HARD YARDS: Auckland’s Andrew Fifita-Lamb with the homemade jandals he wore during the 160km Round the Mountain Relay.

Hours after the winner finished and the crowds had disappeared Andrew Fifita-Lamb crossed the line in the Round the Mountain Relay.

It took the 48-year-old Aucklander, who was wearing homemade jandals made out of gumboots and stockings, 31 hours to finish the 160km Taranaki Steelformers event but he wasn't worried.

"I wasn't after a particular time, I just wanted to complete it, finishing it was my goal," Mr Fifita-Lamb told the Taranaki Daily News yesterday as he soaked his blistered feet in a swimming pool.

CAMERON BURNELL/Fairfax Media HARD YARDS: Auckland’s Andrew Fifita-Lamb with the homemade jandals he wore during the 160km Round the Mountain Relay.

He said crossing the finish line triggered a flood of emotions.

"It's one of those things, it's very hard to find the words for it, I thought I have achieved something that I set out to do.

"Even coming in when everyone else has gone home, running into the finish-line with my family and support crew, it was a huge relief and really quite emotional."

A member of Auckland's Temple Ministry Mr Fifita-Lamb took up running in May 2012 when his weight peaked at 111kg.

"I think for me when I started losing the weight it was good."

He said in the beginning he struggled to run for 800m without stopping but he quickly improved.

"Before I knew it I was running one to two kilometres and I started to enjoy it," Mr Fifita-Lamb said.

The father of six is now a trim 78kg.

Mr Fifita-Lamb said wearing running shoes used to give him pain in the knees and calves so he designed his unique footwear from the inner-sole of gumboots and stockings.

"It's light and it has got a bit of stretch on it so it doesn't restrict your feet."

During the run Mr Fifita-Lamb alternated between two different sets of jandals - he had a second pair which had more cushioning.

Family and friends supported Mr Fifita-Lamb during his quest to finish the run.

"It was very valuable especially to keep you company, keep you awake and to keep you motivated," he said.

Mr Fifita-Lamb's 16-year-old son, Elijah, who ran with him for the final 15km, said he was incredibly proud of what he had achieved.

"It was awesome to see him push through to the end and see him finish it," Elijah said.

Mr Fifita-Lamb said he hoped his achievement would be an inspiration to others.

"I'm hoping that what I've done with this race will inspire a lot of people to even just try to be more active.

"If you put the time and effort into your dreams there is no reason you can't achieve it."

Despite his wife Sandra thinking he was crazy Mr Fifita-Lamb said he would be back in 2014 to have another crack at the event.

Meanwhile, Kevin Bromell of Manaia, who entered the relay on a mobility scooter, did not make it to the finish line after his scooter ran out of batteries.

Mr Bromell entered the event to raise funds for the Taranaki Rescue Helicopter Trust, with hopes of raising $5000 for the trust.

He has raised $700, but believes he will pass the $5000 mark once his scooter, painted in the chopper's rescue colours, was sold.

Mr Bromell was disappointed he had been unable to complete the event but admitted he miscalculated because he didn't take into account the lights which he had on at night.