Running five kilometres every day for a month might be some people's idea of torture, but for Brenton Clarkson it's about raising money for a good cause.
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Keen to get back into footy, his coach told the collected group of prospective players that unless they could run five kilometres in under half an hour, they wouldn't be cut out for the rigours of AFL. Brenton travels the hour and a half to Dubbo each week to play and is forced train on his own back home in Mudgee. In an effort to motivate himself and raise some money for cancer charity, Canteen, Brenton set about challenging himself to run five kilometres every day in March.
The total distance covered by Brenton is the same as a drive from Mudgee to Blackheath in the Blue Mountains.
"It's hard to motivate myself. So this challenge sort of holds me accountable to actually do it," he said.
"My own personal challenge to myself was to get my time better by the end of the month. My first goal was to get under 30 minutes, and then once I did that, I'd try to get to 28 minutes which I did... which is better than I thought I'd do. I've never been much of a runner.
"Posting on Facebook is like...if I have a day off, I'd be kicking myself for it. I'd be regretting not going for the run."
On his 29th day, Brenton posted his best time yet: 26:19.
Brenton initially set a modest goal of $250 for the month, which he handily accomplished, then he doubled that amount, and on Tuesday, March 29 he met his $500 goal and it continues to steadily climb.
"I've had family members pass away from cancer and I couldn't imagine kids passing away from cancer," he said.
"I've had aunties and uncles pass away and they're in their 50s. And I just think of people with kids who have cancer and how they must be struggling through it."
Now that March is over, will he keep it up? Brenton said he's keen to keep the habit, just maybe not every day.
"I'm going to keep it up. Yeah. I feel like I probably won't be as strict on myself to do it every single day, especially when I'm doing night shift. That's when it's the hardest," he said.
Anyone who wants to donate to Brenton's fundraiser still can for another two weeks.
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