HENRY Cock, a 35-year-old former businessman from Johannesburg, is attempting to break the world record for most half marathons ran by a man consecutively, by running 133 half marathon in 133 days.
His journey brought him to St Francis Bay, where Kouga Express caught up with him to find out more about this venture.
After suffering, as many have, many losses during the COVID-19 pandemic, Henry came to the realisation that he was dealing with more than just having a few “blue” days. He realised that depression and anxiety was knocking at his door and he had to find a way to deal with this newfound realisation.
“Through help and support of professionals, family and friends, I was able to get a handle on my mental health.
“My mom and dad were instrumental in my getting the help that I needed.
“I realise that there are many people facing the same struggles as I did and do, as this is an ongoing journey. Mental illness is not something that you can always see from the outside so many people end up facing their struggle alone.
“I want to raise awareness that mental illness is very real and more common than many people think,” he said.
Cock is raising funds for The South African Depression and Anxiety group (SADAG), the biggest NPO in Africa, that helps anyone, from people who struggle with mental illness, to friends and family who need more information about how to support their loved ones through mental illness.
About how the idea came to him Henry said the following:
“I am not a runner, but decided to run a virtual Comrades Marathon at home during lockdown last year to raise funds for my staff.
“As I was a restauranteur at the time, we were hard-hit by the pandemic. I ran 90km in my home in my passage. The whole marathon took 11 hours, with a short break every 20km for food.
“During those hours, I had the idea to do a coast-to-coast run for hope. A man named Terry Fox did a similar run in the 1980s to raise awareness for cancer. The idea evolved from there.”
His route will take him from Kosi Bay around the coastline to Alexander Bay on the Namibian border, which is a distance of about 2 800km and includes trail and road running. He is currently on day 69 of his journey and is on his way to reaching his first target of breaking the current record for most consecutive half marathons run by a man on day 75.
This will also officially be the halfway mark for his run. His target is to raise R750 000 by that time. He is currently on R682 683.
He has been joined by friends, strangers and celebrities on his runs and invites anyone to share a bit of his journey with him.
About his trip to St Francis Bay, he jokingly said that he would love to buy a house on the canals once he has raised enough money.
“We had an absolute ball. We did the beginning of the Chokka Trail, the whole way to the point and out on the road to Oyster Bay,” he said.
For more information about this cause, visit https://www.runhenryrun.co.za and follow his progress on social media.
SADAG is Africa’s largest mental health support and advocacy group. On their website you will find comprehensive mental health information and resources to help you, a family member or loved one. Visit them at www.sadag.org.
