Manly’s Matt Fitzgerald is set to ManUp! for 24-hour ultra-marathon to raise money for cancer research
Manly’s Matt Fitzgerald does not like walks on the beach.
He prefers running along the Wynnum-Manly foreshore instead.
The 40-year-old Personal Challenge Fitness trainer (pictured) has been using the bayside’s foreshore as part of his preparation for the Yumigo! Adelaide 24 Hour Festival on July 12-13.
Through the annual event, the competitive ultramarathoner and former semi-professional rugby league player will race more than 180km in less than 24 hours to support men living with prostate cancer.
“I’ve done a lot of road running in the lead-up but with ultra-marathons and 24-hour events they say that 50 per cent of it is physical and the other 50 per cent is mental,” Mr Fitzgerald said.
“There’s a connection between that journey and those of cancer patients because they’re hard work and it can be lonely and you don’t always have support, but you have to keep plugging along toward the finish line.”
Mr Fitzgerald said he hoped sponsors would help him raise more than $1000 for ManUp!, a community group that advocates for the early detection and treatment of the disease.
“The more fit and healthy a man is before he is diagnosed with prostate cancer, the better his survival and recovery rates are from treatment,” ManUp! founder Jill Costello said.
To donate, visit mycause.