Lee Dewhurst runs again   18 Sep 2015

Being told he would never run again has proved no deterrent for Lee Dewhurst.

The University’s Associate Director Health, Safety and Wellbeing, Lee is busy training to complete the Auckland Marathon this November.

He is defying the prognosis handed down by doctors after he was involved in a near-fatal car crash in 1999. Fortunately he survived the accident and is now training three times a week for his first-ever marathon, which he hopes to complete in less than five hours.

“I actually have a permanent back injury from the car crash so the training comes with a fair deal of pain which then affects my sleep. As I push past 15km in a training run, I really start to feel the pain set in so the personal price of doing this is pretty high. To get to 30km and keep going to 42km in November will be a real mental effort for me,” he says.

“But completing a marathon is on the bucket list and something I’ve always wanted to do. And I’m fundraising for the Auckland City Mission, a cause close to my heart and a charity which I think does a great deal of good work yet often gets overlooked. For me, this marathon is more about raising money for the important work they do rather than achieving my own personal goals.”

Lee is completing six months of training, including running from work to his home in St Heliers, and fitting in a longer run in the weekends. He is currently running about 30km, well on his way to the 42km required in November.

Owing to the pain involved in training and competing, this will be Lee’s first and last marathon.

When at work Lee is responsible for developing the overall health, safety and wellbeing strategies and plans to ensure the University is a safe place to work and study. In return he has received plenty of support from the University community, receiving donations from colleagues he has never met, and invaluable advice from sport and recreation teams to help with his physical preparations.

Lee relocated to New Zealand from the UK only 16 months ago.

“I’m a long way from friends and family but I have received such amazing moral support and encouragement from everyone at the University, and already donations are mounting towards the $5000 fundraising goal I have set.”

To support Lee and make a donation toward the Auckland City Mission go to: www.fundraiseonline.co.nz/LeeDewhurst.

Lee will be taking part in this weekend’s Mizuno Devonport Classic on Sunday September 20 as part of his training for the big event later this year.

ENDS

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