Break the Guinness World Record

In October this year, I’m going to run 265km in 24 hours…on a treadmill.?

I’m going to run just over 6 back to back marathons to break the Guinness World Record for the furthest?distance run on a treadmill in 24 hours!

But….why?

This next challenge is on a topic that, similar to mental health, affects a lot of people –?Cancer.

As you may know from my last challenge, out of the blue back in October 2014 our good friend and neighbor Frank was diagnosed with cancer.

Sadly, Frank passed away in February 2015. And it really felt as long as it took you to read that sentence.

One minute we were all laughing and messing about, passing our kids over the back fence to each other’s houses, and in a short space of time Frank was gone and we were all a bit lost.

I just couldn’t make sense of it at the time. I started drinking. Started to struggle at work. And became anxious and depressed.

Running helped bring me out of the darkness and gave me hope.

It gave me purpose.

(Mark Avery)

When I started to prepare for my last challenge I was introduced to this passionate ultra runner called Luca Turrini, who was the founder of the charity Outrun Cancer.

In 2017,?he ran 261km in 24 hours on a treadmill becoming a Guinness World Record Holder in the process!

After picking Luca’s brain, I watched his documentary over and over.

I couldn’t get my head around how someone could do that. I thought to myself if I can get through Brisbane to Sydney I’d love to have a crack.

So, I finished my run and the obsession grew until I called him up and said I would love to partner with him and have a go.

And here we are now!

However, it’s not just about the running.

There’s not a week that goes by that I don’t think about Frank.

So, back to my original question – why am I doing this?

I’m doing this for my family, to show my kids Lily and Alfie that anything is possible.

(Mark Avery)

I’m doing this in partnership with my good friend Luca and his amazing charity Outrun Cancer, to raise awareness and funds for cancer prevention.

I’m doing this in honor of those who won the battle, those who are still fighting the battle, and those who unfortunately lost the battle to cancer.

Together let’s #outruncancer

(Mark Avery)