Let's meet Craig!
Meet the R4R Runners #80
Welcome to the 80th edition of Meet the R4R Runners, where we get to meet Craig. I first met Craig through my work before learning a bit more about him on a Friday morning R4R. He’s got a hell of a story and he’s behind a great initiative. So, without further ado, let’s meet him!
What is your name?
Craig Glover
Where are you from?
Born in Sydney, lived in Canberra majority of my life.
What's your favourite thing about Canberra?
It’s easy to live here, it has a great community and love seeing the all the great work being done with new establishments being built around the water edges such as Kingston and LBG.
How did you hear about R4R and when did you first attend?
I first came across R4R via a charity partner who was kind enough to send an intro email through to which led to me joining for a morning meet and greet on one of the morning runs. Rather than run, we walked and talked about ideas, but I am very keen to come for a run next week.
Our Runs and Walks are a great opportunity to meet new people and make new friends.
Last week, to mark R U OK day, we encouraged people to ‘Make a Friend’.
It was so good that we’re going to keep it going, but tonight, we’re encouraging everyone to ‘Bring a Friend’!
You're involved with your own community called Blokes Walk and Talk (BW&T), can you tell us a bit about how that started?
Well, sadly like most charity organisations, BW&T started with tragedy. Like most of us, I have seen the affects of suicide and have also struggled with things such as anxiety during different parts of my life. Late last year, two high school mates (twin brothers, Ben & Luke) sadly took their lives together to which led to the feeling of wanting to encourage blokes to get out and talk more. Research shows that walking increases positive endorphins and reduces stress levels. BW&T has helped males realise we aren’t fighting these struggles alone. Since starting our walks across Canberra, we have merchandise being sold, Podcasts currently being recorded, as well community events starting in October. The next being a Canberra music festival on Saturday the 28th of October at Rose Cottage.
How can people get involved?
We encourage both blokes and bloke supporters (females) to attend our walks. Talking is optional and there is never an agenda. Ideally, we are looking for people to hosts walks in their location and or encourage others to rock up. All of our information is on Facebook under “Blokes Walk & Talk” to which has a link to all of our social media accounts. In October we will be starting an online platform called “Blokes No walk, just Talk” for those who aren’t ready or able to attend walks.
It's come a long way very quickly, which is a testament to its importance... but it's also because you're experienced in this space. Would you mind sharing a bit about your own story of Resilience?
Well luckily (or unlucky) for me I have had plenty of experience with charities and fundraising. As a teenager, I was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma and underwent the first stem cell transplant taken place at Canberra Hospital back in 2002. Many years after my treatment, I started to fundraise for the cancer charity Love Your Sister and am proud to say, I am one of four Australians to raise over $100,000 for the charity. Outside of this, I also mentor troubled teenagers and run mentor programs to help people get the best out of themselves, which starts by getting know who you are as a person.
During those hardest times, is there something you wish you could have told yourself?
Yes! Thankfully I learnt the simple words of “You’re okay, everything will be okay). These simple words were enough to stop the impulse panic and helped me slow down my thinking. I wish I learned this alongside meditation earlier in life.
And lastly, as always, what does resilience mean to you?
Just keep trying! Go slow, stay down and take a breath when needed but when ready, get back up and give it your all. History shows me, I will have down days in the future however, I now have the mental took kit to know what to do if or when those days come. I now know that with every dark day, better ones are coming!
That for me is resilience.
Thanks, Craig!
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