Paora Raharaha's running efforts were in honour of Gumboot Friday, an initiative to raise $100 thousand for Mike King's mental health charity called "I Am Hope."
“This event really pushed me to my absolute limits," Raharaha says.
“It took a big toll mentally – I wanted to give up early on in the race and that’s the first time that I’ve ever had that thought while running a race."
As he was finishing the race, Raharaha said he could feel the vibrations of a haka that was being performed by members of the public, led by All Black legend, Buck Shelford - in honour of those who took their own life last year.
“It was so amazing! I could hear it, I could feel it, I got chills down my spine.”
This was Raharaha’s fifth event for the year, and he says it might be his last for at least a couple of months.
“I’m gonna have a rest for a few months. That was my sixth event in the past four weeks.”