September 24, 2024 • 23 mins
How do you find hope and healing after unimaginable loss? Join us as we sit down with Harry Marshall, aka "Scrambled Legs" on Instagram, who opens up about his profound journey through grief and recovery. Living in Canada but originally from West Yorkshire, Harry shares how running became his lifeline after losing his brother to suicide and his mother to heart complications. Tune in to hear how Harry's dedication to running 5 kilometers daily for a year across three continents helped him cope with his grief, offering a powerful testament to the mental and emotional benefits of physical movement.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 2 (00:10):
Welcome to Ella Go.
My name is Lisa.
Join me on the journey inhaving real raw and
uncomfortable discussions aboutfitness, health and everything
in between, because, let's behonest, this journey would suck
if we don't get our shittogether.
Welcome everyone to the ElegoPodcast.
(00:38):
My name is Lisa and today'sguest is Harry Marshall.
Harry, welcome.
Speaker 1 (00:44):
Thank you very much.
Speaker 2 (00:45):
So I was looking at Harry's profile, I think, harry,
you reached out to me and weconnected on Instagram.
You followed me, I followed youback and when I read Harry's
profile, it was very profound,because that's and I'll tell you
a little bit more about itObviously, ella Goh is about
empowering women through fitness, health and everything in
(01:08):
between, and not just womeneverybody.
Okay, and we're doing coachingfor running, but we're using
running as a way to heal, torelease, to empower.
So when I read your profile, itreally resonated with me
because I'm like this is exactlywhy I do what I'm doing.
(01:30):
So, before we get into all that, why don't you introduce
yourself to the listeners?
Speaker 1 (01:36):
My name is Harry Marshall.
I'm from West Yorkshireoriginally, but I'm currently
living in Canada and my alterego is scrambled legs, and which
is my running profile?
Um, and yeah, that's that's meokay, where did that come from?
Speaker 2 (01:54):
I saw that scrambled legs.
What is that?
Speaker 1 (01:56):
it started.
I was um halfway through myfirst running challenge and I
was in the process of creatingan Instagram page, so I put, put
it out to my like, my normalaccount, um, and sort of let
people fire ideas at me, andthat was the most popular, so
that's what I went withinteresting, harry, that's
(02:17):
interesting yeah.
Yeah, there was a few of thewild ones out there, so that was
the best pick.
Speaker 2 (02:24):
Okay, Okay.
So I wanted to ask you were youalways a runner?
Speaker 1 (02:29):
No, never actually.
So yeah, I started.
Well, the first runningchallenge I did was five
kilometers a day every day for ayear, but before that I'd been
on probably maybe 20 runs in mylife, played sport obviously
quite a bit when I was younger,but yeah, I never ran sort of
consistently.
Speaker 2 (02:52):
So yeah, straight in the deep end with that one.
So, as I was mentioning, onyour profile it says found a
passion for running through myjourney of grief.
So can you explain what that'sall about?
Speaker 1 (03:04):
Yeah, so in 2019 2019 I lost my brother to suicide,
um, and then, a couple yearslater, my mom always had, um,
quite a lot of like heartcomplications and stuff growing
up, but nothing, nothing tooserious um.
And then, yeah, and then aftermy brother passed away, it sort
of just progressively got worseand then, yeah, we lost my mum
(03:27):
two years later.
So obviously, I was in a prettydark time of my life, like I
was really struggling and didn'treally know how to navigate
through sort of I've never lostanyone so close to me before,
especially two people so closetogether.
So it was sort of my ownjourney and it sort of brought
(03:48):
me to running randomly.
I'm not sure how it happened,so I stumbled across it, but
it's definitely been the bestthing that's happened to me
since.
It's well, it has changed mylife really and helped me get
through that time, and now it'sjust sort of something that I
really enjoy and found a passionfor and sort of give me a
(04:09):
little bit of purpose in life,um, which is what I needed at
that time as well.
So, yeah, that's that's why Istarted and, uh, first challenge
I did was in memory of mybrother, um, and it was, yeah, 5
a day for 365 days, uh, acrossthree continents actually, cause
we um started in England and itwas going back to Australia, um
(04:32):
, and then we were moving toCanada after his visa was up in
Australia.
So it was a tough one with allthe flights and stuff in between
and the um time differences,but I got there in between and
the time differences, but I gotthere.
Speaker 2 (04:47):
Let me ask you this because I think that a lot of
people don't realize howmovement, what it does for them,
Because normally you know, ashumans, when something bad
happens, we feel like stuck, wereally get into our little like
cocoon and we don't want to move.
We're just in this distraughtfeeling.
So for you, when you startedfirst with your brother, what
(05:14):
was that feeling?
What did it feel like?
If you can even remember whenyou started moving your body and
running, what was it doing foryour mindset and your mental
health?
Speaker 1 (05:27):
yeah.
So before I started the runningchallenge, obviously I was in a
dark place.
As I said, I was drinking a lotand sort of had I had no
motivation to do anything reallyand setting that challenge for
myself it was sort of I mean, itwas 5k a day, which obviously
isn't huge, but it was more theritual of right I've got to get
(05:49):
up and I've got to get this doneand get moving, and every
morning I had something to getup for, if that makes sense,
even though it was only 25minutes, 30 minutes of my day,
or whatever.
