Raymond Terrace parkrun regular Brenton Pobjie will run in the City2Surf on Sunday but its only a small part of his fitness and charity goals this past year.
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The school chaplain has bounced back from a debilitating ankle injury and reconstructive surgery to not only regain peak fitness but to “do good” while at it.
“The Oxfam 50km Trailwalk will be the last event in 12 months of fundraising,” he said.
“I’ve raised $7500 so far for different charities. I was looking for a big one to finish off on and Oxfam is it.”
For each event he’s set a goal and while he hasn’t hit every financial target he’s exceeded his aims in other areas.
“I didn’t want to do it for my own glory, I wanted to make a difference,” Mr Pobjie said.
The list so far:
- $334 of $600 Raised - Pong A Thon (Human Trafficking)
- $1567 of $1250 Raised - 25000spins (Compassion)
- $606 of $600 Raised - Bowral Classic (Leukaemia Foundation)
- $290 of $600 Raised - MS Sydney To Gong (MS)
- $1035 of $600 Raised - Kelly Billett Century Ride (Leukaemia)
- $762 of $600 Raised - Great Cycle Challenge (Kids Cancer)
- $600 of $600 Raised - Loop The Lake (Camp Quality)
- $400 of $600 Raised – The Mailrun (Singleton Family Support)
- $1102 of $1000 Raised – Act For Peace Refugee Ration Challenge (Syrian Refugees - did the 90km bike leg of Port Mac Half Ironman
- $654 of $600 Raised – City To Surf (Parkinson’s NSW)
- $107 of $600 Raised – Lake St Clair (Singleton Family Support)
- $451 of $600 Raised – Oxfam 50 (Oxfam)
One of his highlights has been 25000spins taking in the sights of the Great Ocean Road on his bicycle.
“Together, as Team Compassion, we were able to raise $20,737, which is going towards the clean water project,” he said.
Focusing on Ghana, West Africa, the money will establishing mechanical boreholes to provide the water.
“It was great to achieve that goal and see that money go to building wells,” Mr Pobjie said.
The City2Surf, a Fairfax event that’s long been on the calendar of recreational runners, is a return to more familiar territory for Mr Pobjie, off the bike.
Surgeons last year had to transplant a piece of tendon from his leg into the back of his ankle to rebuild a partial tear of the tibialis posterior.
This time he’ll raise money for Parkinson’s disease.
“This will really be the celebration of my return to running,” he said.
“I like cycling but running’s more my thing.”
As a chaplain he works between Raymond Terrace and Wakefield School at Lake Macquarie.
“Working with special needs, it’s important to have an escape,” he said.
In preparation for Oxfam – a 50 kilometre team walk in 24 hours – he’s hit the trails near to Wakefield after school.
“We’ve practiced as a team on the start of the trail and I’m hoping we’ll be able to incorporate some running along the flatter sections just to break up the monotony of it,” he said.
“Walking for those longer periods, your hands and feet start to swell up, so I’m hoping the running will change our circulation and help with that.
Funds raised from the trail walk will promote education, ensure access to clean water, teach skills to grow food, and fight for human rights.
“As a team we aim to raise $4000 and I would like to raise $1000 myself,” Mr Pobjie said.
To donate to Brenton Pobjie’s Stroke No Limits team visit trailwalker.oxfam.org.au/my/team/28802