On March 7th at 5am, while the rest of Ōtepoti is fast asleep or stumbling home after a big Friday night, Philip Yeardley will be up running in circles. For 100 kilometres.
Having already completed a marathon, a 50km run, and the Three Peaks challenge, men's mental health advocate Phil has decided he will push himself further than ever before. A 100km track ultra run means roughly 250 laps of the Caledonian athletic track down at Logan Park. That’s more than enough time to thoroughly question his life choices several times over.
Phil estimates it will potentially take him up to 14 hours. He plans to run almost continuously, stopping only for the essentials: food, bathroom breaks or switching shoes when his feet inevitably swell. His fuel will consist of gels, electrolyte drinks, sandwiches, wraps, and a “fuck-load” of lollies.
Although this is one of the more unhinged side quests of any 20-something, it’s all in the name of raising money for mental health. Phil's fundraising goal is $25,000, with proceeds going directly to the Sir John Kirwan Foundation’s “Mitey” programme. Mitey works with primary school tamariki to equip them with the skills and knowledge on how to understand and nurture their own emotional wellbeing and those of others.
Phil challenges himself “every year – mentally and physically,” but last year he began looking for something that could bring people together as well as push himself to new levels. He’s motivated to “create something for the community”, organising stalls from local vendors, and even a surprise bagpipes performance (though it’s not a surprise anymore, given we just wrote about it). He’s encouraging everyone – friends, students, strangers – to join him for a few laps and a chat. It’s not like he’ll have much else to do that day.
Ultrarunning, often described as a test of the mind even more than the body, is an endurance sport built on persistence, self-motivation, and a questionable relationship with pain. But for Phil it's also a metaphor for the slow, sometimes lonely work of maintaining mental health. Ultrarunning and mental health means putting one foot in front of the other, even when you really don't want to.
When he’s not running ultramarathons, Phil runs a candle business, SeaZen, focused on natural, essential-oil-based products. It’s a fitting job for someone who clearly knows how to find calm in the chaos of life.
On March 7th, from sunrise to sunset, Ōtepoti will have the chance to show up. Show up for mental health, for community, for our little brothers and sisters at school, or simply to watch a man attempt 250 laps powered by conversation, grit and sugar.
Donations to Phil's cause can be made on givealittle.org or through the QR code.