It got me up, got me out, gotand it was just just found it a
really good way to start my day,um, and it sort of set me up
for the rest of the day thenfeeling positive and sort of
(06:10):
already like I'd achievedsomething, um, and yeah, and
then I guess that's why I'veI've carried on ever since.
Speaker 2 (06:17):
So when you said that it gave you some purpose with
the movement of running and it's, it was a great way to put you
in a positive way right.
Because you're you know it gaveyou some positivity.
Um, would you say that wereendorphins kicking in, or were
you saying things to yourself asyou were doing your runs?
Speaker 1 (06:40):
Um, it was a mixture of everything.
Definitely endorphorphins.
Like any exercise makes youfeel good.
Um, for me as well it was alsoI I have sort of trouble, I
don't know, with my brother andmy mum sometimes.
I don't try and like I alwayswant to remember them, but on a
day-to-day basis I feel like ifI think about them all the time
(07:04):
it just zaps me of energy and Idon't know.
It's so like my day-to-day dayis sort of very busy, trying to
keep myself occupied and sort ofput that stuff to the back of
my mind.
But when I'm running and itjust gives me time to think, I'm
sort of away with my ownthoughts.
That is like the main time thatI do get to think about them,
(07:25):
and it's usually in a positiveway because I'm out in nature
and stuff like that.
So for me it was sort of mylittle escape for for the day
where I got to sort of thinkabout them and remember the good
things rather than sort of allthe the negatives that came with
it yeah, that's.
Speaker 2 (07:42):
yeah, you know, when you're outside in nature, you
feel present and, um, I hadsomeone on here that was, uh,
you know, I think she was a, aforest therapist, believe it or
not, and she said that the treesactually release a chemical um
that keeps us, you know, presentand calm, um, um, which was
(08:05):
really interesting.
So when you're doing these runs, are you wearing like, are you
listening to music, are youlistening to mantras or are you
just keeping it like raw withoutanything?
Speaker 1 (08:16):
oh, it's been a.
It's been sort of an evolution,I think.
When I first started, I wasdoing like predominantly road
running, which is Pretty boringat times.
So yeah, I was always likelistening to podcasts or music
and stuff with that.
But I've slowly sort oftransitioned into trail running
and I refuse to wear headphoneswhen I'm trail running.
(08:38):
So it's like when I'm roadrunning I do, and when I'm trail
running I'm sort of just innature and that's when I'm sort
of most like alone with mythoughts and stuff and where I
see like the biggest progression.
Speaker 2 (08:56):
So, yeah, yeah, definitely a little bit of
variety, but I prefer it without.
I think it's very hard to dowithout, but it's very uh.
But then when you do it withoutand you you're actually a
little bit more grateful.
I feel like you know, you feellike you're more present with um
world.
Speaker 1 (09:08):
Yeah, it's more rewarding.
Speaker 2 (09:09):
Yeah, yes, it's more rewarding, okay, so another
question I want to ask you isyou know you said that you
started with, you know, withyour brother first, and how it,
you know, helped youprogressively in your grieving.
Where are you now in thatprocess, like you know?
Obviously, I could just imagine, like at the beginning, when
(09:32):
those emotions are still raw,you're running Like if we were
to do a comparison what was yourrunning back then with your
brother and your mother, versusnow?
Speaker 1 (09:44):
I was definitely a lot more emotional during some
of my runs at the start.
I was definitely a lot moreemotional during some of my runs
at the start.
Like sometimes I just breakinto tears mid-run, obviously
thinking about them and stuff.
As time's gone on, obviouslyI've had a lot longer to sort of
understand things and sort ofcome to terms with it myself.
(10:05):
But I'm in a really good placenow.
I'm really happy.
Like me and my partner, we'reliving in Canada, sort of living
out our dream, as as we alwaysplanned, um, and just yeah, I
just feel really positive,really grateful.
I'm doing a lot better um thanI was probably two, three years
ago.
Um, so as long as I keep makingprogression, I'm, I'm happy,
(10:30):
okay, good, of course, obviouslyokay.
Speaker 2 (10:32):
So you mean, I see you running all over the damn
place, um, um.
And, by the way, speaking ofwhich, like Harry, uh, how do
you do that like, do you have anine-to-five job or are you just
like winging it?
Speaker 1 (10:45):
no, no, I do do, I do , I do work.
A lot of people don't think Ido, but yeah, for me it's, it's.
I don't find running a chore,so like to go out after work for
a couple of hours, that's sortof my sort of downtime.
As crazy as it sounds, but yeah, I think if you're doing
something that you enjoy it's,you always find the time, like,
(11:08):
whether you have to get up at 4am and go fora, run or whatever.
But yes, I feel worse on thedays that I don't go, even when
it's supposed to be my likescheduled rest.
Um, I find it really difficult,like that's sort of when I get
in my head a little bit and Idon't know what to do with
myself.
So yeah, for me I just run asmuch as possible and whenever I
(11:28):
can sort of squeeze it in, Iwill.
