After eleven days of his feet pounding the bitumen Brayden Hayes has finished his 325 kilometre Run for a Cause.
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More tanned, fitter but with a sore knee, Brayden entered the Wivenhoe Showgrounds to a large applause on Saturday afternoon.
Wearing only undies, worn joggers and a cap, Brayden was cheered across the finish line by hundreds of people.
At the end of his journey which saw him leave Hobart on March 22 – the 23-year-old footballer was emotional – embracing family and friends as he crossed the line.
”It’s overwhelming, I wasn’t expecting that many people as I came round the corner and all that applause made it a little bit emotional,” he said.
“The support in the last couple of days has been absolutely fantastic.”
On Saturday morning as Brayden prepared to leave Ulverstone for the last leg of his journey a strong and cold wind howled off the Bass Strait.
With nothing but undies keeping him warm the electrician pushed on for the final and toughest stint.
“It was probably one of the hardest days,” he said.
“You feel like you’re almost home but you’re still 26 kilometres away and the body probably wasn’t as good as it had been the last couple of days.
“We got a little bit of headwind coming through Penguin but it was actually one of the better days to run.
“The guys I had with me kept me going.”
On Saturday night Brayden enjoyed a few deserved drinks before his next challenge.
“I’ll relax the next couple of days before I head back to Hobart,” he said
“I’ll hopefully get the body right because I’ve got a pretty big footy season coming up as well.”
His run has surpassed the $20,000 fundraising goal – all of which will go towards motor neurone disease and Diddy's Day Out.
You’re still 26 kilometres away and the body probably wasn’t as good as it had been.
- Brayden Hayes
Before heading away for a sit-down and a beer Brayden had a message for the public.
“Thanks to all the support from everyone,” he said.
“Everyone who helped out along the way with accommodation and meals.
“I wouldn’t have been able to do it without it.”
On Brayden’s Go Fund Me page about $4000 was donated in the final day of his journey.