Merritt乌鸦传媒檚 Darius Sam has used a 100 mile distance to potentially change a countless number of lives.
Sam has completed his goal of running 100 miles non-stop to raise funds and awareness for men乌鸦传媒檚 mental health and addiction resources in his community.
Sam hit the 100-mile mark Sunday (Dec. 6) physically exhausted but in high spirits after beginning his gruelling trek Saturday morning.
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It was the 20-year-old乌鸦传媒檚 second attempt at the 100-mile feat. In June, he pledged to run 100 miles in 24 hours to raise money for his local food bank but had to call off the run 11 miles short of his goal after he was briefly hospitalized for dehydration. Despite not hitting the 100-mile mark in his first attempt, Sam still raised over $100,000 for the Nicola Valley Food Bank.
| Sam had plenty of support from friends and strangers in Merritt during his 100-mile ultra-marathon that began Saturday, Dec. 6.(Contributed) |
For his second attempt, Sam once again picked a worthy cause, dedicating the run to raise money to create a free men乌鸦传媒檚 mental health and addictions counselling program at Nicola Valley Family Therapy.
The difference between his June attempt and now came down to physical preparedness and determination.
This time Sam乌鸦传媒檚 team was prepared with plenty of water, nutrient gel packs, extra clothing and a vehicle to warm up in during night-time pit stops. Sam had also trained harder than ever and dedicated himself to proper nutrition, but ultimately it was his own sheer will-power that got him through the final push.
Sam departed from the Nicola Lake boat launch at 8 a.m. Saturday, and completed the run Sunday around 4:30 p.m. Sam began to think 100 miles was once again going get the better of him multiple times throughout the 32-hour ultra-marathon.
乌鸦传媒淎round the 60-mile mark it started to get cold and in my head I thought there was no way I could pull this off,乌鸦传媒� Sam said. 乌鸦传媒淚nstead of getting emotional I decided to step back and take a little break to regroup and re-adjust my plan.
乌鸦传媒淚nstead of looking at it like 乌鸦传媒榦h I still have 40 miles to go乌鸦传媒� I started to think 乌鸦传媒榤aybe we can just get to the next pit-stop, just get to the next telephone pole乌鸦传媒� I just kept my head down and kept chipping away.乌鸦传媒�
Around the 90 mile mark Sam hit another mental road-block. Physically battered, he began to doubt he乌鸦传媒檇 be able to complete the run and started to emotionally break down.
乌鸦传媒淢y tendons were inflamed, I had disgusting blisters. I felt like I had no mobility in my left ankle, I thought 乌鸦传媒榯his is impossible man, I don乌鸦传媒檛 know how I乌鸦传媒檓 going to do this.乌鸦传媒� I started crying and got really, really emotional.乌鸦传媒�
At that point, Sam thought he had given it everything he had. But after another mental reset, Sam dug deep and found an extra gear he didn乌鸦传媒檛 know he had, finishing the final 10 miles at a pace faster than he乌鸦传媒檇 ever hit before.
乌鸦传媒淥nce I thought I could not take another step further that乌鸦传媒檚 when I started to perform my best.乌鸦传媒�
On top of training harder and longer, eating smarter and paying more attention to hydration, Sam attributes a lot of his success to his good friend and trainer, Mark Nendick.
Nendick ran 55 miles alongside Sam and was there the whole way for emotional support, never giving Sam the option of quitting.
| Battered, bruised and physically exhausted, Sam completed the 100-mile run with friends and family waiting at Nicola Lake boat launch. He said his body is still recovering four days after the ultra-marathon. (Contributed) |
Raising funds for men乌鸦传媒檚 mental health and addictions counselling is a cause that hits close to home for both Sam and Nendick.
乌鸦传媒淚 grew up in an adopted home because of addiction, I乌鸦传媒檝e lost a few family members to addiction, I乌鸦传媒檝e lost friendships乌鸦传媒� and I乌鸦传媒檓 sure a lot of people can relate,乌鸦传媒� Sam previously told the Western News. 乌鸦传媒淓very person I know at least knows one person that乌鸦传媒檚 in addiction and it impacts them in some way.乌鸦传媒�
So far, Sam乌鸦传媒檚 GoFundMe campaign for a men乌鸦传媒檚 mental health and addictions counselling program at Nicola Valley Family Therapy has raised over $10,000.
Sam had originally planned the run with the intention to raise awareness about addiction and mental health issues, but he quickly decided he might as well raise money for the cause too.
乌鸦传媒淚乌鸦传媒檇 received emails from people inside and outside the community asking why I would put myself through absolute hell to raise awareness when I could raise money for a good cause as well,乌鸦传媒� he said.
This inspired Sam to reach out to Nicola Valley Family Therapy. The non-profit counselling and therapy centre told Sam that many men who would like to access therapy to improve their mental health and/or resolve addiction issues either can乌鸦传媒檛 afford or struggle to afford the help they need.
乌鸦传媒淭here was no way I wasn乌鸦传媒檛 going to step in and try to do whatever I can once I learned that,乌鸦传媒� Sam said. 乌鸦传媒淚t乌鸦传媒檚 more of a personal thing for me. Growing up I had support and I needed support to succeed.
乌鸦传媒淚 was seeing a counsellor and I seek emotional therapy. I would say it乌鸦传媒檚 played a part into my success of who I am today.
乌鸦传媒淚f people aren乌鸦传媒檛 able to afford that, why wouldn乌鸦传媒檛 I do something about it?乌鸦传媒�
The funds raised through Sam乌鸦传媒檚 GoFundMe are being used to create a men乌鸦传媒檚 therapy program in Merritt where men who can乌鸦传媒檛 afford therapy can access services without paying a dime.
Since the GoFundMe was started at least one person has already been able to access therapy at Nicola Valley Family Therapy free of charge.
乌鸦传媒淛ust that one person who乌鸦传媒檚 been able to use the counselling services乌鸦传媒� for me it乌鸦传媒檚 life-changing乌鸦传媒� it乌鸦传媒檚 hard to put into words,乌鸦传媒� said an audibly emotional Sam.
Nicola Valley Family Therapy executive director Sheri Bishop said she乌鸦传媒檚 beyond grateful for Sam and everyone who has contributed to the campaign as men乌鸦传媒檚 therapy programs often lack funds.
乌鸦传媒淲e meet people every day who have turned to substances and/or engaged in addictive behaviours to cope with the pain of unhealed trauma and emotional loss,乌鸦传媒� Sherri said. 乌鸦传媒淥ur number one goal is be accessible to all; however, trauma counselling services for men have traditionally been underfunded, leaving men responsible for paying out of pocket for much-needed services.
乌鸦传媒淲e are so touched by the generosity of every single person who has donated.乌鸦传媒�
In addition to the free men乌鸦传媒檚 counseling program, Nicola Valley Family Therapy also plans to use funds raised to hire an additional trained male counsellor.
While Sam has completed his 100-mile mission, he乌鸦传媒檚 still hoping to boost the fundraising total.
Contributions to the men乌鸦传媒檚 counselling program can be made through his .
A feature-length documentary on Sam and his determination to help others through running is now in the works with an anticipated release date of Spring/early Summer 2021.
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jesse.day@pentictonwesternnews.com
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