Speaker 2 (11:30):
Well, also, where you run is absolutely gorgeous,
harry.
I mean it's not like we'rerunning on the road in the city
or anything like that.
Speaker 1 (11:40):
No, no, I'm very, very lucky.
Yeah, I got the mountaintwo-minute walk from my house.
Speaker 2 (11:44):
Oh my gosh.
Speaker 1 (11:45):
It's amazing.
Speaker 2 (11:47):
Okay, so the process, obviously the running process.
It really helped you, andyou're saying that you're in a
good place now and I was goingto ask you what do you think
about now when you are running?
Speaker 1 (12:03):
To be honest, I'm not going to sit here and say every
time I go for a run I'mthinking about my mom and my
brother, because I'm not butdefinitely on like big
challenges, um, and big runswhen I'm really really
struggling, um, especially thechallenges that I've, I've done,
uh, in memory of my mum andbrother or to raise money for
(12:24):
charities, and that's sort oflike a big motivator at the end,
when I'm really struggling, alot of the time there's just not
a right lot going on in my head.
It's sort of just blank, whichis nice because, as I say, my
day-to-day I'm pretty bad withalways having to be busy and
always try to tick jobs off andstuff like that.
(12:45):
So it's nice just sometimes fornot a right lot to be going on
inside my head, which is good.
Speaker 2 (12:52):
Yeah, that's a good thing.
That's meditation, people.
Okay, that's meditation.
That's why you meditate, sothat you're not thinking about
anything.
That is the goal, all right.
So let's talk a little bit moreabout your running.
Let's switch here.
So you know, you did your, uh,your 5k's every day.
Um, and then when did it, likeyou went from 5k to what?
(13:16):
Please don't tell me 5k tomarathon?
Did you do that, harry?
Speaker 1 (13:20):
so.
So the 5k day was sort of itwas 5k minimum, um, and like, as
I got into it more and moreobviously, when I first started
out I was just doing the bareminimum.
But as I got into it more andmore obviously, when I first
started out I was just doing thebare minimum, but as I got more
and more into it I started toenjoy it more.
So I set myself littlechallenges.
During that year period I didseven half marathons in seven
days and then I finished thelast day with my own marathon Um
(13:44):
, my first ever one.
Speaker 2 (13:46):
Um okay, hold on, hold on, harry, hold on.
Wait a minute.
Did you just say seven halfmarathons in seven days?
Yeah what you did.
A man like a like monday,monday half marathon, tuesday
have you did that?
Speaker 1 (14:06):
yeah, yeah, so it was .
It was like, because it was ayear-long challenge, it was hard
to keep people interested inthe challenge and keep donating.
I kept just coming up with wildideas to sort of keep people
engaged.
I had to do a Mancini run onthe beach, which were pretty
embarrassing.
But yeah, I did the seven halfmarathons.
(14:28):
It was sort of in preparationfor the final day, because I
knew I was going to be doing themarathon and I didn't really
know how to train for it, sortof just winged it.
But yeah, and then after thechallenge finished, I was
obviously as I say, I had thatpurpose for that year.
And then the year finished, Isort of felt myself slowly
(14:48):
slipping back into like oldhabits.
I started drinking a bit moreand stuff like that.
So I was like, right, I knowthat when I'm running and I've
got sort of stuff planned, I'm alot better.
So then that's when I booked um.
I booked Vancouver Marathon twomonths after I'd finished and
then, once I'd completed that,then I decided I wanted to do
(15:08):
another challenge and decided toset myself seven marathons in
seven days.
After completing the previoustwo, that was my next challenge.
Speaker 2 (15:18):
Did you just say seven marathons in seven days?
Speaker 1 (15:24):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (15:24):
Harry, you're not normal.
You're not normal, Harry.
Let me ask you this have youhad an injury?
Speaker 1 (15:37):
No, I don't know how.
I've had aches and pains andniggles and stuff like that, but
never really a properfull-blown injury.
Speaker 2 (15:45):
So okay, you're yeah you're probably the second
person ever that I'veinterviewed that said that they
never had an injury, which isinteresting.
I mean, I'm serious, like thefirst woman, the one woman.
She's native american and shewas.
She was brought up runningbarefooted and that's in the you
(16:08):
know, that's in the genes likeshe is just you know, I asked
her she ever had an injury?
and she's like, nope, and shedoes, ironman, she does.
She's like I'm like that'scrazy.
And now you're telling me sohow many years have you been
running total?
Um, it'll be two and a halfyears okay, you got time right
(16:29):
yeah, yeah, yeah, there's plentyof time wow, you did a lot of
running in that short amount oftime.
That's insane, okay, um, sowhat is uh in the horizon, like?
What are?
What are races that you aretraining for now, or are you
training for anything?
Speaker 1 (16:47):
I'm always training, yeah.
So, like since I started, I'vejust honestly just kept booking
challenges in and races just tosort of keep me motivated, I
think.
Since I started, obviously, Idid the full year every day and
then after that I've probablybeen running at least four times
a week, five times a week,every every week since, um, but
(17:08):
yeah, yes, I did the sevenmarathons.
