The Chief Nutter is back!
I thought I was done with pushing my limits for a cause, but it seems not. I reckon I have just one more in me, but this time it's a little different...
1 Million Feet for Mental Health is to be a year-long project, kicking off on Jan 1st 2019. My goal is to climb 1,000,000 vertical feet (304,800 metres) by the end of the year. I'll do this by running and walking in the mountains of New Zealand and wherever else my thirst for adventure takes me during 2019. It's a project that will take me to my 'happy place' again and again, each time reinforcing how good being active in the great outdoors is for my own mental wellbeing and hopefully encouraging others to get out there and feel the benefits too.
But it won't be all beer & skittles. Like life itself, it'll be very tough at times. There'll be days when I wish I'd never dreamed this up. There'll be days when I'll want to throw in the towel. There'll be days when I'm dragging my feet and feeling sorry for myself, wishing I was still in bed. But so long as the donations keep on coming in I'll keep on going, forever upwards.
To put this challenge in perspective, 1 million feet of ascent is equivalent to:
- climbing to the observation deck of Auckland's Sky Tower 1,640 times
- climbing to the tip of the Eiffel Tower 940 times
- climbing Everest from Base Camp more than 87 times
- climbing Mt. Cook from sea level 82 times
I'm doing this because I'm a passionate advocate for mental health and a great believer in the value of being active in the great outdoors as a way of boosting mental wellbeing.
I'm doing this because I have first hand experience of the devastating consequences that depression can have.
I'm doing this because nearly 50% of New Zealanders will experience a mental health problem in their lifetime, and I don’t want them to face it on their own.
Your donation will help the Mental Health Foundation of NZ provide individuals, workplaces, schools and communities with the tools they need to build positive mental health and wellbeing. It will also be my carrot (or stick, depending on how you choose to look at it!) - for each $10 donated I pledge to climb 1,000 feet. So if $100,000.00 is donated I will have no choice but to climb 1 Million Feet for Mental Health.
Thanks for your support.
Thank you to my Supporters
$50
Keogh Plumbing Ltd
$156
Barry Devenney
I'm on the train to Edinburgh as I write this as I decided to check your FB to see where in Scotland you are these days only to see you just cleared 9 munros in a day!! How could I not donate. Amazing effort as always Mal! Keep it up, always an inspiration!
$104
Rose Hn
That's two quid a munro. If you knock off more than fifty, I'll sling you more! Good work buddy, proud of you.
$26
Vicki F
Keep smiling Mal in all those happy places Mal.
$50
Miriam Houliston
Nice work on the 9 munro’s!
$40
Aimee Rae
You are doing amazing! Such an inspiration!
$52
Isobel Stout
May the Highlands’ spirit run forever free in your heart.
$208
Andrew Humphrey
Great challenge, and a good cause. Thanks for the use of the Venge.
$104
Kat & Ian
Just a wee dollars to keep you going while over in the UK!
$52
Roz Calder
Well done on hitting the 100k Mal
$2.5k
Fulton Hogan
$156
Gary Philpott
Mal here's a dollar for every 10 meters of gain on our run last week. Keep up the great work.
$156
Guy Cory-wright
Keep on climbing Mal. Let's do another day like today before project end 😃.
$104
Brendan Moore
I pity the fool! But I'll give him some money anyway :)
$26
Jane King
Keep it up mountain goat! You are amazing 🙌🏼
$100
Anonymous
Can't remember if I've donated this month so here you go Mal.
$52
Helene Barron
Such an awesome thing you’re doing Mal! Go Chief Nutter! 🥜
$26
Mcdougal
$52
Krissy Moehl
Awesome goal Man!! I look forward to sharing in a few of these feet with you!!
$25
Richelle
Well done on your March effort. Keep the adventure up.
$26
Rachael Masterton
Amazing stuff (and happy birthday).
$59
Eva Blackburn
Happy birthday, Poppa!
$52
Lisa And Poppy
Happy birthday old fella. Ever inspiring. Keep charging!
$26
Mark Vincett
$10.40
Kay Loader
Inspiring!
$26
Aimee Perry
Keep up the mahi Malcolm!
$25
Jon Dixon
You've got this Mal!!
$10.40
Anonymous
$52
Bryan Roper
Great stuff Mal, 1/4 of the way there on the ascent. Looking forward to your next run in Auckland and a few Wild Things to join you.
