The North Face-supported ultra runner Joe Ward has set about an endeavour to break the running record from Brisbane to Sydney (sadly not on trail, but a big feat nonetheless! Ed.).

He will run 1000km over 12 days, all in complete silence to raise awareness for men’s mental health.

Running approximately 90km each day, Joe Ward aims to finish his epic journey at the Opera House in Sydney on June 12.

“Usually on a big run, talking really helps you to get through it. You talk through the boredom, talk through the self-doubts, and you talk to help get through the pain. It’s never easy running a marathon- or two, so talking is a welcome distraction and a tool to help you overcome the many mental and physical obstacles,” says Joe.

“But on this run – the whole 1000kms from Brisbane to Sydney, I’m not giving myself that luxury. I’m staying silent.”

“Why? To show my support for a campaign called Get Silent. Get Heard. To help raise funds and build awareness about men’s mental health.

“My keeping silent on this epic run is a reflection of the fact that we don’t talk about men’s mental health. We live in a culture that often says that men need to just harden up and have a spoonful of cement. This is a big deal, because five men in Australia take their own lives every day. That’s five fathers, or five brothers. Five uncles, or five sons. Five men. Gone. Every day.”

“I don’t want to ignore this. I want help to make it okay for men to talk. And I want to help redefine what it means to be healthy. I think we really see men’s health as having big, broad shoulders and a six pack, it’s all muscles and physique – but these are all outward effects of health. What we don’t really think about is mental health and the things that you can’t see.”

Joe Ward is aiming to raise $10,000 along his journey.

To support Joe Ward’s endeavour you can visit his page at www.justgiving.com/fundraising/Bris2Syd/.

The money raised is going towards Spur Projects who are working to tackle the rate of suicide amongst men in Australia.