This weekend, Sydney man, Tom Murphy, will complete a gruelling personal challenge: running 21 half marathons in 21 consecutive days, culminating in a climb to the summit of Australia’s highest peak, Mt Kosciuszko, all to raise awareness and funds for rare cancers.
It’s a deeply personal challenge, driven by a strong determination to help others who have lost people they love to cancer.
Tom is running in memory of his brother, who should have turned 36 this year but will forever be 33, and his father, who died earlier this year.
“Every kilometre hurts, but it’s nothing compared to what thousands of families facing cancer go through every day. I am doing this for them as much as my own family,” said Tom.
So far, Tom has completed more than 350km of the 441km challenge (the equivalent of running from Sydney to Coffs Harbour). Although he’s an experienced runner, a normal week for Tom before the challenge was around 40km. Now, he’s running more than 140km a week!
“Physically, I’ve actually been pleasantly surprised by how my body has held up,” Tom said.
“Mentally, the daily reset is probably the hardest part. Every morning, I wake up knowing I’ve got another half marathon to run, regardless of how the previous day felt, how I’m feeling today or if the weather’s bad.”
Tom’s efforts are helping to raise funds and awareness for Rare Cancers Australia (RCA), with his ascent to the summit of Mt Kosciuszko coinciding with their largest annual fundraiser, the Kosi Challenge.
RCA Chief Executive, Christine Cockburn, said Tom’s initiative perfectly captures the spirit of the Kosi Challenge.
“It’s about honouring loved ones, supporting people impacted by rare cancers, and challenging yourself beyond what you thought possible,” said Ms Cockburn.
“Tom will be one of close to 1,000 people participating in the Kosi Challenge this weekend, with a goal of raising an ambitious total of $750,000 for our unique patient support programs. Our Specialist Cancer Navigators personally guide people through the many challenges that come with a rare cancer diagnosis, ensuring no one falls through the cracks or feels alone in their cancer experience.”
Tom said knowing he was making a difference helped keep him motivated on his daily runs.
“What keeps me going is really the ‘why’. That helps when things start to feel tough, remembering why I’m doing it makes the discomfort feel pretty small in comparison,” he said.
You can support Tom’s efforts via his Kosi Challenge fundraising page.
