“In each step I take, there is a peaceful freedom. When I’m up there, running mountain trails, my anxiety and fears burn away like the mist in the morning sun. I am in my most pure form. I am the stillness before sunrise. The magic hour, time of possibilities. Running up there in the wild places, flowing stillness, poetry in motion – I am running.
I first started to run for weight loss motivation, and to run mountains like my bro Connor. He’s who I asked to help me due to his ultra running background. We work together at Millbrook Resort in Queenstown. When I asked him for help my weight was about 147kg. In 2018 I weighed in at 182kg, and now I’m down to 110kg. But running has become so much more than just weight loss. For me running has become meditation, a teacher, a therapist, a poet, a philosophy. Running has given me a safe place to be me, a place where I don’t experience anxiety.
Currently I’m training for my first mountain running event, the Valley Ultra. On 21st November I’m doing the 24km and Connor is doing the 58km. I can’t wait to lace up the shoes, explore new trails, and go on adventures.”
Charles @1life_adventure_awaits
(Queenstown)
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Portraits of Runners + their stories
@RunnersNZ
