People often say you should step out of your comfort zone, but Blake Bourne took that one step further; or rather, 1000km further.

Founder of ‘The Uncomfortable Challenge’, Blake passed through Wangaratta recently, linking up with local gym BFT, on his 1000km run from Geelong to Sydney.

It's his chosen "challenge” this year to raise funds and awareness for Speak and Share, a preventative mental health charity advocating for Australians in need.

His arrival at the Sydney Opera House on Saturday 13 June marked the completion of a 13-day venture.

Blake said the fundraiser is all about embracing the uncomfortable, a philosophy he believes is the cornerstone of growth.

“I’ve battled with mental health challenges for a lot of my life,” he said.

“It wasn’t until I did a road trip a few years ago when I really started to understand my mind a little bit deeper.

“It was those uncomfortable moments where I learned the most about myself.

“I don’t know the exact science behind it but I think there’s definitely something to it.”

For Blake, the run is the catalyst for the movement.

He said so far, nearly 80 people have signed up to participate this July - but his goal is to engage at least 1000.

The beauty of this initiative is you have control over how you define your challenge.

According to Blake, your challenge doesn’t have to be as ambitious as some 24 consecutive marathons; it just has to be uncomfortable to you.

“What that looks like for everyone is going to be different,” he said.

“It might be going sober for a month… it might be going to the gym.

“It could be saying hi to a stranger.”

Despite a few challenges along the way, including a trip to the hospital for a torn tibialis posterior (located in the lower leg), he managed to push through and make not just himself, but the people watching from the sidelines proud.

"I'm very grateful to have completed it," he said.

Blake spent the last two weeks documenting his 1000km trek via his Instagram page @blakexbourne.

For more information about 'The Uncomfortable Challenge', visit https://www.uncomfortablechallenge.com/home.