For nineteen kilometres, they will be running with all their heart, for good causes that are close to home.
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On Friday more than 200 students from The Armidale School will clock up the laps around two circuits on the school campus in the inaugural 'TAS 4 Hour', a new challenge event that is all about making a difference.
With the pandemic cancelling the annual City 2 Surf run in Sydney, which has been long supported by TAS, the new event offers a COVID-friendly opportunity for participants to both challenge themselves and think of others.
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"For over a decade we've taken teams down to the City 2 Surf, a signature event of the TAS Triple Crown challenge award that also raises money for something associated with our community.
Given the current COVID climate, we needed to come up with something else that fitted the bill - and so the TAS 4 Hour was born," TAS Challenge & Service Coordinator Jim Pennington said.
The event will be broken down into four stages starting at 4pm, with participants running a set distance every hour on alternate circuits, split into two pools according to their year groups to comply with COVID guidelines. It is a "participation journey not a race", though all must complete the designated distances to qualify.
Leading by example in the participation event will be Principal Dr Rachel Horton who earlier in the year competed an 100km overnight ultra-marathon.
"As in 2019, we will again run for the 'Guns out for Tombsy' Foundation in recognition of former Wallaby and TAS Old Boy Richard Tombs who suffered a serious spinal injury and is still going through rehabilitation. We will also run for the charity 'Anya's Wish' to raise funds into children's cancer research, this disease having claimed the life of Anya Zuber and Peta Kerr, who both have siblings in Year 11," Pennington said.
"The event is 19km because Anya died at just 19-years-old after years of battling this terrible disease."
The TAS 4 Hour will also be a recognised event of the 19-for-19 Challenge, a community bush walk on November 21 to raise funds for the Children's Cancer Institute that is being auspiced by Tour de Rocks.