Once I'd finished, um, I hadquite a bit of time off, um, uh,
sort of just relaxing andenjoying myself because the
training had been quite intense,um, so I enjoyed the christmas
period and then, come january,decided to set myself another
challenge, which was the mostrecent one, which was 10
marathons in 10 days in 10countries, which completed this
(17:32):
July, just just gone June Julyokay, harry, hold on a second
here.
Speaker 2 (17:37):
So 10 marathons in 10 different countries?
Okay, how do you?
What about the traveling like?
How did that work?
Speaker 1 (17:46):
so we it was me and my partner um and we just hired
a camper van and just it wasthrough europe.
Speaker 2 (17:53):
Uh started in the netherlands and finished in
slovenia okay, so wait, let me,let me, so everyone who's
listening to this.
Okay, so, like day one, you dida marathon, then you got on a
plane, arrived at the no, no,just in the camper van.
Speaker 1 (18:10):
So yeah, we started in the Netherlands.
Woke up in the morning, ran themarathon, got in the camper van
, drove to Belgium.
Woke up in the morning, ran inBelgium and rinse and repeat for
10 years.
Speaker 2 (18:23):
You're not normal.
I hate that.
Wow, okay, that's incredible.
Um okay, so can I ask you thisDo you ever see yourself like
slowing down?
Speaker 1 (18:37):
Um, I don't know.
To be honest, like I've got somany, I've got, I've got so many
other things that I want to do,I almost feel like there's too
much that I want to do and notenough time.
I mean, I'm sure obviously atsome stage I'll take a back seat
, Maybe if I get an injury itmight give me a nice few months
off.
But for the now that's sort ofjust what I'm enjoying doing.
(19:00):
I love training and love havingsomething sort of to focus on.
Winter is coming up in canada,which always makes it more
difficult to train with the snowand stuff, um, and the skiing
through the winter.
So probably take a little bitof a back seat on the running,
still run.
But yeah, I'll have otherfocuses as well, um, but I've
just got so many races and stuffcoming up that I can't really
(19:23):
afford to to slack off do youread, watch a movie?
Speaker 2 (19:28):
I mean what?
Speaker 1 (19:30):
I do read.
I've just started reading,actually the first book since
leaving school.
Um, I'm 60 pages deep, so doyou watch movies?
Speaker 2 (19:40):
do you watch tv?
Speaker 1 (19:43):
yeah, yeah, I love to watch.
I love to watch tv when I havethe time.
Speaker 2 (19:47):
I feel like you don't have a lot of time to watch tv,
which is kind of crazy.
Um, wow, harry, okay.
So let me ask you this when youthink about so, because you've
done road racing, you've donetrail racing, race racing, yeah,
and do you do any?
Have you done any ironman oranything like that?
Speaker 1 (20:07):
no, I haven't.
Um, I've tried.
I would like to definitely doan ironman at some point.
Um, my friend's training for ahalf at the minute so he's doing
a lot of like open water swimsand stuff and I did go on one of
them with him, but it's.
The skills are definitely nottransferable.
It was pretty tough.
So I definitely think I maybeneed some swimming lessons or
(20:29):
something like that to sort ofimprove on that before I take
that step, but that is in thepipeline at some point.
Speaker 2 (20:37):
What are you looking to do, like, where do you see
yourself in?
Probably don't even know,you're probably not even
thinking about this.
Where do you see yourself in?
Probably don't even know,you're probably not even
thinking about this.
But where do you see yourself,like in like five or 10 years,
with your racing?
Do you feel like you're stillgoing to be, you know, going,
going, going?
Or do you feel like you know,if I do this one big race, then
(21:00):
I feel like I've accomplished it?
Speaker 1 (21:03):
Or what are your thoughts with that?
My five-year plan is well, I'vegot one like big, big goal.
That's sort of like my end goal.
I don't know if I'd do anythingthat surpasses that um, which
is to run across america.
Um, but you only get athree-month visa, so I'd have to
do it in 90 days, which is, Ithink it worked out at out,
(21:27):
around 70K a day for threemonths, with no rest days,
obviously, because then you'dhave to make up the extra.
So I'm a long way off thatobviously.
Yeah, it's like huge, but thatis my sort of end goal.
Speaker 2 (21:42):
Okay, well, harry, when you do it, stop by in
upstate New York, okay.
So, um, harry, thank you somuch for being a part of this.
All of this gave you this fireand and, like you said, it's
giving you this purpose, andyou're not just running, you're
actually raising money.
You're you're, you know you'redoing things for other people.
(22:03):
You know again, um, that gaveyou this, this fire.
Your experiences gave you thisfire to continue with this
journey.
So, thank you again so much forbeing a part of this.
And, um, where can people findyou?
Like?
I know you have, you just haveinstagram.
Do you have a website or what?
(22:24):
What's that all about?
Speaker 1 (22:25):
uh, just mainly instagram.
Yeah, I do have a tiktok, butI'm uh, I'm not very tech savvy,
so I'm still sort of learningnot learning the ropes for the
tiktok stuff, but yeah, mainlyjust instagram.
Um, scrambled legs.
Speaker 2 (22:40):
Underscore, underscore, underscore okay, all
right, so everyone, I will puthis uh how to get a hold of him
on the show notes.
