Jared Linter, 22, from Portsmouth, will be running the Cambrian Way to raise funds for the Mental Health Foundation.
Designated one of the UK’s hardest trails, it takes in almost 300 miles of Wales’ most beautiful scenery, including 46 peaks, which have the same total elevation as two Mount Everests.
“I found my latest fundraiser by accidentally misspelling the Cumbrian Way – it’s kind of the daftest way you could find out about an ultra-run,” says Jared Linter.
>Jared already has several epic challenges under his belt – walking the West Highland Way, cycling 600 miles to France from Portsmouth, and running the 100-mile South Downs Way in 23 hours.
But the self-confessed running fanatic was keen to find a new fundraiser, stumbling across the 300-mile hike across Wales by accident.
He will be training during Mental Health Awareness Week this year, expecting to run 100k during the week, and plans to kick off his Cambrian Way Ultrarun later in the summer.
“When I told my Mum and Dad that I was going to run the South Downs Way, she said: “But you can drive that, why would you run it? But for me, I enjoy the struggle to succeed.”
And it’s not just the challenge that’s the reason for Jared’s running regime and extreme physical events. Having struggled with generalised anxiety over the past few years, he finds exercise and movement give him the space he needs to manage his mental health.
He said: “Running is a journey of stretching my mental and physical threshold, allowing me to redefine all my limits. This gives me control over the body I am confined within, and I use that in everyday life.
“I use running as a way to mediate, a way to reflect on everything that makes me anxious and that gives me some sort of control over that. Running is the most accessible sport and natural spaces are beautiful, so to combine that is a perfect match.”
“If I didn’t exercise, I’d get stuck inside my head really easily. The main thing I get from running is getting away from the external stresses of my life, where I can find myself spending too much time reflecting on myself, or my life, or my worries, and not enough time living in the moment. Movement helps me live in the moment.”
Jared’s top tips for moving more
- If the distance is walkable. Simple, walk it!
- If there is a lift available, that means there are stairs somewhere. Try taking the long way up now and then.
- Create healthier habits. Instead of doom-scrolling social media, listen to a podcast on a walk.
- Humans are social animals. Try taking up a sport with a friend. You're more likely to stick with it!
- Mental conditioning is just as vital as physical conditioning. Set yourself attainable goals and visualise yourself attaining them.
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