Much has been written about how important it is to look after your mental health as much as your physical health. It is undeniable that talking is the first step towards dealing with the little voice in your head that can act as a catalyst for negative thoughts.

Many men don't talk enough. Well, not about the important things. We've all been guilty of clamming up and keeping our feelings and emotions bottled inside us. 

The result can be a limited emotional toolkit partnered with the belief that airing your feelings is a sign of weakness. This is wrong, often to a detrimental effect.

75% of all UK suicides are male. The right to talk should never be a privilege. It is not enough to just say men need to talk.

HUMEN is a movement to improve and maintain men's mental health through campaigning. It has established "The HUMEN Space", anonymous, preventative and non-clinical spaces for men to talk, listen and connect on a regular basis. It is changing the face of what it means to be a man, providing an accessible solution to prevent men from suffering in silence and dying too young.

Originally I was due to run (walk/stumble/crawl) Race to the Castle to raise money for HUMEN. 50km one day, 50km the next through Northumbria and along the coast to Bamburgh Castle. 

Sadly that's been cancelled. HOWEVER, Race to the Stones offers all the same pain, just further south and in the midst of a British summer. Plus a night in a tent. Comfort is not a high priority.

A lot of people's mental health has been impacted due to the pandemic and many of us remain guilty of not talking enough about our feelings. I am extremely lucky to have the unwavering emotional support of my wonderful family and still don't open up as much as I believe I should. Others aren't so lucky and don't even have that option.

I'd be hugely grateful for any support you could provide. Donate, share the page with your friends and family, join me for a training run. Any help would be hugely and enthusiastically appreciated.

Thank you