$26
Camilla Stewart
Quarter of the way there Mal, epic work, keep it up! If you run out of mountains in NZ come to HK for some vertical!
$26
Anonymous
$25
Lynn Bosworth
Good to see you at Northburn last weekend. Keep climbing. Have lots of fun.
$26
Dawn
Gooo Mal! Keep up the good work :)
$104
Stephen Bowers
My Northburn journey isn't over until this is done. You're doing well so far on your quest, i know you'll do it! Thanks for your help.
$26
Allan Mains
$50
Kat
The next instalment ;-)
$10.40
Avice Turnbull
I’m in awe of your stamina, persistence and total nutteriness Mal! Keep on buggering on!
$104
Dave Field
Love the challenge and following your journey for such a great cause!
$156
Steve Bushby
Resilience, determination and Sisu spirit. You are doing a tremendous work friend.
$104
Kathleen Aldridge
$104
Jacky Wu
You’re almost one quarter of the way through the year, so thought it was about time I started donating! Keep up the great work bro xxx
$1,000
Jim Miller
$52
Anonymous
$52
Don Wiseman
You're doing well Mal... keep it up
$52
Zak
Impressive stuff for such an important cause. Thank you and good luck.
$25
Diane
Thanks for working so hard for mental health
$26
Tamara Cartwright
Nice to bump into you this morning on Rocky Mountain. Well done!
$52
Victoria Gallagher
Great run on Sat Mal 😊
$52
David North
Nice run on the Motatapu Ultra. Very inspiring. Keep up the fantastic work.
$26
Karl Cloves
An amazing challenge, so inspiring. And such a worthy cause. All the very best in your quest, and enjoy every vertical meter. Go you!!!
$52
Lydia
Always an inspiration and smiling face, great work Mal.
$26
Aimee Perry
Keep it up!
$52
Marcus Dunnett
$52
Lucy Mills
Aurora and Kanuka peaks? Keep heading up Mal!
$52
Elizabeth Bennie
Great work The beach is my happy place - having some nature time is so important Keep going !
$15.87
Garry Perratt
Not much climb today but, as you would say, some hard yakka going off-piste on Dartmoor for a spot of recceing.
$26
Helen Walshe
Go Mal, great work you and a fantastic organisation to support. Look forward to hearing that you have achieved your goal later in the year. Helen
$44.72
Andrew Eadon-jones
$100
Erwin Versleijen
Top up to keep you going well and strong in March! Mal for all, all for Mal 😎
$26
Brad Stewart
Thanks for all you do Mal.
$26
Sam Clements-stewart
Go hard Mel!!
$31.20
Raechel Keepa
All the best Mal, you're doing flaming amazing and for such a worthy cause!!
$100
Jamie Calder
Keep inspiring us Mal
$26
Simon Clendon
Onwards and upwards, Mal.
$104
Heidi Cutbertson
An true inspiration and amazing work to raise awareness and help those with menta health problems. Well done Malcolm.
$26
James Brewer
Hey mate, very impressed with your tenacity to keep pushing. Both over the years for an important cause and now for doing skyline a few days after old ghost!! Bloody good stuff.
$100
Kat
The first instalment :-) Keep up the amazing work Mal
$26
Catriona Mcwhirter
Donating on behalf of my parents this time. Well done for making such awesome progress with the challenge thus far!
$104
Nat Thompson
$31.79
Lean Mean Runner Bean
Yo dude! As long as I don't forget (which won't be easy so I might need reminding!) and finances remain healthy (a necessary caveat cos of my wife's recent job changes) ... Every time I post a pedestre* on Strava this year I'll beat you with a carrot (which is really what it comes down to much of the time, isn't it?) to the value of the same climb. LMRB. * pedestre is a word that (I think) I made up to refer to any outing on foot. We get so hooked up on running v. walking when it really doesn't matter, and many of my most enjoyable outings are either walks with a little bit of running where it's easier (like nice, grassy descents) or runs with a more-than-normal amount of walking (which is soooooo liberating!).
$52
Kylie Brown
Congrats on the top 10 January finish - keep pushing on
$10.40
Anonymous
$5.20
Anonymous
$52
Grant Pritchard
Go Mal! Amazing inspiration/effort for a great cause!
$93.60
Anonymous
Cash donations received from Mt Eden climbs & Tarawera Expo.
