Suzanne Shaw to tackle 4 day ultra challenge for mental health awareness

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Suzanne will take on four ultra marathons in four days, all decided on the roll of a dice…

Singer, Actress and wellbeing and running advocate Suzanne Shaw has announced she will undertake a gruelling four day challenge – completing four ultra marathons in four consecutive days following Mental Health Awareness Week, to shine a light on the mental health issues one in four people face every year.

Dubbed ‘Run in 4’ and as part of a documentary taking a deep dive into her own mental health journey and the complexities of the mind, Suzanne will tackle between 30 and 50 miles per day for four consecutive days, all decided on the roll of a dice the morning the challenge takes place. Suzanne will be undertaking the challenge alongside friend and National Running Show CEO Mike Seaman and is inviting runners across the country to join her on her run each day with the locations and timings revealed on her Instagram page.

The Challenge starts in Suzanne’s hometown of Bury, Lancashire on May 25th, finishing at London’s South Bank on the 28th. All monies raised during the challenge will go to mental health Charity, Mind.

Suzanne commented: “I have made no secret of the fact that I have struggled with my mental health over the years, despite spending decades trying to hide my struggles with everyone. Taking on challenges like this is a way for me to push my body beyond its limits but also to challenge myself mentally. I hate to think of so many people across the world struggling silently and being too afraid to stand up and say ‘I am not OK’ so hopefully by continuing to talk about my experiences I can help even just one person who sees what I am doing and delves deeper into the reason why.

“This is going to challenge me in ways I am scared to even fathom and I welcome support from local runners to keep me going and help pick me up when I need it most – hopefully by coming together over these four days following Mental Health Awareness Week we can all show that no one needs to struggle alone.”

As part of a documentary, Suzanne is on a mission to understand the complexities of the mind and why 1 in 4 people suffer with their mental health in some way every year. Speaking to experts, mental health sufferers and wellbeing advocates, Suzanne will deep dive into the subject whilst candidly sharing her own personal mental health story in more detail than she ever has before.

Suzanne became a member of the chart-topping band Hear’Say, selling over 1.5m records and holding a world record for the fastest selling non charitable single. She won series 3 of ‘Dancing on Ice’, was a series regular on ‘Emmerdale’ and has numerous West End & Touring theatre credits.

To make a donation visit https://www.justgiving.com/page/suzanneshaw