FNQ duo complete charity run from Port Douglas to Cape York tip for mental health
A pair of audacious FNQ mates are celebrating a phenomenal feat of endurance after completing a marathon a day for 24 days straight to Australia’s northernmost tip.
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A PAIR of audacious Far North mates are celebrating a phenomenal feat of endurance and will after completing a 1000km run from Port Douglas to the Cape York Tip.
Port Douglas duo Jamie Candler and Ash Currie have raised more than $35,500 after setting off from Macrossan Street on June 18 to Pajinka, the northernmost point of Australia.
Mr Candler said they had been blown away by the interest in their arduous journey, the equivalent of running a marathon every day for 24 days.
A spokesman from Movember Australia said the mental health warriors had exceeded all expectation.
“Massive kudos to Mo Bro’s Jamie and Ash for putting themselves through a world of pain to raise awareness and funds for mental health,” he said.
“We love you both
“Over 24 days these Mo’s have endured 24 marathons stretching from Port Douglas to Pajinka.
“While navigating some of Australia’s wildest terrain these Mo’s have visited several remote communities and started important conversations about mental health.”
Mr Candler said the ability to raise awareness for mental health while completing a journey “we’ve kind of always wanted to do” was a rewarding experience.
Their most gruelling leg was a 51km stretch almost three weeks into the epic trek.
“It’s really great to see the amount of support that we’ve got not just from our local community here in Port Douglas but also with our Movember campaign,” he said.
“Obviously we are doing this for more than just ourselves.
“Selfishly this is something we came up with just to challenge ourselves, it’s something that we’ve kind of always wanted to do.
“But it has been really rewarding to do it for more than just us.”
Mr Candler said they had been inspired by initiatives such as the AFL’s “Spud’s game” for mental awareness between Essendon and St Kilda, which is played every year in memory of former St Kilda great Danny Frawley who died in a car crash in 2019.
Mr Frawley had been suffering from mental health problems.
“The spud’s game … and the Movember campaign (shows) how much it means for people to just be checking in on each other,” he said.
The boys said they had carried the Port Douglas community with them “every step of the way”, completing the epic journey on July 10.
Both suffered swollen and painful joints, with an ankle problem to Mr Currie meaning he had to hop on a bike at Bramwell.
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Originally published as FNQ duo complete charity run from Port Douglas to Cape York tip for mental health
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