BEN Welch rode a wave of emotion to his Victoria Park Echuca finish line buoyed by the cheers of thousands of people at 4.44pm on Friday, March 7 after 380 kilometres travelled and almost $550,000 raised.

Ben set off on his run up the Murray River to Echuca with the ambitious dream of raising $150,000 for headspace in the predawn dark at 4.44am on Monday, March 3.