Everest has been conquered in the Outback.
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Local fitness guru Alison Whitehead has a lot of ultra trail runs in her time but perhaps nothing she has done is as monumental as the task she completed on the weekend.
Starting in a cold dawn at 7am on Friday June 21, Alison ran and walked up and down Mount Isa's Telstra Hill 100 times and by the end of it at 5pm Saturday she had climbed the 8848 metre elevation of Mount Everest.
For a total run of 174km it was 10 laps fewer than she thought she would have to do to get the milestone.
"I've done a hundred miler before but this is the longest I've ever run," she said.
Alison did the crazy challenge as a fundraiser for mental health. "I'm trying to bring awareness to people's mental fitness," she said.
"People should consider doing something for their mental health on a daily basis just like they do for physical activity."
The Go Fund Me campaign for North West Queensland Mental Health Network had a target of $2000 but has already far exceeded that figure. "Funds raised, with a few pledges to still come in will be over $10,500 and I will leave the page open until Monday of next week if anyone wants to still donate," Alison said.
Alison said she had to battle hard through the cold of night and wore through two pairs of runners but was helped immeasurably by the help she had all weekend as she was constantly accompanied up and down the hill with a support group stationed at the bottom.
"It was a very rewarding journey and I'm so thankful for the thoughtfulness of friends, family and strangers," she said.
"How good is life when you have a good headspace. Exercise, outdoors, friendships and doing something for others, I believe are the keys to living a pretty awesome and rewarding life."
SEE ALSO: Photos from McKinlay Races
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