By Ethan Benedicto
Encountering hurdles in life, from work to family, can sometimes be too much to handle, but even through the thick of it, Kaine Bundy dipped into the worst and is determined to come out stronger with the aim of running, walking and just moving to hit 200 kilometres in 24 hours.
Doing so in the name of finding himself and showing others that it is okay not to be okay, Kaine’s 24-hour Beyond Blue Charity Run advocates for mental health and shows others that being vulnerable is part of being human; and of course, is a way to tell himself to be stronger than before.
After a relationship breakdown and having to move away from his kids, Kaine “didn’t know how to handle it”.
“I had a business that was struggling and I turned to gambling as well, which isn’t the answer, and in turn, it cost me everything in life.
“I didn’t know how to handle any of it mentally, being stuck in my own head; I ended up living in my cat for a little bit and it wasn’t because I didn’t have anywhere to go, it was just because I didn’t know how to turn to anyone.”
The last year has been more than rough for Kaine, losing all he thought he had, and the feeling of everything slipping from his grasp became unbearable; he was knocked down but through iron will his feet found the floor once more.
With three slabs of bottled water, electrolytes, fruit, muesli bars, extra socks and phone chargers, Kaine took the Marriot Waters Reserve oval for a spin that began at 6pm on Monday 4 November.
While he had never run for this long before, he had his chin held high and his determination set, for the run was not just an act of self-resolution, but a message to others that it is okay to speak about your struggles and it is okay to ask for help.
“This thing I’m doing takes me back to day one when I decided that I’m going to fight for my life again, fight for my kids – I was always there for them in person, but not mentally,” Kaine said.
“I went through some pretty dark days, and my problem was [not] reaching out to someone like my dad, and when I did, as well as a couple of close mates, I became pretty open about things.
“On my Instagram, that’s where I voice my problems and I find it a lot easier to voice my problems, [but still], a lot of other people can’t and that’s why I do try to speak up.
“To you know, just keep spreading the word and getting it out there because I know a lot of people that can talk to those close to them – which is what I struggled with – but they can’t talk in a public setting and they can’t be open about their struggles.
“So that’s where I am now, trying to repay my mistakes in the past by trying to help others wherever I can now.”
Realistically, Kaine is aiming to complete at least four marathons or a total of 168 kilometres by 6pm on Tuesday 5 November, constantly moving even when not running, truing through burning lungs are sore muscles in the name of advocacy.
His training began roughly four months prior when he began regularly running with 10-kilometre runs and half marathons, but it’s the mental aspect that he believes would prove to be the most difficult.
“It’s more of trying to break the pain barriers mentally more than anything,” Kaine said.
“But I just wanted to have something to look forward to, I couldn’t really get out of my own head so I was looking for a charity that resonated with me and that’s pretty much where it took off.”
Family and friends have set up times to visit Kaine and accompany him on his run, with his father, Tony, the first on the scene; then followed by his niece and brother, and a number of friends who have also chosen to run alongside him.
As of noon on 5 November, Kaine has completed 120 kilometres and with six hours left on the clock, he’s got his eyes on the prize.
“I’m not a crazy athlete by any means, I’m your everyday person and sure I’ve worked on my fitness I guess, but I want to show people that if you have the right mindset, you can do something pretty special.”
This article will be updated once Kaine finishes his run by 6pm on Tuesday 5 November.
For more information on the challenge, visit www.gofundme.com/f/g8pnj8-24-hours?lang=en_AU&utm_campaign=fp_sharesheet&utm_medium=customer&utm_source=email
