Construction worker-turned-endurance runner Jermaine Jones ran a marathon a day for 34 consecutive days to raise money and awareness for adolescent mental health. He lapped Centennial Park each day, now races nationally, and shares his preferred Sydney loop, running essentials and advice for new runners.
Jermaine ran 34 marathons in 34 consecutive days around Centennial Park to raise funds for the Black Dog Institute’s Future Proofing Study.
His favourite Sydney route centres on Centennial Park, and he tested adidas Hyperboost shoes for cushioning and a lightweight feel.
He recommends treating multi-day challenges as representation of mental-health ups and downs and integrates running into daily lifestyle routines like sunrise sessions and post-run coffee.
# Summary
In 2025 Marrickville construction worker Jermaine Jones committed to a challenge that started as one marathon and became 34: one marathon per day for 34 consecutive days. He ran the full 42.2-kilometre distance each day around Centennial Park to raise money for the Black Dog Institute's Future Proofing Study, which investigates adolescent mental health.
# Favourite Sydney Route: Centennial Park
Jermaine's daily marathons were completed by lapping Centennial Park. The park's loop allowed him to measure consistent distance each day while making the challenge visible to the local running community. The route was chosen to coincide with Sydney Marathon timing and to leverage attention on running in the city.
# Motivation and Message
The core motivation was twofold: to push physical and mental limits personally, and to use the challenge to highlight mental-health struggles. Jermaine framed the multi-day challenge as a physical representation of the unpredictable nature of mental health—good days and bad days that you keep moving through.
The campaign produced real conversations. People who joined his runs opened up about mental-health experiences they had not discussed before, turning running into a space for connection and disclosure.
# Gear and Routine
Shoes: Jermaine trialled the adidas Hyperboost, which he described as offering hyper cushioning, a sense of returned energy and a very light feel—features he values when covering long distances day after day.
Routine: He cited the lifestyle aspects of running—sunrise sessions, breakfast or coffee after a run, and the social variety of run clubs—as key parts of what he enjoys.
# Advice for New Runners
# What's Next
Jermaine continues to compete in races across the country and to document his running and mental-health advocacy on social media. His recent experiences focus on endurance, community engagement and fundraising for mental-health research.
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