Mackay athlete Karl Herman faces new fears to show power of the mind

When a thrillseeking Mackay sportsman stepped into the pool Monday morning, he faced an unusual nervousness while determined to show anything is possible.

After undertaking more than 300 base jumps, skydives and adrenaline fuelled adventures, one extreme sport lover said his 21km feat at Mackay Aquatics on Monday was the scariest of them all.

Karl Herman said the crushing grief of losing loved ones to suicide was what motivated him to do something out of his comfort zone.

“I have never been more scared for anything than waking up this morning” Herman said

“It’s funny what scares you. I’ll jump off a cliff no worries but this scared me”

When the gates cracked open at 5:30 Herman and best mate Richard Kellyshack arrived for what looked to be a 12-hour day of nothing but swimming, food and more swimming.

With Kellyshack on the fuelling station, Herman began his half-marathon journey in the pool, raising money and awareness the Real Mates Talk foundation in Mackay.

Herman’s association with mental health hits close to home, as he explained seeing first-hand the damage it could cause to those left behind.

“I’ve lost a couple of mates to suicide” Herman said.

“I didn’t really handle it well, I just felt angry at them”

Vulnerable in his reflection, Herman understands the importance of unpacking the trauma associated with losing someone you love to mental health, and likened it to our ability to fix other parts of our life when needed.

“Go and get some professional help, it’s okay” Herman said

“You go to a mechanic to work on your cars, someone needs to work on your brain”

Herman is no stranger to taking on everything life throws at him and admits his mantra is to go all in on, whatever it is he is doing.

This challenged included the “mental game” of the pool.

“It’s very intimidating when you know you have 222 laps to go” Herman explained.

Originally from Melbourne, the 31-year-old works in the mines as a seven-on, seven-off worker and understands the strains the lifestyle can have on young men.

In 2020 alone, Australia recorded more than 3000 male suicides, which remains the biggest killer of those aged between 15-45 in this country.

He said he relies on those around him to help him become a better sportsman and a better human.

“Hang out with people who genuinely care about you and push you in the right direction” He said

“I think 80 per cent of your thoughts are negative, (so) focus on what pushes you in the right direction”

The swim lasted into the night, with the pair spending the entire day at the Mackay Aquatic centre in their quest to raise money for the organisation.

All the essentials on deck for the half marathon effort with Herman calling on all his sugary cravings to get his body through the herculean effort

Herman, who initially had a goal of $2100, started his swim day with more than $3,000 raised and will continue to leave donations open for those wanting to donate.

Herman wont stop here admitting he’s only completed 80% of his extensive bucket list of things to do in his lifetime which begs the question, what‘s next?

Originally published as Mackay athlete Karl Herman faces new fears to show power of the mind