MENTAL HEALTH
COVID-19 lockdown kicked in, I was off work. I still got up at 5.30 every morning. For me personally, structure is the key to juggling family, work, and training.” Organised or not, some days are just better than others. Some days you lose the mind games. Some days it takes the intervention and honesty of an old friend. “It was on my training schedule to complete a 21k run, but I was looking for a way out. That day was the anniversary of my brother’s passing, I had a lot of things on my mind and I was looking for an excuse. It took a stern word or two from a respected friend to re-set my mindset. Being able to take criticism on board and implement changes is another part of my recovery. I got up early the next morning and ran the 21k. I suppose I’m trying to have an open mind to what the next day could bring. I don’t try to control the uncontrollable. I don’t worry about tomorrow until today is over with.” Worked wonders Ironman training may have brought issues to the surface, almost brought John to his knees, but he is adamant it has also worked wonders for his life. “The race is the cherry on top. It’s have you got the mental capacity to finish a training camp that lasts for six months or a year? Can you regimentally put in the work, knowing you’re going to be dragged into the depths of hell? I learned not to shy away from asking myself questions. During those long hours of training I would write down what cropped up, and that became the subject matter of my sessions with the counsellor. We would go through different scenarios, work to let go of the past and live in the here and now.” Staying mindful is important, but for goal-setters like John there will also be the urge to impact the future. A future where the stigma surrounding mental health no longer existed. To a time when blokes could believe that coming forward about their struggles was a strength, not a weakness. To an industry now aware that mental and physical health deserved equal billing. It was a vision shared by his employer, Designer Group. Pushing boundaries “At the Designer Group mental health and well-being is not a box ticking exercise,” John explained. “They are pushing the boundaries more than any
I’m trying to have an open mind to what the next day could bring. I don’t try to control the uncontrollable. I don’t worry about tomorrow until today is over with.”
professional counsellor and began the process of addressing all the emotions and issues that had surfaced during my Ironman training. It is by no means an easy process, and it is hard to face some of your personal issues, but it is a process I have committed to. I’m trying to better understand myself. We need to embrace the fact that mental health is every bit as important as physical. I was lucky and blessed to be in the position to talk to a professional twice a month and I will never forget the support SOS gave me.” Personal goal Armed with some coping mechanisms and the safety net of those fortnightly meetings, John kept his fund-raising foot to the floor. Kicking things off with a hometown Half-Ironman in Dun Laoghaire [he’s a former pupil of
Cabinteely Community School] the then 39-year-old added to his legs HARDMAN Bantry, part of a triathlon Wild Atlantic Way Series. Back in Cork on June 23rd, John Blake reached a personal goal. He earned the right to call himself an Ironman by successfully completing (and in the requisite time) an event won at Elite level by double Olympic Triathlon champion Alistair Brownlee. Still not satisfied, John went on to produce his best performance of the year at HARDMAN Waterville, a race he has entered again in 2020. Thousands of euros have been raised for Suicide or Survive as a result of this determination to carry on, not just with the Ironman Tour Challenge, but the inevitable introspection. “I’m a very structured person. I need structure to manage my mental health. When the
18 | IRELAND’S ELECTRICAL MAGAZINE
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