42 DAYS, 42 MARATHONS

42 MARATHONS IN 42 DAYS

THIS YEAR I TURNED 42. IN BARTENDER YEARS THAT’S F****NG ANCIENT, WELL PASSED THE USUAL RETIREMENT AGE. IT HASN’T BEEN A LIFE FILLED WITH HARDSHIP AND STRUGGLE, BUT SOMETIMES I WONDER HOW I MADE IT THIS FAR, PERHAPS IT’S DISCOVERING THE ANSWER FOR THE ULTIMATE QUESTION FOR LIFE, THE UNIVERSE AND EVERYTHING. IF YOU DON’T GET THAT REFERENCE THEN STOP READING THIS IMMEDIATELY AND GOOGLE DOUGLAS ADAMS.

WORDS BY TIM ETHRINGTON-JUDGE

In my 42 years I’ve been a barback, a chef, a Brand Ambassador and a bartender, I’ve been unemployed and funemployed, I’ve been a broke-ass backpacker and business class traveller, but this year I became something I never thought I’d be: a runner.

By the time you’re sitting down to read this, I will, if successfully avoiding injury, illness or a global shortage of crunchy peanut butter, have run 42 marathons in 42 consecutive days. If I didn’t, then just delete that last sentence and erase it from your memory.

While you may be reading it after the event, I’m writing it travelling at exactly 903km/h on a A380 from Sydney to Singapore on my way home to Amsterdam for a few days and final preparations before heading off to Tales of the Cocktail where it all begins. 11 days to go. I’m equal parts confident, excited and nervous.

The question I have been asked the most by everyone who’s heard about Run424242, and I’m sure the one rolling around inside your head as you read this, unsurprisingly is: Why?

Why would a particularly clumsy, middleaged man who’s never particularly excelled at any sport choose to attempt to run 1,784 kilometres in less than a month and half? A midlife crisis for someone who can’t afford a Ferrari? Or perhaps it’s a masochistic cry for attention for someone who struggles with their personal self-esteem perhaps? A test of proof to myself that I’m not a quitter and I can do something extra-ordinary with my life?

Whilst I exaggerate for the purpose of entertaining reading, there is perhaps a little grain of truth in all those things. When we chose to undertake any challenge that pushes ourselves outside of our comfort zones and challenges our very beliefs of what we can accomplish, there is usually a multitude of reasons, both personal and external that drive us. For me, two driving factors led me to this point.

The first, and most important, has been the need to take positive action around mental health in the hospitality industry. I’ve spoken publicly about my struggles with depression and the industry, uncovering that far from being alone, there’s a growing number of people for whom good mental health is becoming increasingly difficult. I want to create a positive narrative and engage in conversation, whilst raising as much money as possible (yes we’re still accepting donations) for a charity working to improve support platforms for mental health in the bar industry.

The second is a deeply personal desire to challenge myself and what I’m capable of. For most of my life, I’ve been reasonably fit (there was a short period when as a bartender I lived off nothing but pizza, fries and shots of everyone’s favourite Italian amaro). I’ve cycled a lot, I own four bikes and have done many races which I’ve mostly enjoyed. I’ve never pushed my physical and mental limits to find out exactly where they lie. I’ve always held back, easing off when things have gotten too painful, even when the competitive spirit takes over racing friends up monumental alpine climbs on my bike.

TRAINING

I travel a lot. Too much for my, and our planets, liking. Travelling so much makes training hard. Effective training is based around a plan, consistency and routine. I don’t have that in my life so I’ve had to set goals and try and achieve them whenever, and wherever feasible. I’ve run in Sydney, Adelaide, Perth, Brisbane, Auckland, London, New York, Amsterdam, Helsinki, Copenhagen, LA, Sofia, Brussels and Dublin.

Besides getting as many km’s into my legs as possible, the other big part of my training has been stretching and mobility to reduce the chances of injury. Keeping my hips and hamstrings flexible, strengthening my ankles and making sure my IT band is in top order has all kept me injury, and pain, free so far.

NUTRITION

I’ve eaten a plant-based diet for the last two decades. Originally a choice for a better environment, the more I learnt about nutrition and exercise I began to understand the benefits a plant-based diet has on endurance and physical recovery. It was controversial in 1999 but thankfully it’s much more accepted and widespread these days. I’m determined to do this eating real food. So no slimy sugary gels, value-added protein shakes or sickly sports drinks. Learning from personal experience running the only marathon I’ve run, I will take electrolyte tablets to keep painful cramps at bay.

I’ve been fortunate enough to work with an amazing nutritionist, Angela Oosterling from BodyMasters in Amsterdam, who’s helped guide me with my eating. It hasn’t been easy, especially when travelling. A whole-food, plant-based diet is lower in calorific density and with the amount of training I’ve been doing, it results in a lot of eating. During my marathons, I’ll be aiming to eat 5,500 calories a day. That’s a lot of carrots, hummus, avocados and peanut butter sandwiches.

RECOVERY & SLEEP

Recovery and sleep are, in essence, the same thing. If you’ve ever been to one of my seminars, workshops or talks, you’ll now that I harp on about sleep, a lot, and it’s for good reason. Sleep is our most powerful recovery tool, the time when our body and brain undo all the damage that we did to them during the day. Sleep is going to be vital and I’m anticipating that I’ll be sleeping for at least 10 hours a day to give my body the opportunity to work its magic and heal the micro-tears in muscles that come from pounding the pavement for 42km every day for 42 days.

I have to give a shout out to the incredible sponsors that believed in me from the start. On Running, Patagonia, Stance Socks and Run & Become saw a crazy man with a crazy dream and were moved enough to support with incredible products. So whether I made it or not, a quick google of #Run424242 will tell you just how far I got, I tried.

I tried to take a stand against the growing plague of mental health issues in our industry. I tried to create a positive narrative about what we can do to improve our own mental health. And I tried to push myself to see exactly what I’m capable of.

And I have one last thing to try. To try and convince you to follow the link below and dig into your pocket and donate towards better mental health in our industry. An hour’s wage, part of a nights tips, or the loose change in your pocket will make a difference.

TIM’S TOP TIPS FOR RUNNING

• Get a good pair of shoes from a specialist running shop. Buy shoes that are one size too big for you to avoid the dreaded black toe and reduce blisters. I wear a US13 normally but my On Running shoes are a US14.

• Don’t be a training day hero. Train slowly and regularly and don’t try and beat your time every run. You’ll enjoy it more, reduce chances of industry and long term will run faster, and further.

• Just do it. I’ve never felt worse after going for run, and there have been so many occasions where I didn’t want to run.

• Fabric plasters on your nipples will save you a lot of pain.

LINKS & SOCIAL

www.424242.run www.healthyhospo.com #run424242 #healthyhospo @healthyhospo @gingerbitters

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