By running a marathon distance together per day, every day for a year around Australia, we hope to inspire others to believe in themselves, to follow their dreams, and to achieve their goals through making more conscious lifestyle choices. – Alan Murray and Janette Murray-Wakelin
Alan Murray, 68, and his wife Janette Murray-Wakelin, 64, can truly say they've been there for each other through the sweat and the tears during their 43 years of marriage, particularly during this past year, in which the couple from New Zealand ran a marathon every day.
Alan and Janette were determined to find a way to share their story and spread their message of healthy living, so they decided to complete a yearlong road trip across Australia and participate in 365 marathons along the way, completing their last marathon of the year on Dec. 31, 2013.
Having already collectively participated in more than 60 international marathons and ultra runs, both Alan and Janette knew what they were getting into.
"By running a marathon distance together per day, every day for a year around Australia, we hope to inspire others to believe in themselves, to follow their dreams, and to achieve their goals through making more conscious lifestyle choices," the couple wrote on their website before starting their journey.
"We can be living proof of what can be achieved by making conscious life choices."
Through eating raw plant-based foods, Alan and Janette believe they have more energy now than ever. The posted pictures and status updates frequently to their Facebook page throughout the year. The couple began many mornings eating a grapefruit and bananas in preparation for their run.
And even after 26.2 miles of running, dinner usually looked something like some cabbage-leaf wraps with botanical cuisine for the vegan runners.
"In our experience, unlimited raw energy is attained through consuming an abundance of high nutrient-laden, fresh, ripe, organic fruits and vegetables," it says on their website.
"It is also our experience that true happiness is attained through making conscious lifestyle choices for one's own health, the health of the environment and all living beings with whom we share the planet."
Not only has this lifestyle allowed them to be physically fit, but also to battle cancer. Through the blog, Janette shared her story of being diagnosed with highly aggressive carcinoma breast cancer and receiving a clean bill of health six months later.
At the age of 52 Janette was diagnosed with the cancer and given only six months to a year to live, if she were to participate in chemotherapy and radiation treatment. But after much research and study, and with the support of her family, Janette chose to fight the cancer through natural methods.
"I knew that it made sense to do everything I could to give the body the tools it needed to take me on my journey to optimum health," Janette said in an interview with Get Fresh magazine. "Our extensive research not only gave us the knowledge to do just that, but also the confidence to know that I had made the right choice.”
Working with a naturopathic physician, Janette began to focus on the mind, body and spirit, a process she describes in her book "Raw Can Cure Cancer." She participated in immune therapy, conscious breathing, aerobic exercises, meditation and other therapies, along with maximizing the nutrients she ate.
This process has proved transformative, not only for Janette, but also for Alan and their family as they have adopted lifestyle as well. The couple founded a Centre for Optimum Health in Canada, where their focus is on "encouraging healthy lifestyles through living nutrition and exercise for the mind, body and spirit."
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