On Saturday 28 November, I'll be running 21.5km from the Derwent Tavern in Bridgewater to Irish Murphy's in Salamanca, stopping at 10 pubs along the way to raise money for Movember.

Because apparently a normal pub crawl wasn't challenging enough.

Now, before anyone questions my decision-making skills, there's actually a pretty important reason behind this madness.

The last couple of years haven't exactly been smooth sailing for me. I've had my fair share of struggles with relationships, figuring out where I'm heading in life, finding purpose and trying to get myself back on my feet when things haven't gone to plan.

There have been some bloody tough times, and I've learnt firsthand just how important it is to have support when you need it.

I've reached out and used mental health services myself, and I'm grateful those services were there. Not everyone finds it easy to ask for help, and not everyone has access to the support they need. That's something I'd really like to help change.

One of the biggest things I've taken away from the last couple of years is just how important a decent conversation with a mate can be.

I've been lucky enough to have some pretty honest conversations with the people around me. Not always comfortable conversations, either. But sometimes just being able to say you're struggling, without feeling judged or needing to pretend everything's fine, can make a massive difference.

As blokes, we're pretty bloody good at taking the piss out of each other. We're not always as good at asking how someone's actually doing.

And the reality is, you never really know what someone else is carrying.

We all get caught up in our own shit. Work, relationships, money, family, whatever life decides to throw at us next. It's easy to forget that our mates, brothers, dads and the other men in our lives might be quietly fighting battles of their own.

So check in on your mates. And I don't just mean a quick "how ya going?" before moving on.

Actually ask. Actually listen. Make time for each other.

You don't need to have all the answers or know exactly what to say. Sometimes just knowing someone genuinely gives a shit is enough to help get through rough day.

That's what this run is really about.

Raising some money for a great cause, encouraging a few more honest conversations and hopefully reminding people that nobody should have to deal with life's hardest moments alone.

And if it takes me running a bloody half marathon between 10 pubs to get that message across, then so be it.

I'm not entirely sure my legs have agreed to this arrangement, but we're committed now.

If you can spare a few dollars, I'd genuinely appreciate the support. Every donation goes towards Movember and the work they do supporting men's mental health, suicide prevention and men's health more broadly.

If money's tight, sharing this fundraiser or checking in on a mate means a hell of a lot too.

And if you happen to see me crawling into Irish Murphy's on 28 November, just know I've probably made some questionable decisions along the way.
Let's raise some money, have a laugh, look after our mates and start a few conversations that actually matter.

Cheers legends. ❤️