Brandon Jack is waiting for sunshine to peek through the canopy of Australian figs and evergreen oaks of Sydney’s Centennial Park. He has spent many hours traversing the tracks of this park, pushing his mind and body to their limits, but today in baggy jeans and a nondescript hoodie, he is at the mercy of the brisk morning breeze.
The former AFL player turned author has lived near the park for more than a decade, after growing up on the other side of the city in a high-profile sporting family then joining the Sydney Swans as an 18-year-old. He doesn’t visit Centennial Park nearly as much as he used to, when he would arrive with a defined purpose and plan. A bright red training singlet and high-end runners were the uniform back then, as Jack and a selection of his Swans teammates powered around the 3.5km loop.
