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128km Ellery Monster: Unfinished Business

By Glynn Thomas

Help me reach my goal of $5,000

My Activity Tracking

0
kms

My target 130 kms

Last long run done. Goal smashed.

I completed my final dress rehearsal at the You Yangs today and that is the end of the meaningful training. From here it is taper, sleep, hydration and trying not to overthink things. Six days to go.

While I was out there shuffling up Flinders Peak one last time, the fundraiser quietly ticked over $5,000. As of today, we have raised $5,444. Thank you. Genuinely. When I set this goal four weeks ago it felt ambitious. Hitting it before I have even left for Alice Springs is something I did not expect.

A quick recap on the build, since the training has been the most structured I have ever done. Six days a week, weekend long runs at the You Yangs, hill repeats up Flinders Peak, threshold work in the middle of the week, and back-to-back long days. My biggest training run was 35km with 1,500m of climbing across six summits in seven hours. When I have been working in Rockhampton, mornings have meant Mount Archer in the dark and humidity, which has turned out to be very useful preparation for what Alice Springs will throw at me. Whether the body holds up over 36 hours is the only thing left to find out.

The page is staying open through to race day for anyone who still wants to contribute. Every dollar from here is bonus, and goes straight to Cancer Council.

This run is for my Mum. I will see you all on the other side.

Glynn

Twelve days to go.

It is hard to believe how fast this has come around. After last year's attempt at the Ellery Monster ended at 90km, I have spent the past twelve months getting myself ready to go back. This time I plan to finish.

The build has been the most structured of any I have done. Six days a week of training, weekend long runs at the You Yangs, hill repeats up Flinders Peak, and back-to-back long days. My biggest single training run was 35km with 1,500m of climbing across six summits in seven hours. When I have been working in Rockhampton, mornings have meant Mount Archer in the dark and humidity, which has turned out to be very useful preparation for what Alice Springs will throw at me.

I am the strongest I have been heading into a race, but I am also under no illusions about what 128km of the Larapinta Trail looks like. It is brutal terrain, 36 hours on the clock, and a course that has already beaten me once. The body is ready. The bigger test will be the head, especially in the dark hours when last year I started to come undone.

The fundraising side has gone better than I dared hope. We have passed $3,000 with twelve days still to run, putting us 60% of the way to the $5,000 goal. Thank you to everyone who has donated, shared the page, or sent a message of support. It genuinely keeps me going.

This run is for my Mum, who has recently been diagnosed with terminal ovarian cancer. She will be tracking me every step. I want her to see me cross that finish line.

I will report back from Alice Springs.

Glynn

I’m fundraising for Cancer Council Victoria to help stop cancer.

This is my third fundraising campaign for Cancer Council, and the most personal one yet.


I am not your typical runner. I am well built, generously so, and I plod. I sit at the back of the pack, I keep going when most sensible people have already stopped, and I get up at 5am to train before work with an obsessiveness that my friends find baffling and I find completely reasonable. Since May 2020 I have logged over 13,000km on Strava. Each to their own.


More than 15 years ago, my father passed away from cancer at 63, before he ever had the chance to retire. That loss is what started all of this. If I have the health to push myself, I should use it, and if I am going to suffer through hundreds of kilometres of training, I may as well raise some money along the way.


Since 2021 I have completed five ultramarathons. Last year I took on the Ellery Monster, 128km across the Larapinta Trail in Alice Springs, one of the most remote and brutal courses in Australia. After 90km and 28 hours, it found my limit. I stopped. That has bothered me ever since, and on 16th May I am going back to fix it.


https://westmacsmonster.com.au/128km_ellery_monster/


This year though, the run means something more. My mother has been diagnosed with terminal ovarian cancer. She tracks me on Strava during races, probably worrying the entire time, and has always been quietly proud of what I do out there. This one is for her.


I have set myself a goal of raising $5,000. Across two previous campaigns you have helped me raise over $5,500, and I am enormously grateful for that. I am asking you to dig in one more time.


Please donate whatever you can. For my mother. For my father. For everyone who deserves more time.

Please Support
My Cause

Raised

$6,303

My Goal

$5,000

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My Achievements

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Raised $250

Raised $500

Raised $1000

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Reached fundraising goal

Increased fundraising goal 

Thank you to my Sponsors

$54.84

Shiven Joshi

Nice work. Go Glynn!

$529

Scott Thomas

Good luck & great effort.

$33.87

Lalaine Gran

$23.50

Jessie Gao

You’re amazing and enjoy your run Glynn!!

$54.84

Health & Safety Nation

Hope you are well Glynn, happy to support great causes such as this.

