Runner Completes 24 Parkruns in 24 Hours for Homeless Charity

Ben Castlehow ran the equivalent of three marathons in a single day, completing 24 five-kilometer parkruns on one of Australia's toughest courses. Every hour on the hour from Saturday 8am to Sunday 8am, he tackled Albany's Mount Clarence route, a hilly climb up the Western Australian city's landmark mountain.

The feat raised over $12,500 for On My Feet, a charity supporting people experiencing homelessness. For Castlehow, the cause hits close to home.

"About eight years ago I left Albany due to poor decisions of mine, addiction being the main one, and that made me homeless," he said. "I was introduced to On My Feet while I was in Perth, and they helped me regain my life back."

Running became his anchor during recovery. "Committing that time to myself, it clears my head," Castlehow explained. "It just gives those good endorphins that your body needs to sort of calm yourself down."

Before the challenge, the furthest Castlehow had run was 85 kilometers. Dozens of runners joined for various distances throughout the 24 hours, but only one other person completed the full challenge alongside him.

Among the participants was 12-year-old Jackson Beeck, who ran enough laps to complete a full marathon distance of 42.2 kilometers—more than four times his previous longest run. "The first half was pretty easy and then it just got worse from there," Jackson said. "My hips and legs were hurting a bit."

The Ripple Effect

The same weekend, runner Keeton Hardwick completed his own 24 parkruns in 24 hours challenge 300 kilometers away in Bunbury, raising money for the Type 1 Diabetes Family Centre. "Physically it gets to a point where everything hurts more and you have to push through," Hardwick said. "In the middle of the night I started to get a little impatient—my hardest was lap 23."

Parkrun events happen every Saturday morning in communities worldwide, typically focused on fitness and community building rather than intense athletic challenges. But these Australians proved the format can push boundaries while bringing people together for causes that matter.

Castlehow's journey from homelessness to ultra-endurance athlete shows how one organization's support can create ripples that eventually flow back to help others.