Man Of His Word Brayden Hayes Bares All On 322km Epic Undie Run For Charity
Up for an undie run? Football player and electrician Brayden
Hayes from Cygnet has proven he flaunts it best after completing his epic
journey running the length of Tasmania on Saturday, April 1.
Virtually baring it all, the Tasmanian man wore only a cap, joggers
and a pair of comfy undies on his 11 day trek for charity, successfully exceeding in raising his $20 000 goal
to be shared among two local charities.
So how does a down-to-earth 23 year old Aussie bloke find
himself in the spotlight pants down? Facebook of course. Light-heartedly, the
Big Bash League fan posted in January he
would run the 322km distance from Hobart to Burnie for charity in his undies if
the Hobart Hurricanes were to beat the Melbourne Renegades.
The cricket match had fans on the edge of their seats as
determining the victor came down to the final three balls. Brayden admitted to feeling nervous as the
223 runs needed were in the Hurricanes reach.
With the outcome of the match, Brayden’s statement quickly
gained public interest and support, with hundreds of shares, likes and comments
on the social media post taking off.
Staying true to his word Brayden committed to a gruelling
schedule, packing in morning and afternoon runs among his regular football
training to prepare for the task at hand.
It was mentally and physically challenging journey, as Brayden
ran 30km a day for 11 days to meet his targets. He braved the elements as he
pounded on the bitumen, discovering undies provide little protection against
the biting, cold wind off the Bass Strait.
Having never considered himself as a runner, the last
stretch was the most difficult with his body already having been pushed to the
limits. Brayden called it “probably one of the hardest days” as he ran the final
26km to complete his journey. It was the support of his co-runner Julian and own
self-determination to never give up despite the obstacles he faced that lead to
his success.
It was an emotional reunion with his loved ones as Brayden
entered the Wivenhoe Showground to the cheers of the crowd numbering in the
hundreds, sporting a fitter body and tan to boot as he crossed the finish line.
Brayden’s charities are close to his heart including Motor
Neurone Disease, with MDN having taken the life of a family friend.
His fundraising efforts will also support Diddy’s Day Out, a
charity raising money for 5 year old Lydia “Diddy” Ebdon from Cygnet after
being diagnosed with a rare bone cancer in 2016. Brayden hopes the final tally
of money raised through Run for a Cause will reach $30 000.
The overwhelming journey and rich experience has left Brayden with a sore knee and high spirits. He treated himself to a few well deserved celebratory drinks on Saturday night with the plan to put his feet up for a couple of days to recover before preparing for his next big footy season.