Written by Max Reilly (Project Manager, Run for Wishes)
May 30, 2022

[Image ID – Biripi land. North Haven Beach just before sunrise.]
Photos taken on Gumbainggir, Daingatti, Biripi, Worimi, Eora, Tharawal and Yuin land.

The days are blurring together. Sean has blitzed through New South Wales. The frosty mornings have called for the winter clothes to come out of storage. We have seen our first sign to Naarm/Melbourne.

We are into the final quarter of the Run for Wishes project. Sean is running in Yuin land and has raised $36,712.75 for Make-A-Wish Australia.

Donate here!

[Image ID – Yuin land. The back of the motorhome during sunrise.]

Two dads

Recruiting support crew for this project has been a mammoth task. We have been fortunate to have countless kind-hearted people sacrifice their time.

Attempting to craft the right crew dynamic in each section has been fun. In our last support crew rotation, we found it – two dads. Sean’s cousin, Liam, and fellow Bali Hope Ultra runner, Dale, flew up on day 31 to help in northern New South Wales. Liam and Dale are both fathers of two young children, so they have impressive levels of patience and get things done under sleep deprivation. They formed a lethal combination complimenting each other in every possible way.

[Image ID – Daingatti land. Two dads, Liam and Dale, celebrating the end of the day in Kempsey.]

Good rests have been hard to come by on this trip. With the two dads it was rare for us to be awake later than 8:30 PM. Sean and I are well rested and versed on dad jokes following their stint.

[Image ID – Daingatti land. Sean celebrating the end of day 34 in Kempsey with a CC.]

Coastline

The inland routes in Queensland and parts of northern New South Wales made swim stops tricky. After passing through Gumbainggir land in Coffs Harbour, we met the coastline. Pitstops and finishes next to rivers and beaches became a common occurrence.

[Image ID – Biripi land. A silhouette of Liam walking across the lovely ocean pools in New South Wales.]
A swim breathes new life into your day. A full submersion underwater drowns out the external noise and allows you to reset.

[Image ID – Dale having a splash at a river stop in Daingatti land.]

Highway friends

We are having wholesome experiences on the side of the highway.

On the Pacific Highway in Worimi land near Hawks Nest, a man named Bobby stopped by to ask us what we were doing.

Bobby’s love for ultra-running connected him to Sean and the cause. His wife, Di, has her own remedial therapy business – Your Massage Therapist. Di kindly offered Sean a free massage at the end of the day with a box of protein bars. Bobby shared that this act of giving lifted his spirits after a difficult week.

[Image ID – Worimi land. Bobby, Sean, Di and their dog after Sean’s massage at Your Massage Therapist.]

Surprises

Further down the A1, Sean’s community have been finding special ways to surprise him. Victor and his partner Michelle bursted out of the bushes to deliver a mountain of donuts. Sean and Victor first met when he was completing his 50 marathons in 50 days. Victor was one of the regular runners that joined Sean across the 50 days.

Holidaying in New York, Victor secretly flew to Warrang/Sydney to surprise Sean. He and Michelle ran alongside Sean for the next three days.

[Image ID – Eora land. Victor, Sean and Michelle in front of the Sydney Harbour Bridge.]

The run into Warrang/Sydney was challenging. Endless undulating hills, thin shoulders, and cold, torrential rain filled the day. A friend of the crew, Chad, thought this would be the perfect day to spontaneously run his first marathon.

Sean and Chad met in 2019 during the Bali Hope Ultra. Their shared ambitions and mindsets instantly connected them. Chad had not run more than ten kilometres in the past three months nor over 30 kilometres in his life.

It was fascinating to see how far his mentality pushed him. As the rain pummelled down and the hills stood intimidatingly in front of him, Chad’s mood failed to drop. Every few minutes he would cry out a ‘yeehaw’, he would even attempt it whilst in the pain cave. Chad’s ability to lock-in on this day makes you wonder how Sean has been doing it for seven weeks.

[Image ID – Eora land. Chad smiling shortly after he finished his first marathon.]

Sean’s thousand-kilometre celebrations have been extravagant. They have consisted of dances, watermelon explosions, and video calls with DJ and Jacqui. For the 3,000 milestone, DJ and Jacqui wanted to be there with Sean. They surprised him with a highway party. There were costumes, champagne, and balloons all along the side of the A1. The festivities caught the eye of drivers passing by giving a few toots.