1st 15kg weighted IRONMAN for Mental Health

Welcome to Isaac's "Weighed Down" project and film fundraising page in aid of mental health

Isaac has been breaking barriers and stigmas this summer a DIY Ironman ‍♂️with a twist!

Isaac is not content with just the Ironman endurance; Isaac has chosen to carry an additional burden—a 15kg ️ weighted vest—symbolising his commitment to push beyond his limits and the weight of mental health struggles men carry with them every day.

Isaac completed this world record to raise awareness for everyone to speak out about their mental health issues by sharing what is inside their minds (brain) to remove the weight from their lives. This event is timely as Isaac completed the challenge on "World Suicide Prevention Day " which occurs on the 10th of September each year and increases public awareness of the causes, signs and support for suicide prevention. Isaac is and still is raising funds for the mental health charity which he is a trustee called Mind In Mid Herts .

Date of the world record Ironman - 9th-10th September 2023

Location - North Devon

Finish Location - Dunkery Beacon

Total Time - 29 hours

Full distance Ironman breakdown of splits:

WHY Mental Health?

From Isaac "I have anxiety and in my Western culture, it is seen still as a sign of weakness and something to be ashamed of. We are also seen as people who aren’t able to make decisions and are stigmatised. I was like most people who believed anxiety is not a real medical illness and that people with anxiety could snap out of it if they wanted to. Due to this, I didn’t look for support for fear of being seen as weak and my condition developed I would think that many macho men still see mental health struggles as a personal issue and a lack of personal fortitude.

Because of that, and the stigma that still exists surrounding mental illness (not to mention, the pressure on men to always be strong), a lot of men struggle with admitting they may need help. This toxic masculinity often reduces the chances of men embracing healthy coping resources, they may turn to alcohol and other drugs as a way to numb the pain.

No one is immune to stress. Talking with others about how it is affecting you can foster empathy, camaraderie, and support and we need people to realize that these are medical problems, that there are good treatments available, and that there is hope involved.

Sometimes reducing stigma means being willing to talk about the times we’ve needed to ask for help ourselves."

Why Mind in Mid Herts (MiMH) as the CAUSE?

Isaac has suffered from anxiety and panic disorder for much of his adult life and the mental health charity MiMH has always been there for him if he needed it and he is also a trustee of MiMH too.

What will your money do?

From MiMH website

"1 in 4 people are going through a mental health problem every year and although we are currently reaching over 2500 people, we are not reaching everyone who needs our support, especially now during Covid 19. With your help, we can make a big difference to the lives of local people experiencing mental ill-health in Hertfordshire."

How MiMH spends donations:

£30 - helps with the understanding of mental health amongst the general public via public awareness work

£120 enables 2 young people to attend a confidence-building course

£360 could pay for a tutor to deliver a 6-week course such as ‘Managing Depression’ for up to 16 people

£500 could pay for 50 hours of peer group support to reduce someone experiencing social isolation

£1,000 could pay for a café group to be run once a week for a year to support people with a range of mental health problems

Where can you follow the event?

Isaac will be updating this page as well as his website page and social media accounts on how the training is going. Give him a follow on social media for LIVE updates :)

Instagram - @isaac_kenyon

Facebook - Isaac Kenyon

Twitter - @kenyon_isaac

LinkedIn - Isaac Kenyon

Thank you for being part of our campaign in supporting those with mental health :)