And again, harry, thank you forbeing a part of this.
Speaker 1 (22:51):
Thank you for having me.
Speaker 2 (22:52):
All right.
Thanks everyone for joining us.
Bye For you.
Welcome to Ella Go.
My name is Lisa.
Join me on the journey inhaving real raw and
uncomfortable discussions aboutfitness, health and everything
in between, because, let's behonest, this journey would suck
if we don't get our shittogether.
Welcome everyone to the ElegoPodcast.
(00:38):
My name is Lisa and today'sguest is Harry Marshall.
Harry, welcome.
Speaker 1 (00:44):
Thank you very much.
Speaker 2 (00:45):
So I was looking at Harry's profile, I think, harry,
you reached out to me and weconnected on Instagram.
You followed me, I followed youback and when I read Harry's
profile, it was very profound,because that's and I'll tell you
a little bit more about itObviously, ella Goh is about
empowering women through fitness, health and everything in
(01:08):
between, and not just womeneverybody.
Okay, and we're doing coachingfor running, but we're using
running as a way to heal, torelease, to empower.
So when I read your profile, itreally resonated with me
because I'm like this is exactlywhy I do what I'm doing.
(01:30):
So, before we get into all that, why don't you introduce
yourself to the listeners?
Speaker 1 (01:36):
My name is Harry Marshall.
I'm from West Yorkshireoriginally, but I'm currently
living in Canada and my alterego is scrambled legs, and which
is my running profile?
Um, and yeah, that's that's meokay, where did that come from?
Speaker 2 (01:54):
I saw that scrambled legs.
What is that?
Speaker 1 (01:56):
it started.
I was um halfway through myfirst running challenge and I
was in the process of creatingan Instagram page, so I put, put
it out to my like, my normalaccount, um, and sort of let
people fire ideas at me, andthat was the most popular, so
that's what I went withinteresting, harry, that's
(02:17):
interesting yeah.
Yeah, there was a few of thewild ones out there, so that was
the best pick.
Speaker 2 (02:24):
Okay, Okay.
So I wanted to ask you were youalways a runner?
Speaker 1 (02:29):
No, never actually.
So yeah, I started.
Well, the first runningchallenge I did was five
kilometers a day every day for ayear, but before that I'd been
on probably maybe 20 runs in mylife, played sport obviously
quite a bit when I was younger,but yeah, I never ran sort of
consistently.
Speaker 2 (02:52):
So yeah, straight in the deep end with that one.
So, as I was mentioning, onyour profile it says found a
passion for running through myjourney of grief.
So can you explain what that'sall about?
Speaker 1 (03:04):
Yeah, so in 2019 2019 I lost my brother to suicide,
um, and then, a couple yearslater, my mom always had, um,
quite a lot of like heartcomplications and stuff growing
up, but nothing, nothing tooserious um.
And then, yeah, and then aftermy brother passed away, it sort
of just progressively got worseand then, yeah, we lost my mum
(03:27):
two years later.
So obviously, I was in a prettydark time of my life, like I
was really struggling and didn'treally know how to navigate
through sort of I've never lostanyone so close to me before,
especially two people so closetogether.
So it was sort of my ownjourney and it sort of brought
(03:48):
me to running randomly.
I'm not sure how it happened,so I stumbled across it, but
it's definitely been the bestthing that's happened to me
since.
It's well, it has changed mylife really and helped me get
through that time, and now it'sjust sort of something that I
really enjoy and found a passionfor and sort of give me a
(04:09):
little bit of purpose in life,um, which is what I needed at
that time as well.
So, yeah, that's that's why Istarted and, uh, first challenge
I did was in memory of mybrother, um, and it was, yeah, 5
a day for 365 days, uh, acrossthree continents actually, cause
we um started in England and itwas going back to Australia, um
(04:32):
, and then we were moving toCanada after his visa was up in
Australia.
So it was a tough one with allthe flights and stuff in between
and the um time differences,but I got there in between and
the time differences, but I gotthere.
Speaker 2 (04:47):
Let me ask you this because I think that a lot of
people don't realize howmovement, what it does for them,
Because normally you know, ashumans, when something bad
happens, we feel like stuck, wereally get into our little like
cocoon and we don't want to move.
We're just in this distraughtfeeling.
So for you, when you startedfirst with your brother, what
(05:14):
was that feeling?
What did it feel like?
If you can even remember whenyou started moving your body and
running, what was it doing foryour mindset and your mental
health?
Speaker 1 (05:27):
yeah.
So before I started the runningchallenge, obviously I was in a
dark place.
As I said, I was drinking a lotand sort of had I had no
motivation to do anything reallyand setting that challenge for
myself it was sort of I mean, itwas 5k a day, which obviously
isn't huge, but it was more theritual of right I've got to get
(05:49):
up and I've got to get this doneand get moving, and every
morning I had something to getup for, if that makes sense,
even though it was only 25minutes, 30 minutes of my day,
or whatever.
