Kilometres for Kids Lockdown Marathon Series

When the country levels down, we level up for kids. Every time the country drops an Alert Level we run a marathon!

Maybe you remember a time as a kid when someone looked out for you. Now you could be that person for Kiwi kids who are going to be hit hard by the knock-on effects of COVID-19.

Kiwi kids are going to have parents without incomes and many will be in difficult situations in the coming months. We want to support NZ charities that we know will give kids hope. We're showing them we care by putting ourselves through a marathon every time we move from Level 4 to 3, 3 to 2, 2 to 1, and eventually from 1 to 0.

If you've ever run a marathon you know how hard it is! It takes hours, you forget why you're doing it and want to give up, everything hurts, you're hungry and thirsty, and maybe hardest of all you have to run past everyone going for a casual walk around the block! But in our case it's temporary and self-inflicted, which is nothing compared to going through tough times as a kid -- going hungry or feeling hopeless. Let's help keep kids out of poverty and look out for them over the months ahead!

We'll share updates and stories as the challenge progresses, and we'd love you to join in for a run, it could be for a 1km leg or right up to the whole 42.

Q: Doesn't running a marathon mean hours of potential COVID-19 exposure? How can you ensure this is done safely?

A: Official guidelines encourage exercise for its physical and mental health benefits, and by following the rules appropriate to each alert level this can be done safely by keeping it local and physically distanced from those outside our bubbles. But we take the official guidance as a baseline, taking extra precautions like going out when the streets are almost empty (early morning or late evening), avoiding busy locations as appropriate.

Q: Who are you, and what gave you the inspiration to do this?

A: We're a rapidly-growing group of friends who run and cycle for leisure and health, and we want to give a hand to Kiwi kids affected by the fallout from COVID-19. You may not know it, but many charities are already struggling as donors begin to close their wallets, and we want to help keep them afloat doing their important work giving kids the resources they need to survive and thrive.

It's also a chance to celebrate! We're giving the previous alert level a send-off, thanking the country for the personal sacrifices that everyone has made and celebrating each step toward the return to normal.

Donations go to the charities listed — we don't actually handle the funds.