This time last year I was living in the north of England in Carlisle. I have always had periodic battles with my mental health. Nothing I couldn't deal with. Finding running was the best panacea I had found to deal with this. I suffered a minor injury and that was taken away, I was having hard time with work, I was isolated from my friends and what would normally be a small bout of "feeling down" became a full blown fight for my life against myself. I became depressed. I became a different person, it cost me my joy, my sense of self and ultimately my relationship of six year. I didn't open up. I didn't reach out until it was nearly too late. I had to move home. After this I opened up about my struggles to my family and friends about how I was feeling. This act of opening up lifted a tremendous weight off me. Not everyone is so fortunate!

This June 13th I will be returning to Carlisle to take on the "The Wall" 113KM Ultramarathon. Whilst this will be a physical test of endurance it will also be a test of the mind. Hopefully another battle I can win this year. A much easier one than last years. In doing this I hope I can raise some much needed funds for Pieta House.

In 2022 Pieta delivered over 50,000 hours of intervention and bereavement counselling. We received almost 100,000 crisis support calls and texts through our 24 freephone helpline and we directly supported over 700 households devastated by the loss of a loved one by suicide.

Every year nearly 500 people in Ireland take their own lives, that’s one life lost every day. It doesn’t have to be this way. Pieta exists to change this by offering life-saving services, provoking national conversation, and bringing people together through Darkness Into Light.

If you or a love one need help in relation to these issues please visit the below link

Pieta | Preventing Suicide and Self-Harm since 2006 https://share.google/X4ztfSOOPmy49r32B