Balance Marathon 2 - Mental Health Fundraiser
Donation protected
Between the 10th and 16th of May we are attempting to bring together the global parkour community to balance the equivalent distance of the Nullarbor Straight—one of the longest straight roads in the world. This long and lonely road stretches 146.6km (91 mi) and is also symbolic of the journey many people have to take for their mental health.
***We need you!***
Last year 32 traceurs donated a total distance of 51.5km to raise money and awareness for parkour mental health charities, smashing our original target of a standard marathon. Then, in true parkour culture style, those same people want to push it further this year... 3x further! This means we will need 3x the participants to have a chance at pulling this off.
Last year's event - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X5yjO2cR59s
Why Balance?
What do you think of when you think of parkour? Backflips? Impossible jumps? We wanted an event that challenged the media perception that parkour is always high risk or adrenaline-fuelled.
Balancing is quiet, controlled. Balancing is silently whispering in your ear “you got this.” As one of the core skills essential to practicing parkour, balance has many benefits both mental and
physical. Whilst often underappreciated, balance is essential to maintain health and wellbeing as we get older, for preventing falls, maintaining strength, and reducing the risk of osteoporosis.
In terms of mental health, many people have compared balancing on a rail to “meditation in
motion.” It focuses the mind, quiets the mental chatter. One of the hardest things in modern society is slowing down, switching off from everything else around us and focusing on the now….can you do it?
As well as raising awareness for the power of parkour as a tool for mental health and healing, it gives each participant the opportunity to collectively reflect on their own experiences with mental health. Whether that’s through the silent mindfulness of the task or you want to share out loud, we are here to celebrate and receive our collective stories.
The Process
Each participant that signs up commits to donating either a distance of their choosing or a cumulative distance for their team, and completes it on event week.
During the event week, each participant creates a social media post with (1) their distance, (2) an image, a video, or a thought, and (3) sharing the Gofundme page.
These distances will be added together, and we will attempt to complete the distance by the end of the week.
To begin this process send us a DM, comment on the page, or email [email redacted]ja
We are aware that everyone will come to this challenge with their own levels of experience, and we wanted to ensure it was as inclusive as possible!
We have used the term “balance” as an umbrella term for the obstacle you will be using, but pick a level you feel would be challenging, but achievable:
Level 1: Line on the floor/ balance on a curb.
Level 2: Low wall or tree trunk.
Level 3: Scaffolding size rail at a height you can comfortably dismount from.
The Charities
Free Your Instinct
Free Your Instinct is a young and dynamic charity that helps people with mental health support needs through the delivery of specialist Parkour classes by qualified and experienced coaches.
Free Your Instinct started in 2015. The Charity was founded by Charlotte Boenigk, a former exercise specialist for NHS Mental Health Services, Charley Hobson-Merrett, a former NHS accountant and Jacob Peregrine-Wheller, a ParkourUK qualified coach with a background working with participants with emotional and behavioural difficulties.
Since 2015 Free Your Instinct has established itself as a pioneer of using Parkour to help people with mental health support needs and operates in London and Bristol with plans to expand into further areas.
Parkour Visions
Parkour Visions (PKV) is an internationally recognized non-profit leading the way in transformational movement experiences which deepen the connection to the environment, community, and self.
We focus on outdoor parkour programs which evoke the roots of parkour—that everyone is capable of the challenge, joy, and self-discovery of our movement practice. Students of all ages and identities experience a sense of competence, purpose, and agency. These are the foundations of mental health, and the need has only increased in the last year.
Founded Seattle in 2007, our active community is 300+ strong, and we've served thousands more in our 14-year history. We teach outdoor classes, sponsor national events like Obsidian Gathering and Jumpfest, and design parkour parks across North America.
Organiser - Ukemi
Partners - Parkour Outreach / Esprit Concrete / Parkour UK / Slovak Freerun Family
***We need you!***
Last year 32 traceurs donated a total distance of 51.5km to raise money and awareness for parkour mental health charities, smashing our original target of a standard marathon. Then, in true parkour culture style, those same people want to push it further this year... 3x further! This means we will need 3x the participants to have a chance at pulling this off.
Last year's event - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X5yjO2cR59s
Why Balance?
What do you think of when you think of parkour? Backflips? Impossible jumps? We wanted an event that challenged the media perception that parkour is always high risk or adrenaline-fuelled.
Balancing is quiet, controlled. Balancing is silently whispering in your ear “you got this.” As one of the core skills essential to practicing parkour, balance has many benefits both mental and
physical. Whilst often underappreciated, balance is essential to maintain health and wellbeing as we get older, for preventing falls, maintaining strength, and reducing the risk of osteoporosis.
In terms of mental health, many people have compared balancing on a rail to “meditation in
motion.” It focuses the mind, quiets the mental chatter. One of the hardest things in modern society is slowing down, switching off from everything else around us and focusing on the now….can you do it?
As well as raising awareness for the power of parkour as a tool for mental health and healing, it gives each participant the opportunity to collectively reflect on their own experiences with mental health. Whether that’s through the silent mindfulness of the task or you want to share out loud, we are here to celebrate and receive our collective stories.
The Process
Each participant that signs up commits to donating either a distance of their choosing or a cumulative distance for their team, and completes it on event week.
During the event week, each participant creates a social media post with (1) their distance, (2) an image, a video, or a thought, and (3) sharing the Gofundme page.
These distances will be added together, and we will attempt to complete the distance by the end of the week.
To begin this process send us a DM, comment on the page, or email [email redacted]ja
We are aware that everyone will come to this challenge with their own levels of experience, and we wanted to ensure it was as inclusive as possible!
We have used the term “balance” as an umbrella term for the obstacle you will be using, but pick a level you feel would be challenging, but achievable:
Level 1: Line on the floor/ balance on a curb.
Level 2: Low wall or tree trunk.
Level 3: Scaffolding size rail at a height you can comfortably dismount from.
The Charities
Free Your Instinct
Free Your Instinct is a young and dynamic charity that helps people with mental health support needs through the delivery of specialist Parkour classes by qualified and experienced coaches.
Free Your Instinct started in 2015. The Charity was founded by Charlotte Boenigk, a former exercise specialist for NHS Mental Health Services, Charley Hobson-Merrett, a former NHS accountant and Jacob Peregrine-Wheller, a ParkourUK qualified coach with a background working with participants with emotional and behavioural difficulties.
Since 2015 Free Your Instinct has established itself as a pioneer of using Parkour to help people with mental health support needs and operates in London and Bristol with plans to expand into further areas.
Parkour Visions
Parkour Visions (PKV) is an internationally recognized non-profit leading the way in transformational movement experiences which deepen the connection to the environment, community, and self.
We focus on outdoor parkour programs which evoke the roots of parkour—that everyone is capable of the challenge, joy, and self-discovery of our movement practice. Students of all ages and identities experience a sense of competence, purpose, and agency. These are the foundations of mental health, and the need has only increased in the last year.
Founded Seattle in 2007, our active community is 300+ strong, and we've served thousands more in our 14-year history. We teach outdoor classes, sponsor national events like Obsidian Gathering and Jumpfest, and design parkour parks across North America.
Organiser - Ukemi
Partners - Parkour Outreach / Esprit Concrete / Parkour UK / Slovak Freerun Family
Fundraising team (3)
David Banks
Organizer
Scotland
Rebecca Brightly
Team member
Charlotte Boenigk
Team member
