But the name is the only relevance between his chosen footwear and running 42km.
The Otago-based dairy herd manager is planning to run the race in Skellerup 4X4 Marathon gumboots and overalls to show support for farmers and to promote agricultural careers.
An experienced long-distance runner, Chander, 30, has run six marathons and three ultra-marathons and decided to wear the unconventional attire for the Queenstown event to support farmers and their response during the covid-19 shutdown earlier this year.
“Every time farming comes forward and helps the country, and this is my way of saying thanks,” he said.
It is also a way of promoting careers in agriculture.
“I want to say, try it once, the gumboots aren’t that heavy.”
He and wife Pawan, a caregiver, do not have children but are raising funds for the local Outram school.
Chander has a personal best marathon time of 3hrs 22secs but expects to be much slower at Queenstown, aiming for under four hours, although realistically expecting a time of around 4hrs 30mins.
Blisters will be his biggest threat but so will hot feet and sweaty socks, although he has so far been blister free during training.
“I may have to change my gumboots and socks halfway,” he said.
Chander will wear the same gumboots he wears on the 210ha Taieri dairy farm owned by Mark Adam, where he works.
Heat from wearing overalls could also be an issue.
Chander says dairying has been kind to him.
Raised on a sugar cane and rice growing farm in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, Chander arrived in Auckland 10 years ago to study information and technology.
He did seasonal work on Tauranga kiwifruit orchards while studying, but when he secured a full time IT job, he realised he missed the outdoors.
“It wasn’t what I wanted,” he said.
Chander saw an advertisement by Mark Adam who was seeking a part-time worker and was given an opportunity.
“I wanted a change. I saw what farmers do, riding motorbikes, working outside and facing new challenges every day, I thought I should give it a go,” he said.
Eight years later, he is still working for Adam and says eventually he would like to take a step on the farm ownership ladder through contract milking and then sharemilking.
He is grateful for the opportunities he and Pawan have been given.
“We’ve settled down here, got good friends, so this is a way of giving back to the community,” he said.
