Local Geelong fitness fanatic and father Nathaniel Blyth has kicked off his mission to run 21 kms a day for 21 days to raise money for Geelong Mums.
Nathaniel, who intends to raise $21,000 for the charity, ran his first half-marathon on December 1 and said while he was off to a good start, the heat on Sunday had been a challenge.
“Every day except Sunday has been awesome, but it was a nightmare to be honest,” he said.
“Normally I start at 4.30am, but I didn’t get to run Sunday morning so it was delayed till one o’clock.
“I then ran from Mount Duneed to Barwon Heads in 34 degrees, and it was hot. I’ve never had such a dry mouth in my life.
“If I was ever going to fail it was going to be Sunday, but now I’m really confident I’ll get through it.”
Nathaniel has had the idea for the fundraiser for the past three months, having donated items to Geelong Mums for a year now, and he said the charity was close to his heart as he has a five-year-old daughter.
“I just can’t believe how many babies and children don’t have the essentials they need,” he said.
“When I think about my own daughter and what my family is able to provide her with, it really hits home that others don’t have the same.
“I’ve never done anything like this before but I’m committed to raising these funds. I love Geelong and I’ve lived here my whole life. It’s an amazing town, and if we all come together for this great cause we can definitely raise $21,000.
“I’m really grateful for all the support I’m getting, and I’ll just keep putting the kays out so we can get that money to the kids and families that really need it.
Geelong Mums head of operations and impact Julia Roache said people like Nathaniel were crucial to the charity.
“We feel so lucky that Nathaniel has chosen to support us, especially at Christmas which is one of our busiest times of the year,” she said.
“His fundraising efforts will help us continue providing essential items for over 6,000 babies and children in the Geelong region each year.”
To donate to Nathaniel’s campaign go to 21-kms-for-21-days-for-geelongmums.raisely.com.
