All set to run 1000km

Thanks to sponsors

thanks to family

thanks to support team

the run starts with the first step

So i was out running this morning and doing my usual mixture of running and boot campo style drills, it was a really lovely morning the feeling of spring is in the air finally - the wiinter grey of Amsterdam has its moments!!. the birds were singing and the dogs barking I was really absorbed with the great array of noises and new smells in the air, it seems really enriching to let your senses pick up as much as you can while you are doing a wonderfully simple sport like running. as my mind wondered off thinking about other places I had heard or smelt similar things and how that made me feel it was nice to allow the mind to wander a little, before you know it you have done another 3-5 km, its a great way to pass the the time if you are running longer distances.

As I enjoy trail running and there are none nearby or in the park I have come up with a solution, and that is to run slalom style through the trees that line the road, its really effective iin working the muscles in a different way and also keeps your core constantly engaged. As i did my third lap of the park I revelled in the fact that running can give you several very different mindsets. The first of seemingly driffinting in & out of thoughts as you make a steady pace along a road or the very focused and present mind that is calculating the distance between your shoulder and the next tree that you have to manouver around, or the way yor mind can work on various problems that you may be having at work or home.

It is such a pleasure to realise the benifits both physically and mentally that a simple run has on us. Lets face it if we burn enough calories we can actually feel less guilt about that apple pie we ate last night!!

Enjoy the moment in what ever shape it comes - running for whatever reason and in whatever way you do it will be of benifit - so simple yet so worthwhile.

Well we are well into the new year and I have found myself stayiing in Europe after a short stint skiing and taking a break in Morocco and souther spain. I am now in Amsterdam, yes the flatest place in the world!!! but Im convinced that the reason Im here (apart from the lovely lady that I moved here for !!) is to improve my running and participate in some of the most amazing runs that have been established in europe for decades.

Ultra running is something so new to most people and yet many have been battleing the trails for decades and once you start to delve into this world it certainly puts you at ease in some way that you are not the only crazy dude that goes off for long runs hours and days at a time!! there are many!!

Ive been lucky enough to run in some wonderful parts of the world just for myself and the pure pleasure of being outside in the elements and enjoying what the world has to offer.

Getting in tune with your self and your surroundings I think best describes Ultra running - as it is a sport that has so much more complexity and diversity that is more than just competing or more than just beinig in the zone it is more than a great day out it is more than just a run in the park.

It certainly takes us back to what is raw and in our DNA from when man began to walk and hunt on two legs we began our journey into ultra running and the journey continues.....

stay tuned for more regular updates on this blog and links to other interesting sites. please contact me if you have any info or queries.

have a great day out there. run because you want to !!

After a tough, wet, cold and often dark and difficult journey filled with moments of fantastic views wonderful people and amazing moments. The 1000km is complete and the recovery is well underway.

Unfortunately the road was lonely with not many runners joining the 44mile a day run and with limited publicity it was difficult to get the word out and obtain more donations for the Child Cancer Charities. However on the upside the challenge of doing the distance under my own steam and with no support was achieved in the time frame that was set.

Running 2 marathons a day is a tough ask on the best of days and to do it for 14 days without a break does take its toll mentally and physically.

Im delighted to have given myself this challenge and to highlight the metaphor of the struggle of ultra running to the battle against cancer. Its a long road and it often gets tough but we just need to keep moving forward.

thank you to all those wonderful people that I met along the way and supported me with accomodation and food.

Its diffucult to piece together the press that was generated but I know that there were several articles in Inverness, newcastle and Brighton papers, also Scotish TV in Perth, Sky in Newcastle, BBC Newcastle and ITV Brighton covered with reports, Radio stations also covered with mentions on air.

one of the tv reports http://tyneandwear.sky.com/news/article/47990

GARMIN UK today confirmed support of the run with product. Stay tuned on twitter for updates and a full report at the end of the run.

High 5 Sports Nutrition offers there support for the run, to provide much needed sports nutrition to assist the runners challenge.

Comressport UK has come on board with support for the 1000k run. providing compression apparel for run & recovery. Thank you for the support.

PUMA UK has confirmed their support of the effort to run 1000km solo by providing shoes and apparel for the run. Thank you for the support.

For immediate release

1000km run in 14 days for charity runner in memory of his wife and father

In 2008 Australian born Harald Ulriksen’s life changed forever. His beautiful wife, Brony, lost her six-year battle against breast cancer and his father died of lung cancer. Weighing in at over 120k Harald wasn’t a natural athlete, but chose to walk 2400km solo from Adelaide to Brisbane to ease his grief. That was the beginning of Harald’s extreme challenges to raise funds and awareness for charity in memory of his wife and father.

