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Aussie boxer Harry Garside ran 100 kilometres on sand at Bondi Beach for 13 hours

Aussie boxer Harry Garside ran 100 kilometres on sand at Bondi Beach for 13 hours

"It's just all about your head noise telling you to give up – but you have to overcome that. It was an amazing personal battle."

Harry Garside channelled his inner Nedd Brockmann and completed one of the most enduring things a human could do.

The Aussie boxer decided to wake up one morning and run 100 kilometres across Sydney's iconic Bondi Beach in the blistering heat.

And no, he wasn't pounding the concrete promenade, instead he was slapping the soft sand.

Not just that, though, four days prior Garside actually ran 60 kilometres – the furthest he'd ever run before.

Granted, he may not have run from one side of Australia to the other like Brockmann, but it's still an incredible feat nonetheless and one that proves why he's poised to become one of the nation's greatest athletes.

Garside, who last fought in May, has been sidelined with various injuries but is expected to return in early 2023.

In the meantime, the talented 25-year-old has been keeping busy, most recently by undergoing what he called the 'month of pain' in November.

"I started off with a half-ironman, then six days later I did a smaller triathlon followed by 60 kilometres – which is the longest run I've ever done," Garside told SPORTbible Australia following Foxtel Group's multi-year deal with No Limit Boxing.

Alamy

"Four days after that, I did 100 kilometres on Bondi Beach.

"That was all in the space of a month and my body is f**king hurting."

Garside described the ordeal as 'very challenging' – not just physically, but mentally too.

"It was about 13 hours of straight running, but 14 hours and 15 minutes all up after I stopped for lunch and various supplies," he said.

"From sun up to sun down, I was just running, slapping the sand.

"I actually felt quite good while doing it, but after the achilles, calves and knees were tender. Luckily no injuries."

He added: "It was the furthest distance I've ever run. Four days prior I did the 60kms, which was the furthest. And then a few days later I backed it up with 100kms – on sand this time.

"Mental torture, that's all it is. With boxing, I guess you're competing with someone else. The animal instinct takes over as you fight with another human. But for challenges like this, where it's long and enduring, it's just all about your head noise telling you to give up – but you have to overcome that. It was an amazing personal battle."

Garside first broke onto the scene at the Olympics in Tokyo.

His boxing ability earned him a bronze medal at the Games, but it was his actions outside the ring which seemed to catch peoples' attention.

From painting his nails and expressing his desire to wear a dress during the opening ceremony, Garside was clearly someone who wanted to drive inclusivity – and that hasn't stopped since he turned pro in 2021.

An advocate for mental health, he has urged society to 'focus more on people who are actually good humans', giving a nod to a fellow famous countryman of his.

"Nedd Brockmann just ran across Australia to raise $2.7 million for the homeless – that's a good human," Garside said.

"That's a good person and someone we should all look up to. People who are dedicating their lives to help people less fortunate than themselves, they're the ones we should be putting up on a pedestal, rather than athletes.

"I'm included in that. If I'm not doing good for the world then I shouldn't be put up on a pedestal just because I can punch a few people in the face quite well.

"I'm a big believer in 'stand for something or die for nothing' so it's good to see people are using their platforms for good reasons."

Featured Image Credit: Alamy/Instagram/harry_garside

Topics: Australia, Boxing