Brisbane legend Jonathan Brown reveals emotional moments after completing New York City Marathon
He won three AFL premierships and now Brisbane legend Jonathan Brown has conquered a different sport in an emotion-charged challenge which he completed to raise money for charity.
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Brisbane Lions champion Jonathan Brown has completed the New York Marathon and revealed the flurry of emotions that followed as he crossed the finish line.
The triple premiership star finished the 42 kilometre race in a remarkable time of 3 hours 14 minutes and 26 seconds.
“Geez I’m nearly dead,” Brown said.
“It’s bloody emotional. I wanted to cry crossing the finish line but I’ve been reminded by my wife I was born without tear ducts. But it’s bloody emotional.”
Brown ran to raise money for the EB Research Foundation, a charity which aims to raise funds to invest in science and medical research to find a cure for Epidermolysis Bullosa, a debilitating and life-threatening skin disorder that affects children from birth.
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A close family friend of Brown’s lives with EB.
Brown’s run has raised nearly $100,000.
The former Lion revealed the mental battle he endured throughout the marathon but in particular as he neared the end.
The support of family and friends, combined with hearing Bruce Springsteen’s Born To Run being played, carried him to the finish line.
“I was like s--- I can do this. I can do this. I’ve got five (kilometres) to go. Toughen up you old prick,” Brown said on Nova100.
“Coming up 5th Ave and you’re at that point of about eight (kilometres) to go, you’re like this is going to get too hard or I can push through here.
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“Doing it for the cause as well, doing it for EB — I honestly, when I was going through the battles with 10 (kilometres) to go I was thinking about the kids that have it and I started thinking about my own kids and (wife) ‘Kyles’ and then to see you guys and just the joy, I was like s--- I can do this and power home.
“It was such an amazing feeling.
“I felt like I was doing it for something greater than myself.
“It gave me great strength to finish at the end and to finish strong (even though) I was going through a lot of pain but I though bugger it, this is worth it.”
Originally published as Brisbane legend Jonathan Brown reveals emotional moments after completing New York City Marathon