• The tradie turned ultra marathoner has run almost 1,300km in nine days
• Brockmann, 25, is raising money for charity supporting people experiencing homelessness

On the morning of the final day in Nedd Brockmann’s quest to run 1,000 miles (1,609.3km) in 10 days, the loneliness of Australia’s favourite long-distance runner could be felt by all. The former tradie turned endurance athlete was in agony.

Brockmann, 25, from the New South Wales central west, had already covered 1,271.26km in nine days by running 16 hours a day around a 400-metre athletics track at Sydney Olympic Park. He had raised over $1m in donations for charity. But his body was failing him.