Marathon maniac Nedd Brockmann has revealed his latest fundraising challenge following a packed out morning run-club in Hillarys alongside more than 200 local tradies.
A sicko for gruelling physical torture, Brockmann has previously put himself through hell to raise funds for homelessness in Australia.
In 2022, he ran nearly 4000km from Cottesloe Beach to Bondi Beach, raising $2.6 million in the process, and in 2024, he ran 1600km in just 12 days and raised an incredible $3m.
On Thurday he traded in the long, solo journey for a light group run, part of his new mission all around Australia to host morning runs for the Mitre 10 4:01 Club - getting tradies to swap steel caps for sneakers and make time for their mental wellbeing.
Joined by former GWS player Cooper Hamilton, Brockmann said the turnout in Perth was unreal.
“It was amazing, good turnout over 200 people there showing up, having chats – just a good, honest Perth morning,” he told The West Australian.
“Every time I am over here I always feel the love, love to see so many kids but also tradies getting out . . . it was awesome.”
Coined for the one minute after tools down, the 4:01 club wants to get blue-collar Aussies to open up instead of bottling their woes.
Research commissioned by Mitre 10 found 84 per cent of tradies having experienced mental health challenges, and 75 per cent felt work hindered their ability to prioritise their mental health and wellbeing.
“There is a massive stigma around talking about your struggles, especially in the trades,” Brockmann, a former sparkie, said.
“4:01 being one minute after tools down, picking up your mates and going for a run instead of sitting with it and going to the pub, or doing something that might negatively affect your mental health.
“Even this morning and having a chat with a few people, getting them to open up (was something) I didn’t think it would happen - but actually having that space and allowing them to say and do what they want was really special.”
Despite events created to help reduce the stigma around mental health, Brockmann said more needs to be done.
“We have so many days like R U OK? Day and Movember, all do amazing things, but sometimes actually having the whole, uncomfortable conversation isn’t had,” he said.
“We do this day and it’s all very good, but it’s quite, I wouldn’t say preformative, but it’s like we’re ticking a box.
“We’ve got to open that space and have the floor to allow people to feel what they’re going to feel and have a check-up, have a follow up. Not just one day to do it.”
Now that the final leg of the 4:01 club is complete, Brockmann has his sights set on this year’s Nedd’s Uncomfortable Challenge, which encourages Aussies to step out of their comfort zone and raise money for homelessness.
The ultra-marathon runner revealed his crazy challenge for this year, which is almost the total opposite of his previous endurance runs.
“I’m going to do 10 days of sitting still for an hour, because I’m not very good at that,” Brockmann said.
“I’m doing an hour a day blindfolded, putting earplugs in and just sitting, and that’s going to be very, very tough.”
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