At just 20 years old, Chad Aziz has achieved something extraordinary – running 4,000 kilometres from Perth to Sydney and becoming the youngest person to run across Australia.
But for Chad, the journey was about much more than breaking a record.
Every kilometre was an opportunity to raise awareness and funds for youth mental health, supporting our programs that give young people the skills and confidence to understand, manage and take charge of their mental health.
When Chad first walked into Hero HQ a few months ago and told us what he was planning, the scale of the challenge was difficult to comprehend, but there was something about the cool, calm confidence with which Chad spoke about the challenge that made us believe, almost immediately, that he was going to do it.
There was no bravado. No big promises. Just a young man who had set himself an enormous goal and completely backed himself to achieve it.
4,000 kilometres from Perth to Sydney
Over the months that followed, Chad made his way across the country, putting one foot in front of the other through the physical and mental challenges that come with attempting something few people would ever contemplate.
For those following his journey, it wasn’t just his endurance that was inspiring, it was the humility and determination with which he approached every day.
Chad often shares a simple message – “Your limits are far beyond what you think.” And over 4,000 kilometres, we watched him live those words.
What started as an ambitious idea in Perth ended on the other side of the country in Sydney, with Chad becoming the youngest person ever to run across Australia.
Running for something bigger
Throughout the challenge, Chad used his growing platform to shine a light on youth mental health and raise funds for zero2hero.
The funds raised will support us to deliver mental health education and prevention programs for young people, equipping them with practical tools to look after their own mental health and support the people around them.
For us, that makes Chad’s achievement even more special. At 20 years old, he has shown thousands of other young Australians what can happen when you back yourself, keep going when things get hard and believe you’re capable of more than you might think.
Chad – we couldn’t be prouder of what you’ve achieved and the impact you’ve made along the way. Thank you for choosing zero2hero to be part of your journey, for helping raise awareness and funds for youth mental health, and for inspiring so many young people along the way!
