1 hour ago
11
Lance ‘Buddy’ Franklin achieved many great things in his career.
He is a two-time premiership player with Hawthorn, an eight-time All-Australian and a four-time Coleman Medallist.
Franklin sits fourth on the list of all-time AFL goalscorers, having booted 1066 majors during his 354-game career.
And despite all of the achievements the former Sydney and Hawthorn star produced on the footy field, he has now revealed that ‘the hardest thing he has ever done’ in his life.
This weekend, he and rugby league great Johnathan Thurston completed the New York Marathon.
The Aussie sporting stars had completed the race on behalf of the Indigenous Marathon Foundation (IMF), having qualified to compete in Sunday’s great race in September.
Lance Franklin (right) completed the New York Marathon this weekend on behalf of the Indigenous Marathon Foundation
Despite all his incredible achievements on the pitch, Franklin revealed that this was 'one of the hardest things he's ever done'
The pair completed the Gold Coast half-marathon before going on to secure their spot for the race around the Big Apple by finishing the 30km selection trial in Alice Springs.
Franklin bolted his way around New York city with a hugely impressive time of three hours and 49 minutes.
And after the race, he published an image of himself, overcome with emotion, hugging one of his relatives.
‘Sums it up. That absolutely broke me,’ Franklin wrote on Instagram.
‘Hardest thing I’ve ever done but so cool to experience.
‘Respect to all runners.’
Thurston, who posted another incredible time of three hours and 43 minutes, was seen posing for a snap alongside Franklin as they held the Australian Aboriginal Flag aloft on the streets of New York City.
The two former sports stars were announced as ambassadors for the IMF earlier this year and are hoping to raise as much money as they can for the organisation.
Footy legends Franklin and Johnathan Thurston (pictured left and right at the Gold Coast Half Marathon) qualified to run the New York Marathon earlier this year
The pair had been seen enjoying a beer together following Queensland's State of Origin triumph
'We've all got a purpose here with the Indigenous Marathon Project, so thinking about my family and the other squad members,’ Thurston said back in July.
The IMF is a not for profit that uses running as a means to drive and empower people from First Nations communities to strive for greatness.
Ex-Aussie marathon runner Robert de Castella explained ahead of the race that the work the IMF does has a huge effect on communities around Australia.
‘The Indigenous Marathon Foundation and our IMP Squad has a ripple effect — it inspires families, communities, and other Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and non-Indigenous Australians to run, sweat and inspire,’ he said.
