General News
6 November, 2024
108km in 24 hours: Telstra Hill is no match for determined runner
Travis McElligott overcame extreme heat and extreme pain to finish his epic 24-hour challenge.
Travis McElligott wanted to start a conversation across Mount Isa – and that’s exactly what has happened.
He has been the talk of the town since completing an epic 24-hour non-stop traverse of Telstra Hill at the weekend to raise awareness for better mental health.
His 108km run in scorching 40-degree heat has become a soaring example of the power of the mind to conquer tough circumstances, as he battled on, lap after lap, despite fatigue, body aches and internal blisters surging pain with each step.
“My feet were the worst,” he said on Monday evening.
“I had hot spots, which are a kind of internal blister that get under your feet – it was the most painful thing I have ever been through.
“About eight hours into the run we changed shoes – but the last five hours were shocking.
“It honestly felt like I was walking on hot coals while having knives stabbed into my feet.
“But it was just a step-up situation – I put my head down and showed some quiet grit and kept moving forward – it was a tough five hours, but we had a challenge to finish, and we had to keep going.”
When North West Weekly caught up with Travis, he was testing out the body rehab facilities at Recovery Culture.
He said his body had pulled up remarkably well since crossing the finish line at 7am on Sunday – he had a meal and a few beers and crashed for a seven-hour kip.
On Monday morning, Travis took a 5km bike ride to “get the blood flowing through his legs” before putting in a full day’s work at his business, Custom Steel Fab.
The fundraising event has also become another example of how the Mount Isa community never fails to disappoint – bystanders estimated that more than 1000 locals joined Travis on the track at different points across the 24-hour period.
He was never alone during the entire run – with someone always willing to jog beside him and spur him forward, including a dozen supporters that were by his side at 1am.
“I had a lot of good conversations on the run,” he explains.
“I won’t get into specifics, but some shared how they had thought about taking their own lives or had struggled with depression or their own mental health – there was a lot of honesty, and it was a real privilege to share those conversations.”
Travis required about 300 calories of food intake after each lap and Mount Isa residents delivered plates of homemade sausage rolls, sandwiches, pasta dishes, tuna and bottles of drink.
The Mount Isa Water Board donated a trailer spurting fresh chilled water.
When Travis took his final steps on his final lap, there were cars overflowing the new car park and lined back towards the highway, as dozens of well wishers cheered and clapped at the finish line.
Travis said the combined efforts of Custom Steel Fab and Glencore, which sponsored the event, raised more than $20,000 for the Mount Isa Suicide Prevention Network.
He said about $1800 of that amount was from local supporters travelling out to Telstra Hill and making a cash donation on the spot.
Travis said he already planned his next major event – a 300km run from Mount Isa to Gregory on the 2025 May Day Weekend.
“Looking after your mental health is something where you have to always stay one step ahead – so we will keep moving forward with our goals,” he said.
“We will be back at it next year; I want to keep the conversation going.”