Brad Lenahan to run the 777 marathon for child protection fundraiser

Meet the self-confessed running pest who will take on seven marathons in seven states across seven days in a bid to fight off cancer.

Brad Lenahan plans to run seven marathons in seven days in seven different states to raise money for child safety charity Bravehearts. Photo: Contributed

Brad Lenahan doesn’t consider himself a good runner. In fact it’s only been one year since the 43-year-old train driver entered his first fun run.

But now he plans to take on seven marathons in seven cities in seven consecutive days - and he blames it all on cancer.

“My running just got stupider and larger and then I pulled the trigger on it in October, 2024 and entered the event,” Mr Lenahan said.

“I don’t think I’m even a year into running my first 30 km run yet.”

Starting in Perth on June 30, Mr Lenahan will take on the gruelling schedule of a 5.30am start time, running 42kms before jumping on the first flight to Adelaide to repeat the whole process, fitting in food, transfers, treatments for sore muscles and sleep somewhere in between.

He will then take on Melbourne, Hobart, Sydney, Canberra and finish the event at the Gold Coast marathon on Sunday, July 6.

His obsession with running only came to him later in life after his sister was diagnosed with breast cancer and became an ambassador for the 2024 Brisbane International Women’s Day 5km Fun Run.

Brad Lenahan plans to run seven marathons in seven days in seven different states to raise money for child safety charity Bravehearts.

Mr Lenahan ran the event to help raise funds for cancer research but found a love for the sport in the process.

“We went to Brisbane and we ended up running a half marathon at the 5km fun run and it has just snowballed from there,” he said.

His sister then spent the next 12 months undergoing breast removal surgery, chemotherapy and radiology treatments and is now in remission, but her brother’s “running problem” has only ballooned.

His addiction has led him to taking on a 449km run in 16 days including 9 half marathons, a full marathon and after a short rest day took on a 130 km run.

“I went through that and thought ‘yeah, I can do this now’,” he said.

Mr Lenahan said the 777 Bravehearts marathon to raise money for the child protection charity was a good way to put his running problem to good use.

Bravehearts is an Australian child protection not-for-profit organisation dedicated to the prevention and treatment of child sexual abuse.

He has committed to raising $11,000 for the charity by June and will be calling on all donations leading up to the event.

Originally published as Brad Lenahan to run the 777 marathon for child protection fundraiser