It got me up, got me out, gotand it was just just found it a
really good way to start my day,um, and it sort of set me up
for the rest of the day thenfeeling positive and sort of
(06:10):
already like I'd achievedsomething, um, and yeah, and
then I guess that's why I'veI've carried on ever since.
Speaker 2 (06:17):
So when you said that it gave you some purpose with
the movement of running and it's, it was a great way to put you
in a positive way right.
Because you're you know it gaveyou some positivity.
Um, would you say that wereendorphins kicking in, or were
you saying things to yourself asyou were doing your runs?
Speaker 1 (06:40):
Um, it was a mixture of everything.
Definitely endorphorphins.
Like any exercise makes youfeel good.
Um, for me as well it was alsoI I have sort of trouble, I
don't know, with my brother andmy mum sometimes.
I don't try and like I alwayswant to remember them, but on a
day-to-day basis I feel like ifI think about them all the time
(07:04):
it just zaps me of energy and Idon't know.
It's so like my day-to-day dayis sort of very busy, trying to
keep myself occupied and sort ofput that stuff to the back of
my mind.
But when I'm running and itjust gives me time to think, I'm
sort of away with my ownthoughts.
That is like the main time thatI do get to think about them,
(07:25):
and it's usually in a positiveway because I'm out in nature
and stuff like that.
So for me it was sort of mylittle escape for for the day
where I got to sort of thinkabout them and remember the good
things rather than sort of allthe the negatives that came with
it yeah, that's.
Speaker 2 (07:42):
yeah, you know, when you're outside in nature, you
feel present and, um, I hadsomeone on here that was, uh,
you know, I think she was a, aforest therapist, believe it or
not, and she said that the treesactually release a chemical um
that keeps us, you know, presentand calm, um, um, which was
(08:05):
really interesting.
So when you're doing these runs, are you wearing like, are you
listening to music, are youlistening to mantras or are you
just keeping it like raw withoutanything?
Speaker 1 (08:16):
oh, it's been a.
It's been sort of an evolution,I think.
When I first started, I wasdoing like predominantly road
running, which is Pretty boringat times.
So yeah, I was always likelistening to podcasts or music
and stuff with that.
But I've slowly sort oftransitioned into trail running
and I refuse to wear headphoneswhen I'm trail running.
(08:38):
So it's like when I'm roadrunning I do, and when I'm trail
running I'm sort of just innature and that's when I'm sort
of most like alone with mythoughts and stuff and where I
see like the biggest progression.
Speaker 2 (08:56):
So, yeah, yeah, definitely a little bit of
variety, but I prefer it without.
I think it's very hard to dowithout, but it's very uh.
But then when you do it withoutand you you're actually a
little bit more grateful.
I feel like you know, you feellike you're more present with um
world.
Speaker 1 (09:08):
Yeah, it's more rewarding.
Speaker 2 (09:09):
Yeah, yes, it's more rewarding, okay, so another
question I want to ask you isyou know you said that you
started with, you know, withyour brother first, and how it,
you know, helped youprogressively in your grieving.
Where are you now in thatprocess, like you know?
Obviously, I could just imagine, like at the beginning, when
(09:32):
those emotions are still raw,you're running Like if we were
to do a comparison what was yourrunning back then with your
brother and your mother, versusnow?
Speaker 1 (09:44):
I was definitely a lot more emotional during some
of my runs at the start.
I was definitely a lot moreemotional during some of my runs
at the start.
Like sometimes I just breakinto tears mid-run, obviously
thinking about them and stuff.
As time's gone on, obviouslyI've had a lot longer to sort of
understand things and sort ofcome to terms with it myself.
(10:05):
But I'm in a really good placenow.
I'm really happy.
Like me and my partner, we'reliving in Canada, sort of living
out our dream, as as we alwaysplanned, um, and just yeah, I
just feel really positive,really grateful.
I'm doing a lot better um thanI was probably two, three years
ago.
Um, so as long as I keep makingprogression, I'm, I'm happy,
(10:30):
okay, good, of course, obviouslyokay.
Speaker 2 (10:32):
So you mean, I see you running all over the damn
place, um, um.
And, by the way, speaking ofwhich, like Harry, uh, how do
you do that like, do you have anine-to-five job or are you just
like winging it?
Speaker 1 (10:45):
no, no, I do do, I do , I do work.
A lot of people don't think Ido, but yeah, for me it's, it's.
I don't find running a chore,so like to go out after work for
a couple of hours, that's sortof my sort of downtime.
As crazy as it sounds, but yeah, I think if you're doing
something that you enjoy it's,you always find the time, like,
(11:08):
whether you have to get up at 4am and go fora, run or whatever.
But yes, I feel worse on thedays that I don't go, even when
it's supposed to be my likescheduled rest.
Um, I find it really difficult,like that's sort of when I get
in my head a little bit and Idon't know what to do with
myself.
So yeah, for me I just run asmuch as possible and whenever I
(11:28):
can sort of squeeze it in, Iwill.
Speaker 2 (11:30):
Well, also, where you run is absolutely gorgeous,
harry.
I mean it's not like we'rerunning on the road in the city
or anything like that.
Speaker 1 (11:40):
No, no, I'm very, very lucky.
Yeah, I got the mountaintwo-minute walk from my house.
