Written by Max Reilly (Project Manager, Run for Wishes)
April 29, 2022

[Image ID – the sunset in Yuru and Giya land. The sun is setting behind a large hill and beaming orange over across the overcast sky.]

Photos taken on Yuru, Giya, Darumbul, Bindal, Wargamayan, and Yuwi land.

Welcome to the fourth instalment of Motorhome Moments.

No amount of planning would have prepared us for the week that has transpired. The sudden loss of beloved coach Jase Cronshaw has rocked the ultra-running community. The support crew was reduced to three creating more labour-intensive days. Despite this, the resilience of both Sean and the crew shone.

The weather and humidity are starting to ease. Sean is adapting to the long days on the road, and the systems in the motorhome are becoming more efficient.

19 days in, Sean is in Gureng Gureng land and has completed over 1,000 km.

We have reached $15,937.80 in donations, over a quarter into our $60,000 target.

Donate here!

[Image ID – Sean celebrating reaching 1,000 km on the Run for Wishes in Darumbul land. Sean is preparing to pop open a champagne bottle. 1,000 is spray painted on the road.]

Embracing imperfection

Over the first week, we placed pressure on ourselves to do things perfectly. It caused performance anxiety and stress amongst the group attempting to stay on top of everything.

This week we have embraced the imperfections. We surrendered ourselves to not knowing what each day will entail remaining flexible to what lies ahead.

[Image ID – Sean having a break in the shade in Bindal land. Sean is resting on the ground and leaning on the motorhome. The motorhome is casting a shadow over Sean. Sean is eating an icy pole.]

This has given the crew the chance to slow down. It is easy to be swept up by all the tasks that need to be done. Now, we are soaking up our surroundings and appreciating how lucky we are to be doing this. The presence has boosted the crew’s chemistry and morale.

[Image ID – the view outside the motorhome in Wargamayan land. The sun is shining through the clouds over the horizon, sea, grassland and inside of the motorhome.]

Looking up

The body clocks are synchronising to the 5 am wake ups. We are bouncing up with energy and can absorb the breathtaking sunrises before we run. The starts are early enough to see a star-filled night sky transition into daylight. On two occasions, we even saw Jupiter, Venus, Mars, and Saturn connect to form a straight line.

[Image ID – the night sky and silhouetted palm trees before sunrise in Yuru and Giya land. Daylight is beginning to burst through the sky. The planets Jupiter, Venus, Mars, and Saturn sparkling in a straight line in the sky.

Coach Cronshaw

One thing that draws people into ultra-running is the people. Jase Cronshaw epitomised that. Jase had a powerful journey of finding purpose through ultra-running. He used his wealth of knowledge and experience to service others. He helped people breakthrough perceived limitations they placed on themselves.

Jase forged a unique connection with everyone he met. Everyone that knew him had a story of him playing an important role in a pivotal part of their life. When you felt stressed and overwhelmed, he taught you how to remain calm and trust the process.

At the conclusion of Sean’s run on day seven, we were told the devastating news of Jase’s passing.

People have been handling the loss differently. The intensity of the run momentarily draws you away from this universe of grief. Once things become still, it surrounds you again and you cannot seem to find a way out.

It is a sign of a well-lived life by how many this is affecting. One can only imagine the pain that Jase’s close friends and family are experiencing.

[Image ID – Sean posing for a photo on following his run on day eight at sunset in Bindal land. The sky is a strong orange. Sean is holding his day eight race bib and is wearing his First42k singlet (the business he co-founded with Coach Cronshaw.]

Moving mountains

We have seen the best parts of humankind this week. People are moving mountains to help Sean through this difficult time patch of the trip.

First42k client, Pete ‘the Goat’ Kavanagh impulsively flew up from Melbourne to join the support crew for six days. Pete and Sean share a connection to Jase through the First42k program and the Bali Hope. They have been providing a soundboard to each other's thoughts on the track and exchanging dance moves. Each run with the Goat, you can see Sean slowly returning to himself.

[Image ID – Peter having a laugh on the side of the road in Darumbul land.]

Mackay high school teacher, Emma Forster, was drawn to the experience from our Seven News piece. In her words, Emma wanted to ‘be less impressed, and more involved’. Her driven mindset, caring nature, and common intersts to the group has made her a seamless addition to the crew for five days.

Emma has used ultra-running to tribute her late father – ‘Curls’. On April 25th last year, she ran 70 km on what would have been Curls’ 70th birthday. It commends the type of person she is that she let us spend this day with her this year. On April 25th this year, Curls’ 71st birthday, Sean ran 71 km.

Ultra-running groupies

The Run for Wishes has caught the attention of the wider ultra-running community. The Mackay to Rockhampton section of the run was projected to be one of the hardest. Long stretches between towns, and few caravan parks and grocery stores.

Self-proclaimed ‘ultra-running groupie’, Brenda from Sarina contacted us to help us on this stretch. Brenda arranged a Mackay running store to supply Sean with things to overcome his hydration and blister issues.

[Image ID – Brenda and Sean running on the side of the highway in Yuwi land.]

She continued her generosity by organising the next two nights for us. On night one, Brenda and her partner, Norm, welcomed us into their home. Brenda researched an appropriate meal for our dietary requirements to make us a stunning shepherd’s pie dinner. The following night, she booked two cabins and a powered site for us at BarraCrab Caravan Park. The kindness of strangers continues to outdo itself on this trip.

[Image ID – Sean, Emma, Brenda, and Peter posing for a photo on Brenda’s property in Yuwi land. The sun is rising behind the group. Brenda’s dog, Archie, is standing in front of the group.]

Thank you to everyone that has sent through messages and called to check-in. Sean and the team feel incredibly lucky to be receiving this amount of support.

To close, we will leave with Jase’s signature sign-off:

“Don’t forget to stretch, hydrate and most importantly, be the reason that somebody else smiles today.”