Half-marathon programme pays off for CHH

Around 1,000 Carter Holt Harvey staff are in the final stages of training for New Zealand’s largest ever off-road running event, the Lost World Adventure half-marathon, which is being held in Woodhill Forest on Sunday 11 November.

Carter Holt Harvey’s Linda Sewell says the 16-week half-marathon training programme for Carter Holt Harvey staff, which is supported by Southern Cross Healthcare, is already paying dividends for the company.

A pre-race survey of Carter Holt Harvey runners by programme managers Performance Lab found that 92 percent felt the programme had had a positive impact on their overall health, wellbeing and lifestyle. 78 percent believed the impact of the half marathon programme on them would be sustainable beyond the event itself.

“The basic idea is that a healthy employee is happier and more productive,” says Ms Sewell. “The half marathon is also a great chance to stretch yourself outside of your comfort zone and achieve something you previously regarded as unrealistic – a great lesson in business as well as life.”

Ms Sewell says the half-marathon challenge has resulted in big lifestyle changes for some of the participants.

“Some of our group hadn’t run to the end of the street when they started. Now, thanks to the training programme and their own determination, they’re running more than 15kms at a time.”

Carter Holt Harvey staff in last year’s Auckland BMW half-marathon recorded an average five percent improvement in cholesterol levels, an average four kilogram weight loss and a ten percent improvement in resting heart rate. 87 percent of participants felt better or motivated as a result of completing the event.

Carter Holt Harvey decided to host the Lost World Adventure after entering increasingly large teams in public half marathons over recent years. Around 500 Carter Holt Harvey staff participated in last year’s Auckland half-marathon.

“This year, with 1,000 Carter Holt Harvey people running, we realised our team would be too large for a public event,” said Ms Sewell. “We decided to host our own off-road half-marathon and showcase one of Carter Holt Harvey’s most beautiful plantation forests.”

The course, at the northern end of Woodhill Forest, gives participants a unique opportunity to run through the privately-owned pine plantation and enjoy spectacular views of Muriwai and Rangitira Beaches along the way.

Other companies with staff running in the Lost World Adventure include Southern Cross, Russell McVeagh, Telecom, Ernst & Young, Bell Gully, Arthur Andersen, Hertz, American Express, Mi Services, Chapman Tripp, Fletcher Wall Panels, Nestle and Winstone Wallboards.

ENDS

Note: walkers will start at 9.15 am, runners at 10.00 am and the first finisher is expected around 11.15 am.

For further information / photo opportunities please contact:
Catherine Etheredge – 09 309 1494, 025 276 9712

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