Christchurch man runs marathons for brother

Kris McLeish finishes Coast to Coast (Jeff Hampton/ 3 News)
Kris McLeish finishes Coast to Coast (Jeff Hampton/ 3 News)

A Christchurch man has just completed the equivalent of six marathons in three days, a superhuman effort from the West Coast of the South Island to the east.

Kris McLeish did the run in honour of his older brother who died of a heart attack, to raise money for heart research. He said he was thinking of his brother when he did the final stretch.

"It was really good with all his mates along and that it made it so much better. He'd think I was mad but it was worth it," he says.

McLeish lost his brother, Scott, from a heart attack early last year.

Scott was just 38 years old, a father to twins born just six months before he died.

Plasterer Kris was very close to Scott. He set himself a goal to get himself fit and raise awareness and money for the Heart Foundation.

On Thursday he set off from Kumara, the start point for the legendary Coast to Coast.

"It shows what he was like that it inspires you to run across the country. I miss him a lot and I know my family does as well," says McLeish.

The main difference between Kris's coast-to-coast and the real event is that there's no cycling or kayaking. He's running all the way - equal to two marathons a day.

Kris lost 30kg as he piled on the training to get ready.

"The equivalent of running Christchurch to Sydney via Auckland, I've done the equivalent in Ks. It's been a lot of effort but I've loved the whole thing," says McLeish.

Friends ran the route with him in stages.

"It's quite surreal to think about how far he's actually running to be honest, and I just decided to jump on board to test myself," says McLeish's friend, Seamus Murphy.

"He's put a lot of time and training into it so I think he'll go alright," says his father, Dough McLeish.

He went more than alright, keeping slightly ahead of schedule.

"There's no excuses. Even if I have to crawl back I'm going to get it done," says McLeish.

The journey was completed early this afternoon at New Brighton.

A tired but happy Kris McLeish raised more than $20,000 for The Heart Foundation.

3 News