“I think the most beautiful thing is that I’ve given her a voice and allowed her journey to start.”

‘Breaking the silence’

During the FIFA Women’s World Cup in 2023, she decided to take on her first challenge: dribbling a football almost 1,000km from the Gold Coast to Sydney over 34 days.

“But most importantly was running for my sister. I always say it’s about running distance and breaking the silence. It was such a beautiful opportunity to carry stories across the country, and to make women feel seen and heard, too.”

‘We didn’t know how to talk about it’

“We didn’t really know how to talk about it,” she said.

Hurndall spoke with her sister about sharing her story publicly, saying she is now safe.

‘There was no way I could give up’

“The demons came out on day one … I’m so imperfect, and I stumbled my way through this, but the cause was so much more personal to me, and that’s what kept me going through.”

Hurndall completed an average of 65 to 70 km each day. Source: Supplied

On average, Hurndall ran around 65 to 70km each day, with her biggest day stretching to 90km.

Hurndall crossed the finish line in Sydney on Sunday, setting a new women’s speed record for running across Australia.

‘So many beautiful moments’

“It brought me to tears every time.”

Fran Hurndall had supporters rallying behind her throughout her journey. Source: Supplied

At time of writing, Hurndall has raised almost $60,000 for RizeUp Australia — a community-driven organisation that supports families affected by domestic and family violence.

“I feel so fortunate to be able to go out there and carry these stories … just to give back is probably the most rewarding thing.”