Five year’s on and Harald’s brought his fundraising to the UK. From 20th November 2012 he will run, unsupported, from Inverness to Brighton in just 14 days, averaging 70km every day in aid of three UK based charities; CHILDREN with CANCER UK, World Child Cancer and CLIC Sargent.

Harald, 41 and from Sydney, chose the UK charities as Brony worked with children at her dance school and the couple often discussed their desire to visit and tour the UK. Harald is hoping that by raising awareness of his run, the people of Great Britain will not only sponsor him but also show their support on route with provisions and shelter or by running part of the way with him.

Towns and cities Harald will run through include Kinross, Jedburgh, Newcastle, York, Nottingham and London (see below for full list).

Harald set up RunA2B, running from point A to point B to help promote fundraising for worthwhile charities that help people facing the fight against cancer. Past expeditions have included 1000km run from Melbourne to Sydney, 400km run in New Zealand and 500km in Spain, trekking and climbing in the Himalayas and a mammoth 3700km run in 65 days in Chile.

Harald explains “I am running in extreme conditions and extremely long distances to highlight the fight against cancer that families face every day. Unfortunately in the world, some families face it with less resources, support and medical attention than others. It is a long road with plenty of hurdles along the way and the endurance required is much like that of an endurance run.”

CHILDREN with CANCER UK funds life-saving research into the causes, prevention and treatment of childhood cancer and works to protect young lives through essential welfare and campaigning programmes.

World Child Cancer works to improve cancer diagnosis, treatment and palliative care for children across the developing world, redressing the global inequality in the treatment of child cancer.

CLIC Sargent is the UK’s leading cancer charity for children and young people. It provides clinical, practical and emotional support for young cancer patients and their families, from diagnosis onwards.

Ends

Please include Harald’s fundraising page www.virginmoneygiving.com/runa2b

For more background info, visit www.runa2b.webs.com

For more information, please contact Harald Ulriksen +44 7745 957019 or [email protected]

Notes to Editors

Please use capitals for CHILDREN and CANCER UK

For more information and donations, log onto www.childrenwithcancer.org.uk

For more information about World Child Cancer, visit www.worldchildcancer.org

Please note that the name ‘CLIC Sargent’ should not be abbreviated to CLIC, and that the word ‘CLIC’ should always appear in capitals, as above. For more information visit www.clicsargent.org.uk

Schedule

Date Start location End location Average km

20/11 Inverness Newtonmore 72

21/11 Newtonmore Pitlochry 67

22/11 Pitlochry Kinross 72

23/11 Kinross Pathhead 72

24/11 Pathhead Jedburgh 61

25/11 Jedburgh Newcastle 81

26/11 Newcastle Stockton on Tees 71

27/11 Stockton on Tees York 79

28/11 York Bawtry 69

29/11 Bawtry Nottingham 65

30/11 Nottingham Corby 71

01/12 Corby Luton 79

02/12 Luton London 70

03/12 London Brighton 73

press release

April 3rd 2012 an Australian widower Harald Ulriksen honored the 4 year anniversary of his wife passing after a 6 year battle with breast cancer and set off on a 65 day expedition. To run the length of most of Chile, covering more than 3700km on foot, running an ultra marathon a day averaging 55km per day, with no rest days.

Running through one of the worlds harshest deserts, "the Atacama" and enduring relentless wind rain and cold of the south. All in an effort to raise funds and awareness for Childrens Cancer in Chile "amor y esperanza para ninos con cancer". www.runchile.com

Now this Australian from Chilean parents plans to run the length of most of the UK this late November/Dec as winter kicks in he will be running over 1000km in just 14 days averaging an ultra marathon of 70+km per day this time doing it solo , unassisted. Starting in Inverness and taking a route through the middle of the country finishing in Brighton.

“the difficulty with this run will be the wet and lack of support crew on the road, the first few days you can manage but after the 4th day things start to unravel and the mind really kicks in to keep you focused and motivated to keep moving forward.

Why the UK? "my wife lived here for several years before we met and we had talked about visiting, so I have chosen to keep my fund raising hat on this year and attempt this challenge. She worked with children and so its only appropriate that my efforts go towards helping in particular Children with Cancer" says Ulriksen recently arrived to London in preparation.

He is no stranger to fundraising and long distances having started after the death of his wife in 2008 walking from Adelaide to Brisbane in Australia over 2400km and raising money for the McGrath Foundation and again running in a 5 man nonstop relay from Melbourne to Sydney (over 1000km).

Now in the UK he will promote the fight against cancer and via 2 charities: World Child Cancer and Children with Cancer UK.

You can donate to this new challenge and learn more about the charities at www.runa2b.webs.com or twitter @runa2b4cancer and FB /runa2b.