Running for Rape Crisis

Slightly different theme to today's blog as I'm going to shamelessly plug a charity I'm going to fundraise for this year (with a bit of backstory to boot)

Setting up Sustain has been the most rewarding thing I've ever done and it's opened my eyes to many experiences and people I wouldn't have been privy to in a different line of work.

In the fat loss industry it's very easy (and commonplace) to send out meal plans, calories, workouts and basically leave people to it.

Didn't stick to it? Try harder next week.

And to some degree we started out in this vein too. But what happens very quickly when you ask questions, watch and listen is that a lot of people are genuinely trying really hard. They are doing the best they have with the skills they have at that moment in time.

So saying try again next week is like telling an alcoholic to stop drinking.

Effective in theory but useless in practice.

And sadly for most of the women (and men) we work with, that isn't effective for fat loss or as impressive from a results standpoint as a 20 something personal trainer can do.

As such we had to take a different approach. Dig deeper to find out where people were struggling and help them find solutions.

Which is what we are still doing to this day! And it will likely be a lifetime's work to get better and better at this.

Fat loss, for many, is not as simple as calories in, calories out. The human beings behind the calories are what needs the most care and attention and often those who struggle most have a reason behind this.

Sustain has shown me into a world of trauma and abuse that I didn't think was possible.

Beyond what my coddled, middle class mind ever fathomed.

I knew these things happened. I saw it on TV, in the news and in movies. But I never knew the people behind it. There was a disconnect which meant I lacked true empathy and understanding. And whilst I can never fully understand it, I am closer to this place now.

I think we all get desensitised to the savagery of human beings and are numb to it. The faces on TV often aren't our friends, family, neighbours or countrymen or women and it doesn't inspire the same depth of feeling as when it happens to a loved one or someone we know directly.

And Sustain bridged that gap for me to a degree.

My eyes were opened to the struggles of those who have experienced sexual abuse and trauma. The lifetimes of pain and mental anguish that stem from the actions (mostly but not exclusively by men). From single incidents lasting minutes to prolonged suffering spanning decades.

It is an uncomfortable topic for most to hear or think about. But you should. Because imagine having to live with it. Someone, (many someone's) have lived with that and are rebuilding their lives after these events.

Rape crisis has helped some of the women who I've been fortunate enough to coach and help. As you may know I lack the specialist training to help people who have been through these events.

I can but offer a supporting hand and use the skills I have. Women I work with have had success with rape crisis and come to me for assisted support. Or have been referred by me for their specialist guidance and support and taken the burden these ladies have had to carry alone.

And so I want to give back, to raise awareness and do some good.

My plan is to run.

And run.

And run some more.

I have no concrete plans yet but the challenge I have set myself is to compete in a backyard ultra marathon (BYU) within the next 12 months. Which is ...

4.167 miles an hour (not too bad).

Every hour (less fun).

Until 1 person remains (least fun of all).

I wanted to pick something that represented a real physical and mental effort (but one I could still do!)

I have seen women who have been through severe psychological anguish for years and years and years and so this event seemed like a fitting undertaking.

I have (this week) signed up for a 20 mile trail run in April and Leeds Marathon in May as preparation for my first BYU (BackYard Ultra) at some point within the next 12 months.

The target I have set is an ambitious £10,000 and I will be doing a lot of raffling off of sustain coaching to reach this target!

If you'd like to follow my journey, if you've any advice how I can reach my target and how I can train to survive a task like this then please follow me on IG: coach_joe_sustain or Facebook: Joe Robinson where I'll be posting about my training, races and fund raising efforts.

Hopefully see you there!