Australia’s Nedd Brockmann finishes epic 1,000-mile run
Brockmann may not have set a speed record, but he has raised $2.7 million dollars (so far) to help people experiencing homelessness
Photo by:
Matt Rowney (Bursty Company)
At 6:17 a.m. on Wednesday morning, at Sydney Olympic Park in Australia, Aussie ultrarunner Nedd Brockmann officially came to the end of his 1,000-mile (1,609 km) charity run, completing the feat in 12 days, 13 hours, 16 minutes and 45 seconds. While Brockmann didn’t conquer the current 1,000-mile record of 10 days, 10 hours, 36 minutes and 36 seconds set by Yiannis Kouros in 1988, he succeeded in raising more than $2.6 million to support Australians experiencing homelessness while captivating and inspiring fans and runners worldwide. Averaging 128 kilometres per day, the 25-year-old shared some thoughts post-run on Instagram. “The only things we take to the grave are memories. So go out and make them,” Brockmann said.”I’m really not sure what just happened over the last two weeks, but what a wild ride.”
Brockmann’s cross-Australian run
In 2022, Brockmann captured the hearts of many Australians with a supported charity run across the country. The 23-year-old ran 4,000 kilometres in 46 days, from Perth’s Cottesloe Beach to Sydney’s Bondi Beach, raising more than $2 million for homelessness. The former electrician travelled 100 kilometres a day and shared every step of his journey with his Instagram followers: from maggots growing in his toes from the rain to his body shutting down on him, the Aussie remained in good spirits, updating and inspiring many.
Pushing through pain and injury
The wear and tear of laps around the track began to show early, with unexpected injuries taking a toll. On day two, rain caused significant damage to Brockmann’s feet, and by day three, a shin injury made running excruciating for him. As the days progressed, issues with his left shin and right knee only worsened. By day five, Brockmann was relying on injections to reduce swelling and manage the pain. “From then on, it was just a downward spiral, trying to hold on,” Brockmann admitted. When he hit day 10 and knew he was not going to capture the record, he decided to power on.
“As humans, I believe it is our duty to see things through. This 1000 miles around that track has been the most humbling experience of my life. Never have I ever felt so many emotions to the absolute peak of them all. My toes were like King Charles’s fingers after day one. I’ve had no function of my right ant tib since the end of day three, so I’ve been snapping dictus band rubbers left right and centre. No sleep because the tendinitis everywhere punches me in the throat come rest time. The feet have swollen three sizes due to the rain/track. It’s healthy stuff,” he wrote on social media.
“All these things were expected. I just never could have imagined it to be this bad,” Brockmann added. “And I’m forever grateful for it all. Wouldn’t change a fkn thing. Post-traumatic growth coming right up.”
A passion for helping end homelessness
Brockmann’s endeavours are never just about running. In 2023, through his efforts, 52 people were housed, and this year he’s aiming even higher. “We have to make homelessness everyone’s problem,” he says, and he’s using his platform to make systemic change, calling on others to get uncomfortable in their own ways to help Aussies in need. Through this 1000-mile run and the public challenge Brockmann has opened up, he has raised more than $2.7 million for the charity We Are Mobilise, which aims to provide support and resources to people experiencing homelessness so that they can “regain control of their lives and thrive within their communities,” as per their website.
Nedd’s Uncomfortable Challenge is set to run from Oct.20-29, and Brockmann invites others to try something challenging (physical or otherwise), set a target, and raise funds for We Are Mobilise.
“Keep showing up”
Brockmann’s run wasn’t just painful and physically daunting—it also took an immense demonstration of determination and grit to “keep showing up,” a motto of Brockmann’s that he fully depicted as he stiffly shuffled along on the track, day after day. His challenge was live-streamed on TikTok, where more than 4.7 million viewers tuned in to watch from around the world. On his final night, 2,000 fans gathered at the grandstands of the athletics track, cheering him on as he completed his final laps.
“I’ll give a body update soon. Long of the short, I’m unwell. I pushed through some things you really shouldn’t push through, but that was the price I was willing to pay. It’s entirely worth it, in my opinion,” Brockmann said. “I’ve got amazing people around me. The support has been truly mindblowing. I’m just trying to get my head together and knock over some serious horizontal time. It’ll be a long process back to health, but I’ll be just fine. Lots of milk, lots of tears, and lots of reflection.”
You can learn more about, or sign up for, Nedd’s Uncomfortable Challenge here.
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