Light at the end of the long night

OVERCOMING a mental health condition can be overwhelming, isolating, and dark at times, but with the support of loved ones, the journey can brighten.

Local mates and runners Josh Kors, Gus Martin, and Dean Ollerenshaw are taking on an overnight 120-kilometre run from Melbourne to Ballarat, as a symbol of this mental health struggle many people face.

Since March this year, the trio have been training for The Long Night, their own initiative raising funds for headspace Ballarat, which offers mental health support services to young people.

The run will begin at Federation Square on Friday 1 December at 5pm, and the group expects to cross the finish line at Martin’s gym in Canadian, The Shed, between 10am and 1pm the next day.

“We’re setting off at peak time in the city,” Martin said. “So many people look straight past you, and you can feel like you’re insignificant amongst the chaos of the busy city.

“Running through the night represents the darkness that mental health can bring to people, and the run to Ballarat is all uphill as well, like the uphill battle of fighting through a mental health condition.

“We’re doing it together, and people can drop into segments along the way, to symbolise those who are willing to share the journey of recovery.

“At the end of it, the sun will rise, and there’s a new day.”

Kors, Martin and Ollerenshaw said they’ve enjoyed long-distance training sessions together, having valuable conversations along the way.

“Earlier in the year, there was a lot going on with a few of the boys and their mental health,” Martin said.

“We started talking more and more about mental health issues in the community, and wanted to do something to contribute to the support available.

“We’ll try and raise awareness, and money, for headspace and the work they do in the community with young people. We want to give them as much of a boost as possible.”

The group is getting to the end of their “hell week,” covering 117 kilometres over four days, and they’re regularly running full or half marathon distances.

But regardless of any discomfort, they’re loving the journey.

“It’s a special group to be involved with,” Martin said. “We bounce off each other well.

“We’re feeling good, we’re very happy with how we’re training and progressing, and we’re able to keep each other driven. We’re just taking it all in our stride.”

During The Long Night, the trio will head from the city through Footscray, along Ballarat Road, and get onto Old Melbourne Road to avoid the freeway.

They decided the gym would be the right place to finish, as Martin’s mission for the business aligns with the challenge.

“Our gym is a place where we want people to feel free to be themselves with a loving and supportive community around them,” he said.

“Pair that with the benefits of exercise, and you can make a massive difference to the lives of people experiencing mental health issues.” Visit bit.ly/3tmjCFM to support The Long Night.