbury Plains where just one final 70km ride stands between competitors and the finish on the East Coast."

"77 people drowned in New Zealand last year. That is 77 deaths that could have been prevented. Almost one fifth of drownings have been aged 15-24 years. Three-quarters (74%) of all people who fatally drown are adults aged 25 years and over" (DPANZ 2022). More awareness around water safety is so important and needed!