Meet the R4R Runners #33

Sambo

Welcome to the 33rd edition of the ‘Meet the R4R Runners’. This week we get to meet Sambo, who’s a fantastic bloke. I’d had a couple of yarns with Sam after Running for Resilience and he’s one of those fellas you just enjoy being around.

When I came across his own Substack, Sobering Thoughts, my respect for the bloke compounded. Not only is he a good person, but he’s doing what he can to help others that are in a similar position.

I highly recommend you head over to his Substack and give it a read, but either way, let’s see what his answers to the Rag are first!

What is your name? 

Sam Wilson        

Where are you from?

The Lanyon Valley, South Tuggeranong, Ngunnawal Country.

What's your favourite thing about Canberra? (apart from R4R obviously)

It’s just so livable. Lots of jobs, no peak hour traffic, everything you need and more is no more than half an hour away.

How did you hear about R4R and when did you first attend?

Fordy? Was it Fordy? I think it was Fordy?

What's your favourite thing about R4R?

The people. The concept. I’m super anxious by nature. I struggle to force myself out of my comfort zone. Everyone I’ve met through R4R are all great people. Welcoming, encouraging, supportive and inclusive. Those qualities make things like this so much easier for people like me.

Is there anything you'd like to see R4R do? 

Can you guys follow me to the coast when I move? I’ll put ya’s up? :(

Maybe we could get The Dock 2.0 (another pub)?

Have you ever run a marathon before? If so, how'd you go? 

Maybe 7? Only two events though. My PB was last years Sydney virtual, we were in lockdown and only allowed 2 hours outdoors a day, so I left at 10pm and run into the “next day”. My favourite though was Canberra this year. I was five weeks post covid and only really came good a week out. I think I ran my 3rdbest time, maybe. That’s the one I’m most proud of.

Are you planning on taking part in any races or events soon?

Beach to Brother Trail Marathon in Port Macquarie

Which three people (alive or dead) would you like to run 6km with?

They don’t have to be runners, right?

Kurt Cobain - He almost single handily changed the music world of popular music. Incredible thing to do for an introverted guy with crippling social anxiety. Which I believe led him down the path of addiction.

Charlie Engle - Hands down my favourite runner of all time. Battled with addiction in early adulthood and used running to help overcome it. He has be come one of the best and most respected ultra-runners of all time. He has a brilliant autobiography called “Running Man”. He’s also made two great documentaries called “Running the Sahara” and “Running America”. You can tell from the titles what they’re about. I recommend both the book and the docos.

Winston Churchill – Potentially a controversial choice for some. I like him because he was one of the first major public figure to talk openly about his battles with mental health. Although the term had been around for a long time he was the one to popularise the term “Black Dog”, which is used everywhere in the mental health space now. I find it remarkable that he was able to achieve what he did while suffering from manic depression/bipolar disorder in an era where so little was known about the science and treatment of mental health conditions.

What does resilience mean to you?

Oh man, I’ve been thinking about this and I’m still nowhere.

I guess to me it’s like a dogged determination to not give up. Never let things beat you. No matter how close you think you are to being beaten, still trudging forward and refusing to lose.   

When you look back on the hardest moment/s in your life, is there anything you wish you could have told yourself? 

Oh bro, so many things. I think though, it would be something along the lines of everything is going to be ok. No matter what happens, no matter how hard you think things are right now, you are going to be ok. I’d also push myself to stop being so bloody stubborn. There is so much help out there, so much great help. Use it. Doing it on your own when you don’t have to isn’t the brave thing to do. The bravest thing you can do is to ask for help, then let your wall down and let that help in.

Cheers, Sam!