Palm Beach man plans to run 31 marathons in 31 days after battle with depression and anxiety
When Jake Malby hit rock bottom with his mental health and contemplated suicide, it was running which helped him climb out of a dark hole. Now he wants to run 31 marathons in 31 days. Read about his inspiring story.
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TWO years and eight months ago, Jake Malby was tormented by anxiety, depression and suicidal thoughts. Then he discovered the joy of running and he is preparing to run 31 marathons in August — a marathon every day.
That’s 295km a week and a staggering total of 1,308km.
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The 27-year-old communications technician from Palm Beach tells his astounding story of how he escaped from the depths of despair into the light.
“I struggled with anxiety and depression from the age of 16,” he said. “It was triggered by a multitude of adversity at a young age.”
This included his girlfriend being diagnosed with cancer and his decision to leave school to look after her.
“Then, in 2015, someone very close to me tried to commit suicide and I had to give her CPR until the paramedics arrived,” he said.
The traumatic experience had a devastating impact on Jake’s mental health.
“It put the suicide trigger in my head,” he said. “I had always had those suicidal thoughts, but seeing this strong figure in my life trying to die, I thought, ‘What hope do I have? What’s the point in fighting it?
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“In August 2016, I hit rock bottom. I wasn’t eating, I only got out of bed to feed my dog Manor and to take her for a walk,” Jake said.
Then, he made the terrible decision every loved one fears:
“I wrote out two suicide notes and I had a belt ready. I called my brother Ben — just to hear his voice — but I broke down on the phone.
“He came and fetched me, took me in, looked after me for a month, made sure I ate properly, kept me safe,” he said.
“He’s an ultra-marathon runner and he got me to the point where I agreed to run a 25km trail race in the Nerang State Forest in the October.
“For him, it was a walk in the park but I had never run before and I found it very, very hard.”
However, Jake persisted in putting one foot in front of the other — and he had a revelation that changed his life.
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“I realised that it was the first time since I was 16 that I didn’t have a negative thought in my head. My mind was so preoccupied with other pain that I didn’t have time to think about my depression or anxiety,” he said.
“When I crossed the line, I got a hug from Ben and I decided there and then to run a marathon.”
Not one to waste time, Jake ran a 42km race in Cairns a month later in a time of 5 hours and 54 minutes.
“That was it. I was addicted to running. If I wasn’t introduced to running, I probably wouldn’t be alive today,” he said.
With Ben’s help, he discovered the best running techniques, a healthier diet and a new way to deal with his illness.
“The high from running was better than any drug and the feeling of achievement filled my mind, so that no negative thoughts could,” Jake said.
Six months later — with his GP’s permission — he took himself off the medication he had been taking for five years and hasn’t touched meds since then.
Jake has run an impressive 15 ultra-marathons and 10 marathons, including the Gold Coast Marathon last weekend.
His longest distance is 106km and now he has set his sights very firmly on running 31 marathons in 31 days in August.
His aim is to raise awareness of and funds for mental illness campaigners LIVIN. He has already raised more than $2000 is determined to reach his goal of $5000 by the end of August.
“I’m also asking people to run with me — whatever distance they like,” he said. “I want to have 31 stories to share at the end of the project. I want people to share the kilometres with me.”
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Jake will run the same 42.2km route every day in August — from Palm Beach to The Spit and back again — unless locals running with him want an alternative route.
He seems cheerfully undaunted by the prospect of a whole lot of pain and said he had a very good support network to rely on.
This includes nutritionist, Alechea Mills; massage therapist Kye Duncan; P3 Recovery Centre at Burleigh Heads and Performance Eating meals from Burleigh.
“I know August is a wet month and I’ll have to keep my feet dry, so I’ll have five pairs of running shoes on rotation. After each run, I’ll also use Normapic boots which compress air into the legs and flush out lactic acid,” he said.
And his advice to others struggling with anxiety, depression and suicide ideation:
“Reach out to your support network. Getting yourself talking is the hardest thing you will have to do but in the end, it’s the most rewarding thing,” Jake said.
“Once you get those things off your chest, you can start looking for your outlet. Mine is running but I have mates who draw or put a lot of time into their work to stay in the present moment.
“And if anyone is in a bad place, I hope they find their own escape,” he said.
Jake will promote his 31 marathons on his social media platforms so that the public can keep him company during his quest.
To donate to Jake’s cause, visit https://give.everydayhero.com/au/31-marathons-in-31-days and you can follow his progress at instagram.com/forest.goat.
If you or someone you know is thinking about suicide, you can call Lifeline on 13 11 14, Kids Helpline on 1800 551 800 or Mensline Australia on 1300 789 978.
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