Jermaine Jones has got a long road ahead of him — he is running 34 marathons in 34 days. And there is a personal tragedy that drives him.
The 38-year-old building industry project manager is raising awareness of mental health in memory of his friends, who lost their battle with depression, while also trying to fundraise $50,000 for the Black Dog Institute.
“At the end of 2019 and the start of 2020, I lost three of my friends in a three-month period to suicide,” he said.
“I said [to] myself… to start making the change, use the body, the healthy body to try and make a difference and inspire people.
“So, this is part of the process… So many people have come down… and shared stories about their own families that have been impacted by depression and suicide.
“We share stories and kind of come to terms.”
Promoting the challenge on social media, he appeals to the community to join his runs in Centennial Park and donate to his cause. He has now completed 15 of the 42-kilometre marathons, racking up 630 kilometres, and has 19 left.
Due to his own battle with depression over the years, the challenge is even more special for him.
Jones, who has been training with a coach for the past 10 months, had run 21 half-marathons in 21 days in May as “a bit of warm up”.
“I don’t think you can really prepare yourself too much for running multiple-day marathons,” he said.
Jones motivates his community to join him during his runs and for a talk. People got inspired to start their own running challenges. Photo: Eva Fiona Schoener.
Mental illness is a serious issue, with suicide the leading cause of death among young people aged 15 to 24 in 2023. According to data from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, one in three deaths among young people was due to suicide.
Jones took two weeks off to start his project, which allows him to run his marathons during daylight. After that, he will run marathons after work, most likely in the dark.
Apart from his own money, various sponsors contribute to his challenge. A premium bakery provides a box of croissants each day, his workplace takes care of the car and various sports brands invest in supplements and gels.
It’s not just me that had been impacted by depression. Other people are struggling as well.
“It’s about showing that ordinary people can do extraordinary things,” he said.
“It’s not just me that had been impacted by depression. Other people are struggling as well.”
That doesn’t mean marathons are easy for him to run.
“This last 6k was quite brutal,” he said during his fourth marathon. “I am just in my own headspace. My feet are tapping off the ground, and I just think about the reason why.”
During his break, Jones eats two croissants, providing him with 80 grams of carbohydrates. Photo: Eva Fiona Schoener.
Jones’s fundraising, currently at $7000, will support the Future Proofing Study from the Black Dog Institute, a mental health charity for young people, based in Sydney. The study aims to identify the triggers of mental health issues in young people and provide them with the tools they need to overcome these challenges.
Running 34 marathons in a row requires a flawless preparation and a well-planned diet. Jones is fully aware of it. Pushing his body day by day, he starts each morning with a bowl of cereal and electrolytes.
Tamara Madden, a sports nutritionist who took part in the Sydney Marathon this year, said eating simple carbohydrates with little fibre, such as cereal, bread, white rice, bananas and potatoes provides the body with the energy it needs to perform well. She said electrolytes are the most important minerals to focus on during endurance running.
“Sodium helps cells to stay hydrated but gets depleted due to sweating during running,” she added.
According to Madden, most people need around 40 to 60 grams of carbohydrates per hour during a marathon.
“For what he is doing that is very good. He is going to back up the next day,” she said.
“Preparation is probably the biggest thing that helps. That includes practising taking nutrition and getting quality sleep. “
During the run Jones would consume gels, croissants and baby food. Hitting 100 to 120 grams of carbohydrates an hour.
“It is quite on the upper end, but I find that it really helps me,” Jones said.
Jones guessed that he might burn 7000 calories a day. 3400 of these would be burned during the marathon. Photo: Eva Fiona Schoener.
When the 42.3-kilometre marathon is over, he packs his things and spends the rest of the day getting his calories back in. He fills his evening with snacks, a protein shake and a meal often consisting of potatoes, chicken and vegetables. Just before going to sleep, he takes lots of magnesium to aid recovery for the next marathon.
Jones said he is willing to take the marathon day by day to challenge his own mentality.
“It’s like a rollercoaster, up and down motion,” he said.
His last marathon will be on September 27.
I you want to donate to Jones’ marathon fundraising CLICK HERE.
Main image of Jermaine Jones by Eva Fiona Schoener.
