Sport
28 May, 2021
Get your running shoes on
Australian child protection charity Bravehearts is launching its annual 777 Marathon in Toowoomba this year on Monday 28 June as part of seven marathons in seven days across Queensland.
Thirty-nine national runners are participating in all seven marathons.
The 777 Marathon is Braveheart’s major annual fundraiser with all funds raised used to support vital counselling and support services, as well as their Personal Safety Education Programs such as Ditto’s Keep Safe Adventure, ProjectYou! and CyberEcho.
Bravehearts representative Kayleen Johnston, a sexual assault survivor whose personal experience drove her parents to start the organisation, said instead of running a marathon
in seven different states, the seven marathons this year will take place in seven Queensland locations, including Toowoomba.
“We were forced to cancel our major fundraiser last year due to COVID-19, so this year, with continued uncertainty around border closures, we wanted to ensure the event would go ahead,” Ms Johnston said.
“This year our national runners will be taking on seven marathons in seven days throughout Queensland including Brisbane, Townsville, and Mount Isa.”
Ms Johnston is appealing to anyone to register for the virtual event with distances of 7km, 14km, 21km and 42km on offer.
“You don’t need to be a professional athlete, you just need determination and a passion for protecting Aussie kids,” she said.
“The Bravehearts 777 is getting bigger every year as more people strive to take big steps for little people, and we are not going to let a pandemic slow us down.”
The event is the charity’s major annual fundraiser with all funds raised used to support vital counselling and support services, as well as sexual assault prevention programs.
After kicking off in Toowoomba on 28 June, Bravehearts’ 777 will work its way through Brisbane, Mount Isa, Cairns, Townsville and Mackay before culminating at the Gold Coast Marathon on 4 July.
To register for the 777 Virtual Marathon, to join the 777 marathon in person when it travels through Toowoomba, to donate, register as a virtual runner, become a corporate partner or for information visit www.bravehearts.org.au/77
