Dear Sir,
My name is Michael Thompson and l will be running the 100k (62 mile) Canalathon Ultra Marathon for the men’s mental health charity Manhealth. This is held on Sunday 30th March from Sowerby Bridge to Manchester and back along the Rochdale Canal.
My first Ultra Marathon was back in April 2016 and I have been doing them every other year (apart from 2020, due to Covid). Whilst l have just moved into Newton Aycliffe, last summer, my ultra training always went along the railway path from Shildon and usually into Shildon. This year l have run past my previous home near Raby Castle in Teesdale.
I have been through a few mental struggles myself, looking after my father during Covid, when he stopped in bed and his legs weakened, l also looked after my brother who has learning difficulties and maintained an acre of land, then moving out when he died and more beside, before eventually moving to Newton Aycliffe.
Completing these events for men’s mental health charities, and therefore learning about suicide, has definitely helped. Suicide is the biggest single killer of men under 50 and over 75% of suicides are men.
Manhealth supports men through their mental and physical health, ultimately preventing suicide. While other charities do great work, Manhealth has many groups in the area and the Newton Aycliffe group is held on a Tuesday evening from 6-8pm in the Youth & Community Centre on Burn Lane, DL5 4HT.
If you would like to sponsor me the link is:
manhealth.enthuse.com/pf/michael-thompson
Photo: After Glasgow to Edinburgh Ultra 2016.