$52
Tania Murphy
This is for Izzy xxxx
$230
Alison Slack
Thanks Mal for all your work
$102
Upupup Txt To Donate
$52
Bryan Roper
Really enjoyed the Mt Eden run this morning. Look forward to the next time you’re visiting
$26
Sarah Sinclair
$50
Rae Peters
Great to run a few feet with you this morning Mal. Keep it up. Will look out for you at OGR :-)
$26
Jo M
Great challenge for a great cause. Was a nice run up Mt Eden this morning too. Thanks!
$104
John Iseli
Nice work Mal, a huge effort! Best of luck with the knee recovery, I feel for you. Hang in there, you've got enough in the bank to take a break.
$100
James And Harcombe
Here's my January contribution for the work done so far....Take it easy on that knee!
$52
Cate Shave
Awesome effort to stay at the top of that Strava table Mal. Now give the bod a few days well-deserved rest before kicking back into it!
$20.80
Alex B
keep finding vert ....
$50
Raewyn Peters
Smashing it so far Mal. Well done and keep it up.
$104
Stephen Stafford-bush
Great stuff Mal. Well done for the first month and all the best for the rest.
$31.20
Whitney Butler
Keep up the good work 😊
$20.80
Thrive Ltd
Keep going nutter!
$26
Elspeth Knewstubb
$156
Shane Winzar
Mal, truly inspirational effort and for a great cause. First month nailed!
$104
Katy Barker
Much respect Mal! All the best for the rest of the challenge
$5.77
Samantha Puddick
Your an inspiration mate, thank you so much for taking on this noble cause. Your amazing :)
$26
Sam Clements-stewart
Go for it Mal!!
$104
Jamie Calder
Love your work Chief Nutter
$156
Paul Lewis
Keep going mate. Awesome stuff
$104
Kay Lewis
Keep on being awesome.
$104
Talei H
Admire you so much for this! Keep up the good work.
$26
Lisa Mcfarlane
You are awesome buddy. Keep up the good work.
$20.80
Nicholas Jackson
What are you are doing is epic!
$104
Robin Saenz
Your amazing!!!
$52
T8.run
Both a great challenge and a great charity - well done Mal!!
$10.40
Corrine O'connell
$5.20
Fi
Despite what I have just done I still maintain you are more of a nutter than me!!!! But I love what you are nuts about!
$104
Nigel Cory-wright
A Law unto himself.
$52
Photos4sale
Go Mal! As someone who suffers with bipolar II, I always admire your crazy sacrifices for our cause. You are a legend. - Sam
$26
Natalie
$10.40
Ian Harrington
Best of luck from the Lake District Fells mate!
$104
Emily
Love your work
$52
Bern An Kevin
$26
Sean Mcwilliams
$104
Jo Williams
Another great challenge you have set yourself and so agree that getting out in the mountains is good for mental health....
$26
Stu Houston
Good on you Mal hopefully I'll finally meet you this year and come along for a few thousand metres !!!
$104
Jeremy Simpson
Keep up the great work Mal
$130
Mark Rigby
Very inspirational.
$104
Karl Buchanan
What a challenge!! All the best from Karl, Julie and Olivia
$150
Simeon Whyle
Love what you’re doing Malcom!!
$26
A Wild Thing.
$52
Christina Hoey
You're antics are always a great motivator for me to get off my arse, keep up the crazy work Mal!
$104
Roz Calder
$25
Aimee R
$104
Bryan Roper
Love following the posts online. Hope to see you up north during the year and join you on some trails
$104
Mark R
Keep up the good work for this important issue!! Your energy and ideas are infectious.
$26
Richard Fletcher
Good luck Mal - you'll smash it - If you're doing some feet in Dunedin on 2019 let me know....(Ex Wellington WORM)
$52
Rachelle Binny
Amazing goal Malcolm, this is so inspiring! My brother is a ME/CFS sufferer, we’ll be cheering you all the way.
$52
Jo Oneill
U continue to amaze me hope i can join u thru out the year for at least one mission Cheers Jo
$26
Jacqui Fisher
You are truly an inspiration Malcom! I've been following your progress on the Wild Things FB page! I also lost my niece to suicide last year so the cause is dear to my heart.
$26
Nic D
You are so inspirational. Love following your endeavours and happy to donate to this worthy cause. Good luck!
$31.20
Ian Hoad
I still think it should be a million metres.
$25
Tracy Southern
All the best with this awesome challenge, your bloody inspiring!
