Natalie Dau, Singapore-based 11-time ultramarathon winner, has announced plans for a new 1000 km challenge to take place less than 12 months after the first one, in April of 2025. Following completion of her Guinness World Record 1000 km run from Thailand to Singapore in June of 2024, Natalie has confirmed her plans to embark on another inspiring challenge, this time shifting the geography to a route in the Philippines.
Natalie will commence the run in San Vincente on 21 April, and continue on a journey throughout Luzon, the biggest island in the Philippines, down the west coast and through Manila. With collaboration from the Philippines Department of Tourism, the run will conclude on May 2. The solo run will again see Natalie run the remarkable equivalent of two marathons (42.2 km x 2) each day over the course of 12 days.
At 52 years, Natalie aims to demonstrate the power of ambition, empowerment and movement to unite people across cultures and communities, proving that age is no excuse not to follow your dreams. The introduction of an all-female support crew for the run in 2025, will see the consistent focus on inspiring young girls to reach their full potential.
“I’m thrilled to be kicking off a second round of the Project 1000 challenge. As I set my sights on a new course to run, I truly hope that we can inspire more people to challenge themselves in a positive way. Bringing awareness to issues facing girls and women around the world and the importance of physical activity is a cause that is so close to my heart and it continues to fuel my motivation,” says Natalie.
At the heart of all that Natalie does, she also wants to shed light on causes that she feels strongly about, particularly empowering girls through movement and body image. The run aims to raise funds in support of this, and Natalie will champion multiple charities both locally and internationally that align with her cause. This will include the Save the Children Girls Impact Fund and additional locally-based causes, and Natalie and her team will again conduct on-the-ground visits during the run to provide scholarships to local schools, orphanages, and shelters for abandoned women/children.
Lisa Aubrey, Director of Regional Fundraising at Save the Children UK says, “We’re incredibly grateful to Natalie for embarking on such a courageous journey in support of women and girls through the Girls’ Impact Fund. The money raised from Natalie’s extraordinary fundraising challenge will allow Save the Children to drive forward children’s rights and gender equality. We’re determined to help every child become who they want to be and by listening to girls about the challenges they face every day, we can work with them to make sure their needs are heard.”
Project 1000 is made possible by supporting partners and organizations, and over the coming months, the Project 1000 team will welcome involvement from individuals and organizations who are interested to participate.
Direct donations to can also be made via the following link:
