How running saved Highton man’s life
And now he does ultra marathons
IF BYRON Lester hadn’t started running ultra marathons, he doubts he would be alive today.
About seven years ago, Mr Lester, then 40, was suffering depression and wanted to find an escape.
He decided to take up running.
Mr Lester started taking part in free park runs, but soon decided to try to complete a marathon.
Within 12 months, he said he went from successfully running a marathon to running 100km.
Next month he will take on a 24-hour timed run at You Yangs Forest Park.
“I started really progressing, doing events all throughout Victoria,” Mr Lester said of his ultra marathon journey.
“Six years down the track, I’m where I am now.”
Mr Lester, now 47, said there was one running challenge that he believed saved his life.
About four years ago, he signed up to complete a 64km race.
A week out from competing, Mr Lester said he was in a “really deep depression”.
“I was numb, I couldn’t move,” he said.
“It felt like my mind was drowning.
“I hadn’t told anyone that I suffered from depression at that point, but I called the race director and said I had to pull out because of it.
“He invited me to come up (to Mount Beauty) and be part of the crew, just so I could be around people and nature.
“I did go up but I felt like an empty shell.
“Nature brought me back to life.”
Mr Lester said he decided to take part in the race during the briefing, feeling like it was a “crossroads” moment.
He said when he reached halfway – the point where many competitors dropped out of the difficult track – he did a “victory dance”.
“That is still, and will always be, my proudest achievement,” he said.
“That’s the point where I saved myself.”
Mr Lester has continued to push himself to take up new challenges, running in more than 50 ultra marathons as well as doing “self challenges”.
Mr Lester said he wanted to extend his running from helping just himself, to helping others.
“This helps provide the money so Beyond Blue can provide crucial programs, like counselling,” he said.
“(I hope) we can make it so we don’t have people not being able to get help, or not understanding the warning signs.”
If you or someone you know needs help, call Lifeline on 13 11 14 or text 0477 131 114.
To donate, visit team-beyond-blue.raisely.com/team-beyond-blue.raisely.com/byron-lester