Returning to work has pushed his weekday runs from mornings to evenings. He usually starts between 4.30pm and 5pm, and finishes about 11pm. His girlfriend joins him for the last couple of kilometres, and then drives him home, where he fits in whatever recovery he can manage before getting up early for work the next morning.
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“If I have time, I go home and put on recovery boots,” he said. “But, honestly, often I don’t have time to do that, so my recovery is pretty minimal. It’s hard on the body.”
The weekend runs still take place in the morning, and are followed by a more befitting schedule: a mix of ice baths, saunas, and physio appointments.
Only starting to run seriously two years ago, Jones began preparations for his marathons in late 2024 under the guidance of endurance athlete Sean Bell, who last year clocked the fastest ever lap of Australia on foot.
In April, Jones completed a “test run”: 21 half-marathons in 21 days.
He was looking for a way to raise money for mental health research after losing three of his friends to suicide across four months in 2019 and 2020. Having struggled with depression himself, Jones said he wanted to specifically raise money for youth.
“My parents were great when I was growing up, but they didn’t necessarily have the tools to help,” he said.
The cause behind the run is why Jones doesn’t wear headphones.
“The thing that keeps me motivated is people coming down and talking about their own experiences,” he said.
Jones’ final marathon will begin at 7am at Centennial Homestead on Saturday.
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