6:30 AM. Sunday, Tairua Beach: 12 young blokes, 2 young women, 1 older bloke (me) and one not-quite-as-old woman (Louise) stood on the sand staring out at the surf.
We were about to swim 1.9 km through the break, ride 90 km (Tairua to Pauanui and back, then out to Hikuai (and back), and finish with two laps of town on foot – a full half-ironman (21.1 km run).
Why?
Four 22-year-old mates – Jackson, Campbell, George and Sam – decided they wanted to do something real for Movember, especially men’s mental health.
This is a cause they actually believe in and want to shift the dial on.
For the whole of November they ran 10 km every single day and a half-marathon every weekend (one in silence, one around a tiny loop track, one blindfolded). Those runs symbolised reaching out when it’s hard, the grinding monotony of poor mental health, and not being able to see a hopeful future.
They capped the month this morning with the half-ironman. This represented work, resilience and getting to where you want to go.
A few things absolutely stand out:
– These young fellas didn’t just talk – they volunteered, organised and actually did something for society on an issue they care about.
– The bonding, the buzz, the shared fear and laughter facing something properly hard.
– How many others they dragged along with them.
By race morning literally all their mates were lining up to do a half-ironman. Some in better nick than others!
Everyone finished. Everyone looked after everyone. Heaps of fun, memories made, money raised.
Is there a better way for young men to spend a month?
he stories and “incidents” that last a lifetime only ever happen when you put yourself out there. Trust me, there were incidents – and now there are memories for life.
Bloody well done, lads.
It was a genuine privilege to be on the edge of this thing and then right in the middle of it.
You can still donate
https://movember.com/t/jacko-and-campbell-s-mo-mission?mc=1
The link also more about them and their mission.
