I will be running the Beyond Newcastle 55km (34 mile) Ultra Marathon on the 26th of April 2025 to raise money for Mind.

Like many others in todays society I spend a lot of time online comparing myself to others, getting lost in the UK hustle culture, and just life in general can leave us in a dark place mentally. This has happened to me so many times already at the age of 20 and everytime the solution has been through exercise and in particular running for the mental clarity and endorphin release it provides me with.

In 2022 after just turning 18 years old and fresh into the working world I spent a lot of nights sad and struggling to sleep. I was in such a dark place and unhappy with life that I couldn’t see how I could continue like this, which resulted in me not seeing a future for myself at times. The only thing that kept me going through this tough time was exercising and finally speaking out to family and friends after bottling up my emotions because “I’m a man”. Men get sad too, and that is okay. There isn't always a trigger or reason for feeling down and that's the most confusing part about navigating it but exercising will always make you feel better and like you're progressing in life even if everything else isn't.

Running has changed my life and now I want to give back through the sport and change someone else’s.

I have been dedicating 12+ hours of training each week in the lead up to this event alongside a full time job so any donations no matter how small are much appreciated and could go a long way in saving lives.

To make this even better NatWest Group, who I work for, are doubling all amounts raised up to £500 so please make the most of this opportunity.

Thank you for reading, now let's get to work and together we can help change the perception of mental health and save lives!