Speaker 2 (11:44):
Oh my gosh.
Speaker 1 (11:45):
It's amazing.
Speaker 2 (11:47):
Okay, so the process, obviously the running process.
It really helped you, andyou're saying that you're in a
good place now and I was goingto ask you what do you think
about now when you are running?
Speaker 1 (12:03):
To be honest, I'm not going to sit here and say every
time I go for a run I'mthinking about my mom and my
brother, because I'm not butdefinitely on like big
challenges, um, and big runswhen I'm really really
struggling, um, especially thechallenges that I've, I've done,
uh, in memory of my mum andbrother or to raise money for
(12:24):
charities, and that's sort oflike a big motivator at the end,
when I'm really struggling, alot of the time there's just not
a right lot going on in my head.
It's sort of just blank, whichis nice because, as I say, my
day-to-day I'm pretty bad withalways having to be busy and
always try to tick jobs off andstuff like that.
(12:45):
So it's nice just sometimes fornot a right lot to be going on
inside my head, which is good.
Speaker 2 (12:52):
Yeah, that's a good thing.
That's meditation, people.
Okay, that's meditation.
That's why you meditate, sothat you're not thinking about
anything.
That is the goal, all right.
So let's talk a little bit moreabout your running.
Let's switch here.
So you know, you did your, uh,your 5k's every day.
Um, and then when did it, likeyou went from 5k to what?
(13:16):
Please don't tell me 5k tomarathon?
Did you do that, harry?
Speaker 1 (13:20):
so.
So the 5k day was sort of itwas 5k minimum, um, and like, as
I got into it more and moreobviously, when I first started
out I was just doing the bareminimum.
But as I got into it more andmore obviously, when I first
started out I was just doing thebare minimum, but as I got more
and more into it I started toenjoy it more.
So I set myself littlechallenges.
During that year period I didseven half marathons in seven
days and then I finished thelast day with my own marathon Um
(13:44):
, my first ever one.
Speaker 2 (13:46):
Um okay, hold on, hold on, harry, hold on.
Wait a minute.
Did you just say seven halfmarathons in seven days?
Yeah what you did.
A man like a like monday,monday half marathon, tuesday
have you did that?
Speaker 1 (14:06):
yeah, yeah, so it was .
It was like, because it was ayear-long challenge, it was hard
to keep people interested inthe challenge and keep donating.
I kept just coming up with wildideas to sort of keep people
engaged.
I had to do a Mancini run onthe beach, which were pretty
embarrassing.
But yeah, I did the seven halfmarathons.
(14:28):
It was sort of in preparationfor the final day, because I
knew I was going to be doing themarathon and I didn't really
know how to train for it, sortof just winged it.
But yeah, and then after thechallenge finished, I was
obviously as I say, I had thatpurpose for that year.
And then the year finished, Isort of felt myself slowly
(14:48):
slipping back into like oldhabits.
I started drinking a bit moreand stuff like that.
So I was like, right, I knowthat when I'm running and I've
got sort of stuff planned, I'm alot better.
So then that's when I booked um.
I booked Vancouver Marathon twomonths after I'd finished and
then, once I'd completed that,then I decided I wanted to do
(15:08):
another challenge and decided toset myself seven marathons in
seven days.
After completing the previoustwo, that was my next challenge.
Speaker 2 (15:18):
Did you just say seven marathons in seven days?
Speaker 1 (15:24):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (15:24):
Harry, you're not normal.
You're not normal, Harry.
Let me ask you this have youhad an injury?
Speaker 1 (15:37):
No, I don't know how.
I've had aches and pains andniggles and stuff like that, but
never really a properfull-blown injury.
Speaker 2 (15:45):
So okay, you're yeah you're probably the second
person ever that I'veinterviewed that said that they
never had an injury, which isinteresting.
I mean, I'm serious, like thefirst woman, the one woman.
She's native american and shewas.
She was brought up runningbarefooted and that's in the you
(16:08):
know, that's in the genes likeshe is just you know, I asked
her she ever had an injury?
and she's like, nope, and shedoes, ironman, she does.
She's like I'm like that'scrazy.
And now you're telling me sohow many years have you been
running total?
Um, it'll be two and a halfyears okay, you got time right
(16:29):
yeah, yeah, yeah, there's plentyof time wow, you did a lot of
running in that short amount oftime.
That's insane, okay, um, sowhat is uh in the horizon, like?
What are?
What are races that you aretraining for now, or are you
training for anything?
Speaker 1 (16:47):
I'm always training, yeah.
So, like since I started, I'vejust honestly just kept booking
challenges in and races just tosort of keep me motivated, I
think.
Since I started, obviously, Idid the full year every day and
then after that I've probablybeen running at least four times
a week, five times a week,every every week since, um, but
(17:08):
yeah, yes, I did the sevenmarathons.
Once I'd finished, um, I hadquite a bit of time off, um, uh,
sort of just relaxing andenjoying myself because the
training had been quite intense,um, so I enjoyed the christmas
period and then, come january,decided to set myself another
challenge, which was the mostrecent one, which was 10
marathons in 10 days in 10countries, which completed this
(17:32):
July, just just gone June Julyokay, harry, hold on a second
here.
