In a few days’ time, two men will attempt something they say has never been done before – run 190km non-stop around Malta and Gozo.
Claudio Camilleri and Patrick Tabone will leave from Sliema’s Independence Gardens on July 25. They hope to return to the same spot 35 hours later after traversing the islands on foot.
“We’ll be running around 70% on trail and 30% on the road,” Claudio Camilleri told the Times of Malta.
The men were supposed to do a 101km race in Switzerland on July 17, but it was cancelled because of the COVID-19 pandemic. They did not want their months of intense training to go to waste, so they decided to adapt it to a new plan.
“Since the elevation in Malta is nothing like the Swiss Alps, we made the distance here longer,” said Camilleri.
The pair will also be battling the intense heat of a Maltese summer and will stop for 19 two-to-three minute stops along their route to make sure they stay fed and hydrated.
A private boat has been arranged to bring them to Gozo and back, where they will use both ten-minute crossings to eat something more substantial.
Hospitality consultant Camilleri and CEO Tabone are hoping to raise €15,000 for the JRS and Kopin organisations, which help educate young migrants and hopefully lead to employment.
Donations may be made by visiting www.1run.mt. All the money collected will be going directly to JRS and Kopin.