GARY Wilmot used to struggle running to catch a bus. He would jump on board in a pool of sweat.
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He knew something had to change.
So when Gary discovered a new zest for life, he decided to make a massive statement to capture attention and encourage others to follow in his steps.
Gary is walking from his hometown Perth to Brisbane and fourth-month mission raising awareness and money for the Heart Foundation. This weekend, his journey reached Ballarat. Walking from Beaufort to Ballarat on Friday, Gary paused his cause for a drive to contest a Park Run in Melbourne. He will pick up where he left off – Victoria Park, Sturt Street side – on Monday morning.
The Courier found Gary taking a selfie on the outskirts of town, near a welcome to Ballarat sign. It is a ritual he makes with each major mark along the way.
Gary’s big achievement used to be walking a 1.6-kilometre circuit around the block. A small, but important, step to take control of his health. It was late 2011 when Gary, then aged 42, had his epiphany. He was a heavy smoker, drank to get drunk at the weekend and did not care for his diet. But he did not feel great. Ever.
“I realised nobody’s going to fix me and the only one who could make a decision to change is me,” Gary said. “I decided to run a marathon. I didn’t care how long it would take me, I just wanted to make the distance. It took about six months of working up basic foundation fitness. It really progress from there.”
Gary achieved his Perth marathon in June 2013, clocking six hours, 47 minutes. He was dead last and did not care.
“I walked for nearly a whole day for that marathon and faced a whole lot of demons. Something strange happened, I found a passion for life,” Gary said. He wanted to share that new energy and confidence but felt another marathon would not cut it in getting his story out there. A friend jokingly suggested a route from Perth to Brisbane. It stuck a chord.
Intrigued and enthusiastic supporters randomly have turned up along the road, some walking with him, others sounding their car horns. Only once has he been heckled but Gary takes it all happily in his stride. He wears a GPS tracker and trademark yellow high vis vest and beanie and, as a tall guy, is not hard to spot.
“You don’t have to look like David Beckham to be fit,” Gary said. “It’s the small changes to your lifestyle that make a big difference. You just need to get started.”
To track down Gary and his story, look up Hearts Across Australia on Facebook.
