We’re extremely pleased to announce today the launch of the Juice Plus+ Ultra Spirit Fun Run to help raise funds for ultra-marathon burn victims Kate Sanderson and Turia Pitt.

The run will take place at 8am on Saturday 1^st September around Melbourne’s iconic ‘The Tan’ running track in the Royal Botanical Gardens – entries are $50 and are open now.

The race is 7.6kms in length, or two laps – a lap each for Kate and Turia with all money raised from the entry fees going towards helping the girls. Follow us on Twitter @1ultraspirit or like the Facebook page here.

For those of you who don’t know, both Kate and Turia were tragically burnt in bush fires while taking part in a 100km ultra-marathon in the Kimberly Desert last year, changing their lives forever. We had a simple desire to help the girls in any way we could. Six weeks ago myself (Dan) and Samantha Gash got together, along with a team of brilliant volunteers with a rather ambitious plan to get a race that is accessible to all off the ground. We’re pleased to say that today we’re launching this and wish to encourage as many people as possible to take part.

We’re sure like many of you who saw the coverage of Kate and Turia that it touched you deep inside, particularly as a runner and as someone who could relate to them. The reason we’re staging this race is to help raise much-needed money for the girls – pure and simple. Although some of the girls’ basic medical expenses will be covered through Medicare and their health funds, there are huge medical costs and associated costs that will be a financial burden on the girls. Cosmetic procedures, prosthesis, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, counselling support and day-to-day living expenses during their recovery are just some of the things they require.

Working in conjunction with the Fire Foundation, all proceeds raised from the run (bar a small and unavoidable transaction fee) will go to the girls to help them rebuild their lives, as well as take care of their vast ongoing medical and living costs. This has been made possible by the sponsor for the race, Juice Plus+. They have stepped in to cover all of the race overheads, meaning that your entry fee for the race will go towards helping the girls.

We’re calling upon anyone who can to show their support and sign up to run to be part of a very special day. The race has been named ‘Ultra Spirit’ because we feel that it is second nature to runners to show true spirit and camaraderie towards their fellow runners – we want the running community of Australia to show what true spirit really means.

If you’re unable to make the race on the day, a fundraising page has also been set up and donations are being taken for the girls too. We’d like to thanks all of our readers for their ongoing support and hope that some of you will enter the race too.

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Dan

I'm a mediocre runner who can bat above his average when I train hard. A man of extremes, I do enjoy everything life offers and consider it an absolute pleasure just to be able to put one foot in front of the other and let my mind wander somewhere different.