‘Push Your Limits’ inspired by the Goggins Challenge
Participant Feature: Xavier
Join The Maddie Project in a “Push Your Limits” challenge in support of youth mental health at North York General Hospital from March 5–7, 2021. To register, support or learn more about this event, visit nyghfoundation.ca/pushyourlimits.
TMP: Tell us a little bit about you, Xavier.
Xavier: I was born in Canada but lived in Nigeria, Angola, France, South Africa and in the United States before coming back here.
I started running 10 years ago in Canada due to the weather (always too much crime, war or heat in some of the other countries). I started with running road and then got bored so switched to trails. I love the elusive impression to be closer to nature, the quietness and the ever changing scenery.
More recently, I did a polar bear dip run. One runs because it’s slightly cold.
TMP: Can you share your relationship with physical fitness and / or wellness?
Xavier: I did a few road marathons over the past few years and after switching to trails, I started thinking about this crazy goal race: the comrades marathon is South Africa 🇿🇦 ( 90 k ). So I started working on a few ultras marathons in trails which are a little more demanding and I did a few 50’s (km) and finished the year 2020 with an 80 km runs.
I got into this mainly because I was travelling a lot for work and wanted to stay active and I am not the indoor type. I discovered trails during a work project in Sudbury. It is a great running community and superb outdoors and I was able to get a fantastic running partner during the Covid months in Oakville which helped a lot as we were supporting one another and ended up running the same or similar virtual races.
TMP: What inspired you to participate in The Maddie Project “Push Your Limits” Goggins Challenge?
Xavier: My wife is a big fan of Goggins and also got me to read the Jesse Itzler book, but really didn’t care too much about the theories. That being said, after trying the yeti ultra (24 hours) in the summer of 2020, I was looking at something differently to do. Push my limits. Truth be told, Goggins 40% concept is interesting, so when I saw The Maddie Project post, and the fundraiser, I thought, hmmm …
The mental aspect has been a big topic during Covid and while I was not officially affected, I thought to support the cause.
TMP: How have you been staying healthy (physically and mentally) during these times of the COVID pandemic?
Xavier: Running with my partner during the training and the first few months of Covid
helped mentally and physically, And no doubt about it, getting outside, focusing on the exercise was incredibly important for me. When Covid restrictions relaxed a bit, small social distanced running groups formed again and it was great to come back to some social interaction. I had already used running in tougher times in the past (loss of a job) and this time was no different.
TMP: Any tips or advice you will be considering as you take on the Push your limits challenge?
Xavier: While we were doing the Yeti Ultra, a few of our team members did some mistakes like drink ( and we are not talking water ) and shop. For this challenge its important not to move around during the breaks, one needs to rest during these few hours, sleep if you can and focus on good nutrition. The demand on the body is completely different during an ultra versus a normal race — here we are talking long term effort.
TMP: Anything else you want to share with our community?
Having a good support group, within the Covid restrictions helps: the support, the help, the preparation, the camaraderie is crucial. And make it fun. Act silly. Surround yourself with the right people. Life is too short (specially these days) to do boring things.
********
The Maddie Project is a community effort in support of youth struggling with depression and other mental health related concerns. Driven by community collaboration and events, the project’s goals are to raise awareness by sparking conversations about youth depression and mental health concerns as well as to help provide uninhibited access to support for youth and their families.
The Maddie Project was founded in April 2015 in memory of Madeline Grace German Coulter. To date the project has engaged millions in active conversations around youth mental health and has raised over $2 million dollars towards the development of Maddie’s Healing Garden and support of other child and adolescent mental health services in our community.
If you would like to contribute to our blog series please email info@themaddieproject.ca
To learn how you can get involved or contribute visit www.themaddieproject.ca or follow us on Twitter or Facebook
