Police officer breaks new record running around Australia to help mates battling depression
A Queensland police officer has set a new world record for running around Australia.
Ironman Dave Alley completed the epic quest in just 169 days, 15 hours and 31 minutes.
He hit the road to support the one-million Aussies who suffer depression.
Even for a skilled Ironman, Dave said the challenge was ‘breathtaking’.
Still, he was determined to become the first person to both cycle and run around his country – and break the records for the journey.
Dave ran on average 80km a day in the last five months. He burned 6000 calories a day and wore through 20 pairs of shoes.
“It's just one absolute super effort to do it day after day after day after day it's just huge,” Dave’s father Reg Alley told 7 News.
Dave left Lismore in April keen to become the fastest person to run the 13,383km round trip.
Previously the record was held by former politician Pat Farmer, who finished up at 174 days.
But Dave entered the history books just south of Armidale, after an exhausting 169 days on the road.
"He's very patient and very focused and I think that's the reason he's so successful as an ultra endurance athlete,” Dave’s wife Halley said.
He dedicated the run to his mates in the police force who were suffering Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
Dave had also battled bouts of depression himself, and wanted to use the journey to raise money and awareness for the White Cloud Foundation, a charity that provided early treatment for mental illness.
“It takes a whole team of people to not only keep me on the road but also those people suffering there's teams of people out there that are there to help you,” he said.
He hoped his efforts would motivate those diagnosed with depression every year to seek help.
And the run wasn’t entirely over yet… Dave will spend the next few days jogging to Lismore.
And he hadn’t ruled out another run in the future.
"You never say never but yeah I think there probably will be something down the track."
