JINKY’S RUN FOR MENTAL HEALTH

Jason “Jinky” Waring-Bryant hadn’t done any sort of long-distance running for about 25 years but he wanted to set himself a challenge. A challenge to raise money for mental health.

Jinky took up the Shaka Project’s ‘Run For Our Mates 2026’. The challenge is to run 100 kilometres throughout the March raising money along the way to help The Shaka Project’s mission to ignite conversations, crush the stigma around mental health and change the statistics on suicide in Australia.

Since 2019 The Shaka Project has delivered over 500 suicide prevention events to schools, workplaces, sporting clubs, community organisations and private events all over Australia, New Zealand, Asia and Europe.

In 2025 alone 100 of those suicide prevention projects were delivered for FREE in Australia thanks to donations.

Jinky said his goal is to raise $5,000 while running the 100 kilometres.

He’s smashed his running goal, ticking over nearly 115 kilometres.

“I was running most days working up to one big run on March 21^st from Gulgong to Mudgee. Basically 30 kilometres of hills on a dirt road!

“It was hectic. One of my mates joined me for the big run who has done a few marathons so that was really handy for motivation.

“There was a long strait on the tar where we got halfway along and thought ‘jeez we should be much further along than this’,” Jinky laughed.

After a couple of stops to reapply bandaids to blisters and refill water bottles, Jinky made it, with the help of the Mudgee Wombats Rugby Union Club for the final stretch.

“A couple of other rugby mates came along as well. The Wombats helped me along a lot. A few of the girls’ players and my wife turned up for the last five kilometres back to the Mudgee Wombats headquarters so that was a great boost there for the end.

“It was definitely a challenge, but it was achievable, I’ve done it now, but I never thought I would do something like that. To put myself through it knowing people are donating, talking to one another, that makes it worth it.”