Portsmouth man's epic challenge to raise awareness for mental health during Suicide Prevention Awareness Month
He also runs an organisation to help others who struggle with their mental health
A Portsmouth man is undertaking a mammoth challenge to raise awareness for mental health - in one month, he has completed the Six Peak Challenge, is running four miles every four hours for four days and will then summit 15 mountains in North Wales in 24 hours.
Rob Prior, 45, has advocated for mental health for many years, and runs the organisation Sidekick Initiative, which helps people affected by addiction and recovery, alongside people navigating mental health, isolation and life after crisis.
“I am doing this challenge to raise awareness for mental health,” said Rob. He is undertaking the challenge throughout September, which is the global Suicide Prevention Awareness Month.
“When I am running, I think about my mates who have taken their lives, and I use that to push through. I dedicate some of the runs to people, because it helps me keep in mind the reason I am doing it and just keep pushing through,” he said.
“It’s all about mindset. I know I have trained enough and strengthened my legs up. Having the mindset where if you really want to do something, you can do it and focus on it and push through, that’s what’s most important.”
Rob has already completed the Six Peak Challenge, which saw him climb Ben Nevis, Snowdon, Scafell Pike, Slieve Donard, Carrauntoohil and Snaefell in 46 hours.
He was supported by people he and his organisation have helped, and friends who he has supported climbed some of the way with him. One man, Danny Brain, climbed five of the six peaks with Rob, despite having been in hospital with seizures related to alcoholism less than eight weeks prior.
He is now undertaking his own version of the David Goggins challenge, where he will run four miles through Cosham every four hours, for four days straight.
“I only started running in December, but near Christmas time I saw that United Minds were doing a Goggins challenge for 48 hours so I signed up and just started practising.
“In June I did it again but added another 24 miles, to do it for 72 hours. I was crashing around the midnight run but by 4am I was bouncing around and thought ‘I could probably try and do 96’.
“Last time, the only time I felt tired was between midnight and 4am, so I would sleep then and I would lay down during the day as well and have a power hour with compression boots on so my legs don’t swell,” he said.
According to Rob, the key to success, apart from mindset, is nutrition. “It’s all about the supplements, so I’ll take electrolytes, protein and mass gainer, which is full of carbs,” he said.
“I’ll burn about 15,000 calories a day, so every time I finish a run I have a shake which is about 1200 calories, and that sorts me out because you start to feel a bit sick after a while, so I am more cautious about real food.”
Rob started his first run on Tuesday September 22 and will continue to run 16 miles a day until Saturday September 26. From there, he will allow himself two days to rest before tackling his final challenge of the month, which will see him tackle 15 mountains in Eryri National Park in North Wales in only 24 hours.
“I do have some self-doubt and insecurity where you think, ‘Have I trained enough? Can I do this?’ but it is all about your mindset,” said Rob
“I know my energy level is right, I’ve got the diet on point, I have trained for this. I can do this.”
Rob is not using these challenges to raise money for any organisation, but instead is focusing on raising awareness for mental health issues, after struggling himself with complex PTSD after a turbulent and violent childhood.
While he has always advocated for better support for people who are struggling with their mental health, it wasn’t until he spent time in prison that he gained the confidence to devote himself to his passion.
“When I first got to prison, I thought, ‘How can I maximise my time?’ I decided to do a lot of courses, and got qualifications in English and Maths, completed the TQUK education training, and started being a mentor, helping lads that were neurodiverse that couldn’t cope in a classroom,” he said.
“I did have insecurity, imposter syndrome, that I am not qualified to do this, so I studied hard, and did an Open University course to learn about psychology and neurolinguistic programming to help people change their belief systems.
“When I came home from prison, I didn’t recognise Portsmouth any more - there were a lot of people I knew I didn’t recognise, they had hit the drink and drugs, so after a while I decided to maximise what I had and start Sidekick Initiative.”
He now gives talks in school and prisons to help people cope with their mental health and to encourage them towards making better choices.
“I was diagnosed with ADD as a child, and all these other things, and I felt that people just put me in a box when I was younger, but it's about believing what you can do.
“It takes only one person to believe in you, and I want to be that to other people,” he said.
You can find out more about Rob’s organisation Sidekick Initiative here.