"It's not the mountain we conquer, but ourselves," said Sir Edmund Hillary of conquering Mount Everest. It's also how Jack Newman sums up his 60km Kepler Track ultramarathon for Movember last year; the hardest thing he's ever done.
Wrong turns, a world of hurt, toenails falling off - Jack gets another bright idea. Go bigger.
On Saturday, November 9th 2024, at 10 a.m., Jack will begin a 24-hour run at the Lovelock Track on Sandringham Road.
“Am I insane? Probably a little bit. Am I crazy? I like to think a little craziness is a good thing,” Jack laughs. But the heart of his message is serious. “Men’s health isn’t a one-off, it isn’t a once-a-year thing. It’s continuous. This run symbolises the ongoing, infinite nature of men’s health - there is no finish line.”
With this gruelling challenge ahead, I sat down with Jack to discuss his journey, his passion for Movember, and what drives him to take on such a monumental task.
For the men in your life, donate to Jack's campaign below, or consider supporting his campaign in any way you can.
Jack, can you tell me more about how you first got involved with Movember and why men’s health is so important to you?
Yeah, it’s probably a similar story to most people. I got into Movember originally as part of a work team. It was just about growing a moustache and raising a few bucks, maybe $100 or so, with the team.
But one year, I shared one of Movember’s posts on Facebook about testicular cancer and how to check yourself.
A guy I used to go to school with back in England messaged me after seeing the post. He told me that because of it, he’d checked himself, found a lump, and was diagnosed with testicular cancer. Thankfully, he got treated, and he’s doing great.
That really hit home for me - this stuff matters. From that point, I started looking deeper into what Movember does and where the money goes. I realised it wasn’t just about growing a moustache - it’s about saving lives.
That must’ve been an eye opener. How did that lead to the bigger challenges you’re doing now, like these long runs?
Yeah, it really made me think.
And then, in January 2022, my dad was diagnosed with cancer. He’s back in London, and it hit me really hard. Dad’s always been my best mate. He was the best man at my wedding. And suddenly, I had this moment where I realised, here I was - 142 kilos, drinking way too much, not exercising, and not looking after myself at all.
I’ve got four beautiful kids, a lovely wife, and I wasn’t even taking care of myself for them.
That was when I made a decision to change. I set out to run five half-marathons and a 60k run. It wasn’t just about getting fit physically - it was about dealing with emotions I hadn’t faced for years.
It sounds like Movember has had a massive impact on your life. How does the 24-hour run tie into that?
It has. For me, this run is symbolic of what men’s health is about. It’s not just something you think about once and then forget. Men’s health is an ongoing, 24/7 thing. We, as men, are really good at putting things off. We don’t deal with our emotions or health until it’s too late.
A Movember survey showed that men often wait far too long before seeing a doctor, even when they know something’s wrong.
But that’s the problem - we can’t afford to wait. This run is about showing that.
It’s going to be a massive challenge. How have you been preparing for something like this, especially after your injury earlier this year?
Yeah, I had a big setback earlier this year. In January, I fell off a ladder and broke both my arms and a few ribs.
At that point, the idea of the 24-hour run was in the back of my mind, but after the fall, I thought it was off the table. But I’ve been really lucky to have a coach - Scott Bougen from Rep Endurance - who’s been amazing. He helped me stay on track.
During recovery, I got on a spin bike to keep my legs moving, so I didn’t lose too much fitness. By the time my arms healed and I was able to run again, I wasn’t starting from scratch.
The focus has been on getting to the start line injury-free. That’s the most important thing.
That’s a serious setback. What was going through your mind when you were injured, and how did you overcome it mentally?
At first, it was just frustration. I’m not going to lie - it knocked me back. I had this big plan for the year, and suddenly I couldn’t even tie my shoes, let alone think about running. But then I started focusing on what I could do, which at the time was just keeping my legs moving.
The spin bike became my saving grace. It kept my fitness up enough so that when my arms healed, I didn’t feel like I had to start from zero.
Mentally, I had to accept that this run wasn’t going to be perfect, and that’s okay. There are always setbacks in life, and I’ve learned to roll with them.
Do you think that mentality is key for taking on challenges like this?
Absolutely. It’s all mental. I mean, don’t get me wrong - you have to be physically prepared too, but when you’re 10, 12, 20 hours into a run, it’s all in your head. Your body will be screaming at you to stop, but it’s your mind that will push you through.
For me, I’ve been drawing a lot of inspiration from endurance athletes like Ross Edgley. He’s just done some incredible things, and seeing him smile through it has taught me a lot about how to approach these challenges.
I’m breaking it down into smaller goals - just one more lap, one more hour. That’s how I’ll approach it.
What’s going to keep you going during those really tough moments in the run?
Distraction is a big one. I’ll be listening to podcasts or music to keep my mind busy. I’ve got a pretty eclectic taste in music, so I’ve got playlists for when I need to slow down, I like to listen to country music for those parts, and others for when I need to pick up the pace.
But there are also times when I’ll turn everything off and just run in silence. It becomes almost meditative for me - just me and my thoughts. Sometimes, it’s the best way to work through whatever’s going on in my head.
And then, of course, knowing that people are out there supporting me is huge. I committed to this publicly, so I feel accountable. That’s a big motivator - knowing that I’ve got people counting on me to finish.
Speaking of support, you’ve set a big fundraising goal - $12,000. How does it feel aiming for that number?
It’s a big stretch! I’ve set smaller targets before, like $2,000 or $3,000, but this one made me a bit nervous, especially with the cost of living right now.
I had a good think about it, and when I broke it down - $500 for every hour I’m running - it seemed more achievable.
If we hit that target, it would mean the world to me. It would show that people really understand how important men’s health is.
Raising that money would be right up there with the sense of achievement I’ll get from finishing the 24 hours.
What about the physical toll? You’re asking a lot of your body, especially after an injury. How do you manage that during such a long run?
Yeah, it’s going to be brutal. I’m not naïve about that. It’s going to be the biggest ask I’ve ever made of my body.
I’ll be relying on some serious Deep Heat and probably a lot of Vaseline! Keeping myself fuelled and hydrated is going to be key. My coach Scott will be there the whole 24 hours, helping me manage my nutrition and hydration. We’ll slow down every fifth lap or so to take in fluids and food. It’s all about pacing.
Mentally, I’ll be telling myself, “Just one more lap.” That’s how I approach these things - break it down into small, manageable chunks.
You can’t think about the full 24 hours, or it’ll overwhelm you. You’ve just got to focus on the next lap, the next hour.
For me, its'a about showing people that anything is possible. I want people to look at me, a 120-kilo bloke running 24 hours, and think, "If he can do that, I can do something too."
Any final words for people considering donating or getting involved?
If you’re on the fence about donating, just know that every dollar helps. Movember has funded over 1,300 projects worldwide, but there’s still so much more to do.
Men still die 4 to 5 years younger than women, 3 out of 4 suicides are men, and testicular cancer is the most common cancer in young men. We’ve got to keep pushing forward to change those stats.
If you can donate, please do.
But if you can’t, just come down and show your support! I really want this to be a community event. Whether you're running, walking a lap, or just cheering from the sidelines, I want people to show up.
If you've got a Movember t-shirt, chuck it on and come along. Bring your kids, chat with [coach] Scott, and be a part of it. That's all I want.
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