Even Nedd Brockmann has bad days - here's how he keeps his mental health in check

'When I’m Nedd Brockmann being the bloke who’s running across the country, I feel like I’m the most powerful man on earth.'

Nedd Brockmann is the happy go lucky guy who ran 3953 from Cottesloe Beach to Bondi in just 47 days - but even the man who lives by the motto, 'Just keeping showing up, because it'll get better', has days when he just wants to switch off.

 

Nedd knows the highest of highs and the lowest of lows.  The gutsy 23-year-old is opening up about his mental health, how he takes care of it, and why "showing up" is so important.

In a chat with the Sydney Morning Herald, the Forbes-raised Sydneysider talked about the aftermath of his mammoth, inspiring ultra marathon.

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An injury sent him spiraling

When he crossed the finish line back in October, he'd raised $2.5 million for homeless charity, We Are Mobilise.

"I started doing ridiculous runs because I felt I was Superman and I got injured, and I'd never, ever had to deal with an injury that would stop me from doing the one thing I wanted to do," he said.

But after gaining an injury after another endurance run two years ago, he learned to better equip himself mentally, because the injury alone sent him spiraling into a hole of negative thoughts and body image issues.

Nedd Brockmann knows the highest of highs and the lowest of lows. Image: Bradley Farley.

The comedown is real

"Running across the country, it's just a high," he admitted to SMH."When I'm Nedd Brockmann being the bloke who's running across the country, I feel like I'm the most powerful man on earth. It felt like I could take on the world."

Just like two years ago, Nedd sustained injuries from his mammoth 47-day run, which meant he needed to be cautious when it came to his mind and body. 

"When you can't move like you were before…you've got to sit with your thoughts," Nedd says. "You can't just exercise it off…when you go cold turkey on something you've been doing for 47 days, eight hours a day, it just f--ks with you a bit."

He's a fan of journaling, food, music and talking

To stay in check, he turns to journaling, food, music and talking. He also lets himself have some perspective, which, let's be honest, can be difficult if you don't want to see things for how they really are. 

"It's changing the narrative and, and being like, 'well no, I'm actually lucky to be here,'" he says.

"It's fine to appreciate you are not well or if you're not OK, but it'[s being grateful too."

"Just keep showing up", Nedd says, is something he lives by, "because it'll get better."

He admits, "I'm tough as hell and I can show up each day and keep fighting, but I'm also happy to go 'I don't feel good today'. I think there's power in vulnerability."

Originally published as Even Nedd Brockmann has bad days - here's how he keeps his mental health in check