RUNNING

BY BLAKE METCALF-HOLT

 

AFTER completing Bravehearts 777 Marathon last year, Curtis Cooper is picking up the pace dramatically this time around.

Next month, the former Morwell resident will once again take on the behemoth task of running seven marathons in seven states in the matter of seven days, which only kick starts his real challenge of 52 marathons in 52 weeks.

The year-long campaign is for the child protection charity, Bravehearts. Cooper will push past blood, sweat and ailment to raise $250,000 for the prevention of child sexual abuse.

“After last year’s event, I met some pretty inspiring people, people I didn’t think I would meet… victims of child sexual abuse, then as adults, toed the line and started raising funds and awareness so it didn’t happen to other kids,” Cooper told the Express.

“It’s never happened to me… and if these guys can come and tell their story and toe the line and run the marathons and raise the money, then someone who hasn’t been affected there’s more I could do.”

Cooper got in touch with the Bravehearts foundation shortly after finishing the 777 last go around, and said their response was one of excitement and were keen to offer their partnership.

Bravehearts provides medical support throughout the 777 Marathon, but Cooper sought out some additional assistance with a running coach for his long journey.

“I’ve actually engaged a coach through a connection of mine, a guy Peter Baines, he’s a pretty inspirational guy himself,” he said.

The founder of charity ‘Hands Across the Water’, Baines last December embarked on a 1400km run across Thailand in 26 days in memory of the Boxing Day tsunami, for where he was deployed 20 years ago following the disaster as a forensic investigations expert.

“He’s actually helped me engage Nedd Brockmann’s coach Matty Abel (who’s) now coaching me for the next year, so that’s pretty exciting,” he revealed.

Brockmann rose to notoriety over the last few years as an ultramarathon athlete raising money and awareness for many causes including mental health, which cumulated in a 1600km run over 12 gruelling days for homelessness.

With Abel in his corner and having completed a handful of marathons in between then and now (two being the Melbourne Marathon in October and the Nagano Olympic Marathon in Japan), Cooper is looking forward to the task ahead.

Cooper will return home and take part in the Traralgon Marathon on June 1 before beginning the 777 Marathon on June 30.

“It’s going to be awesome (taking part in the Traralgon Marathon). I’ve eyed it off for a while but never had the chance to do it,” he said.

Cooper said it’ll give him a chance to be back with family and thank in person the countless local sponsors who have jumped on board in support over the last 12 months.

After completing the 777 Marathon, which takes Cooper from Perth to Adelaide to Melbourne to Hobart to Sydney to Canberra and finally finishing at the Gold Coast Marathon, he will look ahead to other organised events such as Sri Chinmoy Marathon around Princes Park, the Sydney Marathon in late August, the Run for Young around Lilydale, and again taking part in the Melbourne Marathon.

Towards the end, Cooper has also scheduled to return for the 2026 Traralgon Marathon, which will nearly complete his 52 weeks.

“I was lucky enough to do the 777 last year, and the guys are incredible, the medical team and everything, really exceptional,” he said.

“Post the 777, they’re (Bravehearts) going to get right behind me and give me everything I need to get this done.

“I’ve got a great coach on board, I’m pretty motivated, pretty dedicated. I feel lucky and privileged to be able to run a few ks if it means that some kids who are battling and some kids who need support are going to get it – it means nothing to me to run a few ks to help them out of that situation that they otherwise can’t get themselves out of. It’s just a small thing I can do to help.”

You can support Cooper’s 52 in 52 by donating at: https://fundraise.bravehearts.org.au/52-in-52