Meet Hoppers Crossing’s very own marathon man.
Ben Lennon showed early promise as a footballer in his teens and had aspirations of being drafted to the AFL when he broke two bones in his lower leg and was sidelined for three seasons.
He started doing fun runs to keep fit, completed his first marathon in 2003 and has tried to do at least one marathon every year since. In the past year, the 38-year-old has done five.
“I couldn’t run long distances so I would run to one light pole, then walk to the next one,” he says. “Over time, that one light pole became two, then three, then four – and then I’d run the whole way.”
Two years ago, Lennon decided to combine his love of travel and love of marathons and has set himself a target to complete seven marathons in seven continents.
So far he has completed the 42.2 kilometre stretch in New York, Uluru and the Great Wall of China.
In November, he hopes to tick No.4 off his list when he treks to base camp and then does a marathon on Mount Everest.
Lennon, who runs Impulse personal training, said marathons were just as much a mental challenge as a physical one.
“When you get to the 32- to 37-kilometre mark, that’s when the demons come in,” he says.
“You have self-doubts, you wonder if you’re going to finish in time … but your body is amazing. It will go that extra mile.
“I find that your body is stronger than your mind. You need to train your mind to get things done.”
