Promoting mental health awareness - take part in Glenn's challenge
A Nenagh man who has found fulfillment and joy in taking on physical challenges now wants others to join him in his latest effort.
Glenn Ryan started climbing local mountains earlier this year as a way of dealing with the frustration he personally felt from living in lockdown due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Last May, for instance, Glenn climbed to the peak of Tountinna. He took on the challenge, saying he was doing it for anyone going through mental health issues, or for anyone "suffering in silence".
Glenn has taken on similar challenges by climbing to the Millennium Cross above Portroe and getting to the summit of Keeper Hill - all done as a symbol of his support for people going through hard times.
When he completes his indiviudal challenges Glenn (42) posts his achievements on social media in an attempt to give other people a boost and telling them in his posts, "you matter" and "keep going".
Now Glenn is putting the call out to people to join him on his next challenge on this Sunday, July 19th, in what he calls a "Keep On Going Challenge" - a walk, run and cycle event.
The event will start with a pre-challenge briefing at the Centra carpark in Clare Street in Nenagh at 9am on the day. Then it's off on a walk, run and cycle that will take in a scenic route from Nenagh through Newtown, Portroe and Ballina before finishing back in Nenagh late on the Sunday afternoon.
Glenn said he has got great joy and fulfillment from taking on physical challenges, and he now wants others to join him in the hope that they will get a similar boost to their quality of their life.
"I was just bored and going out of my mind when the lockdown came," Glenn, a caretaker in the Nenagh Community Centre, told The Guardian.
"So I decided to set some challenges for myself. I climbed up to the top of Keeper Hill with my sister Lucia. I liked it so much I posted the achievement on social media and I got a great feedback because I did it for people who were suffering in silence and who replied saying nice things to me, like ‘thanks for doing that for us.’"
Glenn added that he got similar positive responses when he subsequently posted footage of a walk-run climb to the top of Tountianna in yet another gesture of support for people who are suffering in silence, for whatever reason.
He said that when undertaking his challenges he thinks of people going through hard times. "I would think of people, and I would let them know that they are not on their own. People loved when I did that and they started thanking me," Glenn confided. Now you can join Glenn this Sunday from 9am for your very own challenge with him inspiring you on your way.
The first stage of the challenge is a walk with bicycles from the start point in Clare Street to Richmond Cross. After that there will be a short run, and most of the event from there on will be a cycle via Portroe and Ballina before a return to Nenagh. Lunch and a number of rests times are being built into the schedule and Glenn urges all those intending to take part to bring a packed lunch.
HOW TO PARTICIPATE　
For more information on Glenn's 'Keep On Going Challenge' see his Facebook page, or you can phone him on 085-1936147