A Tasmanian man has completed an extraordinary 200-kilometre run from Launceston to Hobart, raising over $38,000 for mental health charity SPEAK UP! Stay ChatTY.
Matt Dingjan finished the gruelling challenge on Saturday after battling challenging weather conditions and physical exhaustion to highlight the importance of mental health conversations.
“There were very, very challenging times throughout the run. Yesterday on the way down, we had southerly wind and we had rain, so we were up against the conditions,” Dingjan said on Saturday.
The inspiration behind the mammoth effort came from personal tragedy, with Dingjan revealing the impact suicide has had on his community.
“Back home in the back half of last year, we lost seven young men to suicide. One of those was a mate of mine,” he said.
“I personally went through some challenging times back in 2023 and nearly lost my life to suicide. So it’s something that’s pretty close to me.”
The ultrarunner pushed well beyond his previous limits, with his longest previous run being 160 kilometres.
“There was a fair bit of unknown stuff there in that back end of the run,” Dingjan said.
His journey captured widespread community support, with numerous motorists stopping to donate money along the route.
“We probably had a dozen people like that from Launceston to here. Even a guy on the Brooker just stopped his car, gave us $20,” he said.
SPEAK UP! Stay ChatTY founder Mitch McPherson expressed gratitude for Dingjan’s efforts.
“It’s unbelievable. I think every time these events happen, you realise how much our brand has grown and how many hearts we’ve been able to touch,” McPherson said.
“To have individuals in the Tasmanian community that stand up and step out and do their own initiative is really cool.”
This marks Dingjan’s second major charity run in 12 months, following a 24-hour event last year that raised $72,000 for the Cancer Council.
After completing the challenge, Dingjan’s recovery plans were straightforward.
“I’m not sure where we’re staying, but apparently we’ve got an ice bath sauna. So I’ll be definitely hitting that up as soon as we head back,” he said.
