Hard yards: Alastair Evans running through the Port of Echuca. He’ll be running from Melbourne to Echuca over four days, leaving on Wednesday. Photo: Supplied
Echuca's Alastair Evans is running more than 250km across four days from Melbourne to Echuca to honour his mother by raising money for blood cancer research.
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Mr Evans’ mother Sally died in 2016 after living with myeloma for 19 years after she was diagnosed.
He’s running to honour her memory and to ensure other families don’t have to go through what his did.
He has raised more than $25,000 for Snowdome, a charity which helps accelerate new therapies and bring treatment to Australian blood cancer patients to let them live longer, better lives.
Sally Evans was diagnosed when her three children were two, four and six, and initially given three to five years to live.
All together: Alastair, Georgie, Hugh, Sally and Richard Evans at Georgie’s 21st birthday. Photo: Supplied
“I’ve always had nice thoughts about Mum while running, but it’s just something I’ve always enjoyed doing,” Mr Evans said.
“She’s probably looking down on me wondering what I’m doing and thinking I’m mad, but I also think she’d be proud of me.”
He said he’d been touched by the community spirit, especially by people across regional Victoria.
“It’s been amazing so far. There have been beautiful messages from a lot of people, people reaching out and it’s been wonderful to see — it took me by surprise really,” Mr Evans said.
“It’s really heartwarming, especially knowing it’s going to a really good cause.”
It wasn’t the first time he’d seen that spirit either, with people rallying around his mother following her diagnosis and through treatment.
Memories: Alastair and Sally together on a family holiday. Photo: Supplied
“I’ve had so many calls and messages asking what I can do to help and continually ask if they can assist, and they were the same for Mum too — she had such a good network around her when she was having treatment or a tough time,” Mr Evans said.
Mr Evans works at Evans Shoes in Echuca and played football for Echuca.
His dad runs Evans Shoe Store in Shepparton, and Mr Evans went to school at GV Grammar.
He said he’d prepared with four months of training; the last few weeks he’s done a 40km run, then a 30km one the next day, then a few days’ break before another 20-25km run followed by a 10-15km one.
“I’m really excited, building it up for a few months or so, but there’s a bit of nervous energy,” Mr Evans said.
The run will begin with an 85km leg from Melbourne to Lancefield on Wednesday, then running 55km to Heathcote on Thursday.
Friday’s leg will go from Heathcote to Rochester before running the 30km from Rochester to Echuca on Saturday, leaving from the silo art at 8am.
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