Speaker 2 (17:37):
So 10 marathons in 10 different countries?
Okay, how do you?
What about the traveling like?
How did that work?
Speaker 1 (17:46):
so we it was me and my partner um and we just hired
a camper van and just it wasthrough europe.
Speaker 2 (17:53):
Uh started in the netherlands and finished in
slovenia okay, so wait, let me,let me, so everyone who's
listening to this.
Okay, so, like day one, you dida marathon, then you got on a
plane, arrived at the no, no,just in the camper van.
Speaker 1 (18:10):
So yeah, we started in the Netherlands.
Woke up in the morning, ran themarathon, got in the camper van
, drove to Belgium.
Woke up in the morning, ran inBelgium and rinse and repeat for
10 years.
Speaker 2 (18:23):
You're not normal.
I hate that.
Wow, okay, that's incredible.
Um okay, so can I ask you thisDo you ever see yourself like
slowing down?
Speaker 1 (18:37):
Um, I don't know.
To be honest, like I've got somany, I've got, I've got so many
other things that I want to do,I almost feel like there's too
much that I want to do and notenough time.
I mean, I'm sure obviously atsome stage I'll take a back seat
, Maybe if I get an injury itmight give me a nice few months
off.
But for the now that's sort ofjust what I'm enjoying doing.
(19:00):
I love training and love havingsomething sort of to focus on.
Winter is coming up in canada,which always makes it more
difficult to train with the snowand stuff, um, and the skiing
through the winter.
So probably take a little bitof a back seat on the running,
still run.
But yeah, I'll have otherfocuses as well, um, but I've
just got so many races and stuffcoming up that I can't really
(19:23):
afford to to slack off do youread, watch a movie?
Speaker 2 (19:28):
I mean what?
Speaker 1 (19:30):
I do read.
I've just started reading,actually the first book since
leaving school.
Um, I'm 60 pages deep, so doyou watch movies?
Speaker 2 (19:40):
do you watch tv?
Speaker 1 (19:43):
yeah, yeah, I love to watch.
I love to watch tv when I havethe time.
Speaker 2 (19:47):
I feel like you don't have a lot of time to watch tv,
which is kind of crazy.
Um, wow, harry, okay.
So let me ask you this when youthink about so, because you've
done road racing, you've donetrail racing, race racing, yeah,
and do you do any?
Have you done any ironman oranything like that?
Speaker 1 (20:07):
no, I haven't.
Um, I've tried.
I would like to definitely doan ironman at some point.
Um, my friend's training for ahalf at the minute so he's doing
a lot of like open water swimsand stuff and I did go on one of
them with him, but it's.
The skills are definitely nottransferable.
It was pretty tough.
So I definitely think I maybeneed some swimming lessons or
(20:29):
something like that to sort ofimprove on that before I take
that step, but that is in thepipeline at some point.
Speaker 2 (20:37):
What are you looking to do, like, where do you see
yourself in?
Probably don't even know,you're probably not even
thinking about this.
Where do you see yourself in?
Probably don't even know,you're probably not even
thinking about this.
But where do you see yourself,like in like five or 10 years,
with your racing?
Do you feel like you're stillgoing to be, you know, going,
going, going?
Or do you feel like you know,if I do this one big race, then
(21:00):
I feel like I've accomplished it?
Speaker 1 (21:03):
Or what are your thoughts with that?
My five-year plan is well, I'vegot one like big, big goal.
That's sort of like my end goal.
I don't know if I'd do anythingthat surpasses that um, which
is to run across america.
Um, but you only get athree-month visa, so I'd have to
do it in 90 days, which is, Ithink it worked out at out,
(21:27):
around 70K a day for threemonths, with no rest days,
obviously, because then you'dhave to make up the extra.
So I'm a long way off thatobviously.
Yeah, it's like huge, but thatis my sort of end goal.
Speaker 2 (21:42):
Okay, well, harry, when you do it, stop by in
upstate New York, okay.
So, um, harry, thank you somuch for being a part of this.
All of this gave you this fireand and, like you said, it's
giving you this purpose, andyou're not just running, you're
actually raising money.
You're you're, you know you'redoing things for other people.
(22:03):
You know again, um, that gaveyou this, this fire.
Your experiences gave you thisfire to continue with this
journey.
So, thank you again so much forbeing a part of this.
And, um, where can people findyou?
Like?
I know you have, you just haveinstagram.
Do you have a website or what?
(22:24):
What's that all about?
Speaker 1 (22:25):
uh, just mainly instagram.
Yeah, I do have a tiktok, butI'm uh, I'm not very tech savvy,
so I'm still sort of learningnot learning the ropes for the
tiktok stuff, but yeah, mainlyjust instagram.
Um, scrambled legs.
Speaker 2 (22:40):
Underscore, underscore, underscore okay, all
right, so everyone, I will puthis uh how to get a hold of him
on the show notes.
And again, harry, thank you forbeing a part of this.
Speaker 1 (22:51):
Thank you for having me.
Speaker 2 (22:52):
All right.
Thanks everyone for joining us.
Bye For you.
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