Running A Ultra Marathon For Spear Bournemouth

On August 23rd, I will be running a ultramarathon from my house past the hospital where I had back surgery, and finishing at Salisbury cathedral - raising money for Spear Bournemouth.

With the aim of supporting local young people not only into work, but empowering them to overcome whatever is stopping them from stepping through their "door".

When I had back surgery three years ago, I dreamt of being able to move again. I would often look out the window at a world that felt inaccessible, longing to run again, but found that the hardest step was always getting through the door. In my case, the door was fear: an overwhelming sense that I now had no choice but to submit to diagnoses, advice, and the narratives I read online.

I watched others thrive whilst I chose the easy way out, diving into addiction and negative cycles that felt out of my control.

The first step was recognising that even if I couldn’t get through the door, I could sit up and move my right foot. Slowly but surely, through discipline and support, I moved from my bed, to the lounge, to the hallway, and eventually out the front door, and now to a marathon.

Recent studies have shown that young people in coastal towns are three times more likely to be facing a mental health condition, ultimately stopping them from finding work. Like running, ‘doing’ the job is often the easy part, but finding the self-belief and courage to apply in the first place is what’s keeping many young people from accessing purposeful work and, ultimately, from getting through their door.

The Spear Programme Bournemouth stands as a bridge in the gap, equipping young people with both practical skills and the psychological resilience needed not only to access and sustain employment, but to build the inner strength that powers independent, lasting change.