Having worked some long hours, attended induction days and workshops, whilst having recently completed a set of night shifts and simultaneously attempting to prepare for job interviews has left me with limited time to prepare for this marathon……i.e. I have the had the shittiest preparation ever for this marathon…. To put it into context the longest “long-run” I have been able to fit in has been 14km which was two weeks ago….and the marathon is 42km. But that’s just the way things have panned out this year.

Thus this marathon will be all mental work (because the physical prep has been virtually non-existent)…. as I push my body over the line and try to avoid rhabdo (muscles from breaking down) and my stupid iliotibial band flaring up again.

As I contemplate attempting to finish my 5^th marathon….It is usually a hallmark that in all of the marathons that I have done, just around the 30k mark, as I clamber in exhaustion and feel myself “hit the wall” I ask myself repeatedly “why the fuck am I doing this” …and tell myself that  “I will never do this again…ever” ……but here I am… yet again

And how could I resist…a marathon in one of the most beautiful cities in the world, Sydney, pounding the pavement with the backdrop of the Harbour and Opera House and with a group of a couple of thousand like-minded crazies. And why not, the fact that I have two functioning legs, lungs and arms to run is also something that inspires me to run.  Not everyone is so lucky to be able to do this!

Anyway enough of my ramblings….the reason I have written this is that I’ll be running for the community organisation, ”Youth off the Street”…an organisation started by Father Chris Riley….but completely non-denominational and not supporting any religious or government institution.

Youth off the Street supports assists young people aged 12-21 who are facing challenges of homelessness, drug and alcohol dependency, exclusion from school and overcoming immense personal traumas such as neglect and abuse.

With my upbringing in comfortable suburban Canberra, having had the fortune of a loving family and never having to been brought to the circumstances to need to find a roof over my head, I find it very difficult to comprehend that there are some young people in Australia who need to endure the anxiety of finding a safe place to sleep and protection from the elements on a daily basis.

OF the 105 000 homeless people in Australia, 42 percent are aged from 12-25. There are a range of circumstances which have led these young people to flee their home at such a young age, whether it is abuse or neglect from the hands of their family members, drug and alcohol issues, and mental health problems to situations such as being kicked out of their house due their sexuality or gender identity. Furthermore young homeless people often remain invisible and on the fringes of society and are more vulnerable to abuse while they sleep rough. Youth off the Street provide a wide range of services which range from assisting with providing safe accommodation and food, drug and alcohol services to counselling services. And have been doing so since 1981.

So in a day or so, I’ll be attempting to run and finish the 42km marathon supporting this organisation. And in view of me punishing my body and the fact that this is worthy organisation, I hope you’ll be able to consider donating a few dollars to “Youth off the Street”. It’s also totally tax deductible.  

Thanks for reading my little essay. Wish me luck! =) Cheers guys!