Merrittsa国际传媒檚 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 mensa国际传媒檚 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-oldsa国际传媒檚 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 mensa国际传媒檚 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 Samsa国际传媒檚 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.
sa国际传媒淎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,sa国际传媒� Sam said. sa国际传媒淚nstead of getting emotional I decided to step back and take a little break to regroup and re-adjust my plan.
sa国际传媒淚nstead of looking at it like sa国际传媒榦h I still have 40 miles to gosa国际传媒� I started to think sa国际传媒榤aybe we can just get to the next pit-stop, just get to the next telephone polesa国际传媒� I just kept my head down and kept chipping away.sa国际传媒�
Around the 90 mile mark Sam hit another mental road-block. Physically battered, he began to doubt hesa国际传媒檇 be able to complete the run and started to emotionally break down.
sa国际传媒淢y tendons were inflamed, I had disgusting blisters. I felt like I had no mobility in my left ankle, I thought sa国际传媒榯his is impossible man, I donsa国际传媒檛 know how Isa国际传媒檓 going to do this.sa国际传媒� I started crying and got really, really emotional.sa国际传媒�
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 didnsa国际传媒檛 know he had, finishing the final 10 miles at a pace faster than hesa国际传媒檇 ever hit before.
sa国际传媒淥nce I thought I could not take another step further thatsa国际传媒檚 when I started to perform my best.sa国际传媒�
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 mensa国际传媒檚 mental health and addictions counselling is a cause that hits close to home for both Sam and Nendick.
sa国际传媒淚 grew up in an adopted home because of addiction, Isa国际传媒檝e lost a few family members to addiction, Isa国际传媒檝e lost friendshipssa国际传媒� and Isa国际传媒檓 sure a lot of people can relate,sa国际传媒� Sam previously told the Western News. sa国际传媒淓very person I know at least knows one person thatsa国际传媒檚 in addiction and it impacts them in some way.sa国际传媒�
So far, Samsa国际传媒檚 GoFundMe campaign for a mensa国际传媒檚 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.
sa国际传媒淚sa国际传媒檇 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,sa国际传媒� 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 cansa国际传媒檛 afford or struggle to afford the help they need.
sa国际传媒淭here was no way I wasnsa国际传媒檛 going to step in and try to do whatever I can once I learned that,sa国际传媒� Sam said. sa国际传媒淚tsa国际传媒檚 more of a personal thing for me. Growing up I had support and I needed support to succeed.
sa国际传媒淚 was seeing a counsellor and I seek emotional therapy. I would say itsa国际传媒檚 played a part into my success of who I am today.
sa国际传媒淚f people arensa国际传媒檛 able to afford that, why wouldnsa国际传媒檛 I do something about it?sa国际传媒�
The funds raised through Samsa国际传媒檚 GoFundMe are being used to create a mensa国际传媒檚 therapy program in Merritt where men who cansa国际传媒檛 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.
sa国际传媒淛ust that one person whosa国际传媒檚 been able to use the counselling servicessa国际传媒� for me itsa国际传媒檚 life-changingsa国际传媒� itsa国际传媒檚 hard to put into words,sa国际传媒� said an audibly emotional Sam.
Nicola Valley Family Therapy executive director Sheri Bishop said shesa国际传媒檚 beyond grateful for Sam and everyone who has contributed to the campaign as mensa国际传媒檚 therapy programs often lack funds.
sa国际传媒淲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,sa国际传媒� Sherri said. sa国际传媒淥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.
sa国际传媒淲e are so touched by the generosity of every single person who has donated.sa国际传媒�
In addition to the free mensa国际传媒檚 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, hesa国际传媒檚 still hoping to boost the fundraising total.
Contributions to the mensa国际传媒檚 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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