New Galloway man races around Mauritius for mental health awareness
He is running for numerous charities.
Last updated 11th Nov 2024
And he’s off! A man from New Galloway has begun his gruelling six-day run around the island of Mauritius covering more than 320km to raise awareness for mental and physical health.
Chris Thomson, 34, set himself this challenge after battling depression and anxiety when he lost his friend to suicide two years ago.
He found running acted as a good coping mechanism for him and quit his job to focus on his training.
“I found that running was the key thing that brought me back to calm and got me thinking correctly again,” Thomson says.
“I guess the reason for quitting my job and focusing on the running side is because I really want to inspire others to try to find that happiness.
“For me, running and adventure brings me a huge amount of joy and it helps bring me out of anxiety, depression or any dark thoughts that I might have.”
This isn’t the first long-distance run Thomson has completed.
He has run 32 50km ultramarathons in each local authority county in Scotland, making him the first to do so, however, this newest target will be his first major challenge outside of the UK.
Anyone wanting to follow his journey battling mosquitoes, unknown terrain and rising temperatures can find him on Instagram or TikTok.
Thomson is encouraging everyone to make the most of their lives:
“I’ve got a tattoo on my arm saying, ‘We’ve got one life and no re-runs’ and I really do believe that. You know, we’ve got one opportunity on this earth to try to find happiness and joy and find a bit of calm, and for me, the running really does help me find that which is amazing.”
Thomson is running for Movember, Mind, Dementia UK, British Heart Foundation, MNDA, My Name’5 Doddie Foundation, and Maggie’s Cancer Care.
“All of these charities are lifelines for so many, and together, with the public’s support, we can make a real difference.
“It’s trying to drive greater awareness of mental health. As I said, I lost a friend a couple of years ago, so anything I can do to help others improve their lives, whether it’s through running, adventure or ultimately just trying to find a path that brings them happiness would be great.”