$30

Rumesh Samaraweera

Good Luck Glynn

$100

Eve Lancaster

Inspirational Glynn

$33.87

Phil And Rebecca Hendy

Full credit to you! I think it’s great you are doing this for your Mum!

$50

Anup Gopalakrishnan

Good Luck Glynn.. massive effort for such a great cause.. you got this !!!

$23.50

Hannah Yap

You go Glynn!

$54.84

Andrew Barratt

Hi Glynn - great to hear from you. Have a fantastic run :)

$33.87

Wei Jian Kong

Best of luck Glynn

$106.12

Peter Quartel

All the best for you and your mum’s journey ahead

$106.12

Barry Muir

Go Glynn!!

$54.84

Wei Minn Wong

Good Luck Glynn!!!

$54.84

Steven Thompson

$106.12

Trevor Smith

Best of luck Glynn

$106.12

Brook Ewers

$150

Nari Mcgifford

Wishing you all the best for your run!

$150

Stuart Mcgifford

Hi Glynn, Delighted to support your big run!

$54.84

Jess Vandermeer

Nice work Glynn! Good luck!

$54.84

Nick Bunford

Super impressive Glynn - Good luck!

$54.84

Steve White

Good luck, Glynn! Absolutely massive undertaking. Appreciate all your support over the years and hopefully speak soon. Cheers, Steve

$54.84

Jacquelou Lunod

Chase those kms. You’re running for more than just the finish line. 🏃

$106.12

Scott Walker

$54.84

Gary Baird

All the best with the monster Glynn!

$106.12

Amanda

You’ve got this Glynn 💪🏼

$500

Stephen

Go kick arse Glynn!!

$23.50

Muliandi

$106.12

Robert Hancock

Happy running!!!

$106.12

Tim Pitcher

Best of luck for the event Glynn and contribution to such a great cause.

$50

Pooya Ravanparvar

Best of luck Glynn

$57.14

Lisa Foley

Casual reminder that running 130km is wildly impressive. You’ve got this — go smash it!

$23.50

Kat Dodge

Sending love and strength - you got this!

$30

Anonymous

$54.84

David O'donnell

Keep going. One foot after the other

$106.12

Steve Allen

Best of luck Glynn

$106.12

Toby Cuthbert-ashmore

Good luck Glynn, great cause and hoping you make it over the finish line this time!

$23.50

Leelakoteswararao Yarlagadda

$54.84

James Crewe

Good luck with the run. A great cause you’re doing it in the name of.

$162.75

Amr Ahmed

$54.84

Becky Johnson

You are such an incredible person Glynn. Wishing you all the best x

$54.84

David Lehane

Great work. Finish your business!

$54.84

A Ong

Good luck Glynn!

$33.87

John Hollingworth

Good luck Glynn!

$100

Jess Barrett

You’re a total inspiration Glynn Thomas!!! This is the year 💪

$128

Ash Buchanan

$10

Anonymous

$33.87

Kevin Armstrong

Good Luck Glyn.

$215

Ally

Go you legend!

$11.80

Gordon Williams

Good luck Glynn

$50

Aaron Privitera

$106.12

Jeremy Torpy

All the best for the 2026 Monster run!!

$106.12

Kevin Grasso

$106.12

James Warren

$54.84

Michael Maries

$33.87

Gerard Garry

Best of luck Glynn

$106.12

Steven Moore

Hoping you cruise through this.. can't be that hard!!

$54.84

Rob Obrien

Good luck with the monster

$106.12

Michael Sanders

$106.12

Tom Gill

All the best for this year's Monster and your committment and dedication to the cause is inspirational.

$33.87

David A Taylor

Good luck Glynn. Wishing you well to get to the finish this year.

$100

Jeremy Hawkes

Wow, sounds pretty full on Glynn I’m sure you’re going to continue to give it your all, especially given the circumstances. I’ll keep your mums health in my prayers.

$103.72

Erica Webb

Go well Glynn, finishing your unfinished business! Here is to a future when cancer no longer steals time from our loved ones.

$100

Kate Phelan

Wishing you so much luck on this emotional and amazing challenge. Wishing all the best to you and your dear mum.

$54.84

Shunnai Zhao

$33.87

Greg

Enjoy your 128km! You are very inspiring! 👏👏👏👍

$30

Taryn Guinan

Smash it!

$215

Neng Thomas

Go for it, lovey!😄

$33.87

Michelle Harvey

Well done Glynn

$33.87

Poorvi Garg

Good Luck Glynn 🏃‍♂️

$54.84

Sara Rodger

You’ve got this!!

$20

Cher Dooling

Good luck Glynn, and all the best for your mum.

$215

Glynn Thomas

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