TEENAGER Shay Broomhall is gearing-up for a potentially record-breaking solo run - trekking the entire length of New Zealand.

The 19-year-old plans to run 3,000 kilometres from Cape Reinga, at the top of the North Island, to Bluff at the bottom of the South Island.

In the process, it is thought he will become the youngest person to complete the amazing feat unsupported and he will be raising funds for refugee crisis charity Care4Calais.

Shay was born in New Zealand but moved to north Essex when he was two, being raised in Wivenhoe and studying at Colchester Sixth Form College.

He said: "My idea to run the trail originally stemmed from my wish to explore the country where I was born.

"However, it soon occurred to me that I could potentially raise money for a cause I care about a lot.

"I first became aware of Care4Calais through a local charity I was involved with, called Refugee Action Colchester.

"I ended up volunteering with Care4Calais for just under a week in the summer of 2019, helping distribute emergency aid to refugees in northern France and Belgium.

"My run, although a difficult journey, will be nothing compared to the journey these refugees make to western Europe, fleeing their own war-torn countries in search of a safe haven.

"Many have not been able to find it, instead being met with hostility from French and British authorities.

"That's why I feel Care4Calais, who provide essentials to these vulnerable people, are the perfect organisation to support with my run."

Gazette:

Shay plans to start his solo expedition on November 20 and will follow the 3,000km (1,865 miles) Te Araroa trail.

He aims to average 30km a day and will spend at least 100 days outdoors in all sorts of weather, crossing all sorts of terrains, from 90-mile-long beaches to rugged mountain tracks.

When he completes it, it is believed he will be the youngest person to have run the entire trail unsupported.

He will be carrying everything he needs on his back, including a tent, sleeping bag, cooking equipment and food, as well as his running kit and emergency equipment.

In preparation, he has been training in the hills and forests around the Bay of Plenty on the east coast of the North Island.

He recently completed his first ultramarathon, a 50km trail event in Taupō, in the central North Island.

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