NOVEMBER

JAKE TWYCROSS 

Last month in the running community was all about connecting with Movember. Our guy Jake Twycross took it to the next level and banned together with his mates to run 60km, paying honour to the 60 men lost to suicide around the globe each hour. A huge effort not only on the run, but through the funds he raised with this great initiative. 

Tell us about yourself: 
I'm originally from Castlemaine but I'm currently living in Torquay which I love. I play Football with Eaglehawk and have always enjoyed running, triathlons and just keeping fit generally.  I work in State Government with the Department of Environment. I like good coffee, good wine, beer and going to gigs. I'm a pretty big sports fan too, I follow the World Tour Cycling, MMA, AFL, Triathlon and a bit of the UCI Downhill Circuit just to name a few. 

When did running start for you? 
I started running when I was probably 10 or 12, starting out with my Dad taking me on short runs so I could get fitter for footy and outrun the big boys. Running was a component of all the sports I did growing up but I never really trained with much structure. I certainly get more enjoyment out of it now than I did at that stage.  

How has it progressed since then?
Only in the last 2 or 3 years have I really started to gain an understanding for how to train properly and what works for me and my body given I've been pretty injury prone in the past. Balancing my desire to keep playing footy and doing more endurance based running doesn't always go hand in hand but I think I've almost found the sweet spot. I've done a few half marathons and some Ironman 70.3 distance races which I'm keen to get into a bit more in the future. I've blown to pieces in both of the marathons I've attempted, so I think I've got a bit more work to do at that distance, but definitely something I want to revisit in the future though. 

60km for Movember  - how'd this come about?
A couple of mates (Zac Egan and Josh Roberts) put the idea to me just before the start of November, they were getting involved in Movember and had seen the partnership with [Mo]re than a run. As part of that they were going to run 60km on the last weekend of November. I think they got me at a moment of weakness because I've never had any real interest in running that sort of distance but Movember is such a good cause and the opportunity to do something really challenging with some great mates got me onboard. 

The 60km represents the 60 men lost to suicide around the globe each hour, which I found a staggering statistic. The idea of [Mo]re than a run is for the running community to connect and have a meaningful impact on men's health, mental health and suicide prevention. It's also an opportunity to have a genuine conversation about how you're feeling and checking in with your mates and loved ones. 

How did it all pan out?
We kicked off at 7am with the plan of doing 3 x 20km loops around the Barwon River in Geelong. It's nice and flat, there's heaps of facilities and we had set up a little base to refuel throughout the day. We all had friends that were keen to come and join in for a portion of the run and show their support which was great. One of the boys came with the aim of just running 20km but ended up doing the full 60km which was super impressive.

I think the mental battle started before the physical toll started to kick in. It felt like we had been running for forever at times. Physically the last lap was pretty brutal, we were all starting to cramp up and it was getting a bit warmer. We stopped at most of the drink taps on the last lap which I think helped to break it down. It was a lot easier thinking about getting to the next drink tap than getting to the end! We also had a great support crew on bikes or running, that made a world of difference. Getting to the end felt amazing and I think we were all on a massive high in the days after. It felt pretty special to share that kind of challenge with likeminded people.

We set a goal of raising $3000 but ended up over $5000 which was an awesome result and we appreciated every single person that chipped in. 

How'd you spend the day post 60km?
We had a couple of beers, sat around and soaked it all up. It was also my housemate's birthday so I ended up at the Torquay Pub having a good old time. Certainly not recommended recovery post 60km but it was a fun night. 

What's next for you? 
I'm running the half at the Melbourne Marathon so I'll give that a bit of a nudge and see how I go. 

(He ran a lazy 1:22:50) 

Anyone you'd like to pay homage too? 
My parents. I got my appreciation of an active lifestyle from them. They've always come and supported me in my sporting endeavours, and take an interest in it which I feel pretty grateful for. Even when I was playing footy in Melbourne they would drive down to watch, or my first 70.3 when it was raining sideways they were out there cheering me on. 

Favourite beer? 
Mountain Goat Steam Ale