$52
Penny Oxley
Awesome work as always Mal! Your work has reached further than you will ever know. All the best for this years wicked challenge.
$52
Cameron Lord
kia kaha e hoa
$26
Katie & Mike
We were inspired by your 50-50-50 challenge, and will be supporting you on this challenge! Go hard!
$52
Bex H
Best of luck on this next incredible adventure. You're a champion!
$50
Raewyn Van Bommel
$104
Sarah H
My wish is that you enjoy the view and the people you meet on the way,
$26
Steve Beatson
All the best Mal. Awesome challenge and doing it for a great cause.
$104
Kat And Ian
For day one ... a few dollars to help get you going!
$26
Dave Mellor
Well done Malcolm. A great cause
$26
Cindy Matthews
$52
Alex
This really is pretty crazy mate, good luck on the injury front, stay strong.
$59.28
Brian Sparrow
Sounds like fun. Go you. To the top of Mount Maunganui 25 times each week!
$52
The Lth
The Chief Nutter is at it again! What an awesome way to spend 2019...achieving 1 million feet and raising money for a cause close to your heart. Go for it Mal!
$104
Briony Robertson
$139.33
Tdl
When I'm in a slump, I comfort myself by saying if I believe in dinosaurs, then somewhere, they must be believing in me. And if they believe in me, then I can believe in me. Then I bust out. (Fake Mookie Wilson quotation)
$26
Jessica Chapple
Good on ya
$104
Catriona Mcwhirter
You never cease to inspire and support others. Would love to provide support and/or company if you decide to clock up any West Coast vertical.
$104
Cath & Phil Watson
You are an inspiration to us all!
$104
Anonymous
$52
Naomi Cranston
Constantly inspired by your crazyness! Bring on 2019 and would love to join you on some climbs 🏔🍻
$10.40
Andrew Rowe
5k vertical a week? legend
$100
Erwin Versleijen
One for all, all for one!
$104
Cate S
Love your crazy plan, Mal! Hope Routeburn Classic 2019 weekend might mean I get to do a few feet alongside you somewhere :-)
$104
Ems
Mal - you nutty superstar, fantastic cause, brilliant (ok and slightly mad) goal - shall we make Mt Edward part of this challenge? All the best. Ems
$10
Matthew Tyrrell
$26
Caroline O'neill
Inspirational. Can totally relate to the wellbeing effect of embracing the outdoors. Keep spreading the word Mal.
$26
Jodie Clayton
You’ve got this.
$10.40
Andrew Eadon-jones
Thought I would help you and others along the way.
$52
Nigel Parker
I did 212,208 vertical ft & 5,116 km in 2015 when I challenged myself to walk/run 5,000 km that year. That was an impossible goal for me so I really appreciate the scale of what is essentially 4x the vertical m's. I hope you have a daily stair routine. I was doing 8 floors twice a day as part of my work rate.
$52
Lucy Olphert
What an awesome initiative Malcolm! Since the very first time I sat down and watched Fifty the night before the 2016 Rotorua Marathon to meeting you and Sally in person several weeks later, you have been a true inspiration in my life. Thanks to you I have gone on to push boundaries (physical and mental) that I never knew I was capable of. I wish you all the best on this next adventure and would love to join you if you are running anywhere around Tauranga, Rotorua or Central North Island!
$26
Paul Mccormick
Go Mal - my 4 day New Year hike in the Peak District doesn’t quite match this but right behind you.Tremendous effort for an incredibly important cause.
$26
Barrett Hocking
Bloody legend! See you out there for some of those VKs.
$26
Dion Blundell
Awesome challenge. Great that you're doing more fund raising. May it be lots of fun too.
$26
Chris Robertson
Words fail me! But I’m looking forward to following your next adventure already :)
$104
Stephen Stafford-bush
I pledge 0.0001c for each of your 1,000,000 feet Mal and if you do any of it in the upper North island I’ll find a way to join you.
$26
Elyse Sibley
Thank you for helping people like me realize our worth! Your epic adventures have helped me find my place both on a personal level and in my career.
$104
Mark Colthart
Behind you 100% Mal. You can do this!
$52
Jaci Richards
Can’t wait to see you nail this one!! Go you good thing 😉
$50
Kim Forsyth
Hope I get to travel some of those 1 million feet with you. Good luck and well done!
$25
Mal! Nearly at the halfway point in the year! You truly are an inspiration! I have no doubt that you will make the elevation target, I hope you make the $$ target also!!