Morgan Bartrum is a landscaper, an ultra runner, and a champion for men’s mental health.
The 26-year-old is in intensive training as he prepares to run 617km around Hagley Park in September: 1km for every New Zealander who lost their life to suicide last year.
Bartrum will run 100km a day for six days, and 17km on day seven.
He is fundraising for I Am Hope, a charity that supports Kiwi mental health and suicide prevention.
“I know people who have used (I Am Hope) before, and it’s pretty epic,” Bartrum said.
He is fundraising through a Givealittle page, but his main goal is to raise awareness.
“I want to get people talking – that stigma needs to go.
“If someone is going to choose between donating $20, or checking in on 20 mates, I’d rather them check in on 20 mates.”
I Am Hope’s website says mental health is a community problem and needs a community solution.
“I want to inspire people to work through the bad days, I want to inspire people to run.
“Running is my way of getting through the hard stuff, and celebrating the good stuff.”
Inspired by Australian ultra-marathon runner and motivational speaker Nedd Brockman, Bartrum decided last year to start training for the 617km awareness run.
He said after researching New Zealand’s suicide statistics, his only motivation was “f**k, someone needs to do something!”
“Suicide prevention has hit pretty close to home before,” he said.
Bartrum wants to prove to other Kiwis “that you can be tough and resilient, and still have bad days”.
He started running in high school, first to get fit, and then to support his mental health, and now because he absolutely loves it.
“With running, you can always take it one step at a time. And you can always take one more step,” said Bartrum.
His running advice is also his mental health mantra. He said “being outside and off the phone” is the best thing anyone can do for their mental well-being.
Bartrum will run laps of Hagley Park over seven days. For the first three, he hopes to run 12-15 hours a day, but said “days four, five, six: they might be a bit slower”.
The perimeter of Hagley Park is less than 10km, which means Bartrum will have to run more than 61 laps to reach the finish line.
It’s a real mental game, Bartrum said.
“It’ll be hard on the old mind.”
Bartrum is “equal parts excited and scared” but mostly “so excited”.
• To support Bartrum’s run, go to http://bit.ly/4l0A2tI
