This Christmas Eve, I’ll be running 100km home for Christmas to raise money for Andy’s Man Club—a charity that has become deeply important to me, and to so many men who feel like they’re fighting silent battles.

In 2023, I went through one of the hardest periods of my life. I was struggling badly with my mental health and slipped into drinking and partying as a way to cope. I felt lost. Eventually, I knew something had to change.

So I packed a bag, took my dog Sully, and travelled to Spain alone for six weeks. At that time, Sully felt like my only purpose. But during those weeks, something shifted. I realised life could be alright—maybe even good—and for the first time in a long time, I started to see a way forward.

When I came home, I kept that momentum going. I started running… and it completely changed everything.

Running became more than a hobby—it became my lifeline. It gave me structure, challenge, purpose, and a way to finally look after myself. I realised life isn’t just about surviving. It’s about growing, pushing yourself, and finding joy again.

Today, I’m genuinely happy. Running has brought back a spark I thought I’d lost forever. And now I want to use this journey to help other men who feel the way I once did. Men’s mental health still doesn’t get spoken about enough—and too many suffer in silence.

That’s why I’m doing this run.

To raise awareness.

To raise money.

To show what’s possible when you give yourself a second chance.

Pushing My Limits

I’ve fallen in love with seeing how far I can push myself—both physically and mentally. Some of my recent training includes:

Completing a half Ironman randomly in the gym one weekend—5 hours 38 minutes

Running x2 50k ultras in 7+ hours and 4 hours 47 minutes respectively, something I’m incredibly proud of

Helping my brother run his first marathon, my neighbour run his first half marathon and another friend complete their first 10km

This is only the beginning. I plan to keep running extreme distances and train for a full Ironman. You can follow the journey on Instagram: @ultratommyy

How You Can Help

My sister and I are hosting a pub quiz on Monday 8th December, and we’re trying to get as many people involved as possible. We’ve also been invited to share the story on BBC Radio Lincolnshire on Tuesday 9th at 10:35am.

If my story resonates with you—even a little—please consider:

Donating

Sharing the page

Telling someone who might need to hear it

Supporting Andy’s Man Club in any way you can

Your support means more than you know.

Let’s keep more men here. Let’s keep conversations open.

And this Christmas Eve, let’s run home together.