#172: Ultra Runner Hopes To Save Lives With 444 Mile Challenge, Years After His Suicide Attempt

Run The Race

It's a huge challenge in September, Suicide Awareness Month. My guest for this episode of "Run The Race" knows how pain and failure can make you feel like giving up on life, but he wants to provide hope, in part through his upcoming longest run ever. (3:20) Phil Parsons, a combat infantry veteran and ultra runner and husband/dad, is planning to go 444 miles on foot, running or walking that distance over the course of 11 days, all to raise awareness and funds for suicide prevention, especially among vets: https://pledgeit.org/natr. What's his training been like for the 444 that will happen September 20-30 from TN to MS on the Natchez Trace? How about his emotions? He's also doing this to change the narrative of his life. (11:25) Phil joined the Army not too long before the September 11 attacks, ending up on deployments to Iraq, seeing horrible things that did not bother him until he came back home. He talks about being angry, losing his marriage, being emotionless. (18:05) This veteran tried to kill himself several times, the last suicide attempt being a gun to his head 16 years ago, in September - this 444 mile challenge being around the anniversary of that. He describes why he almost ended it all and why he didn't go through with it. (24:30) Through all the pain, he found running...starting with a marathon in GA, moving up to a 50K, then the Pinhoti 100. At first, he was often running angry, but found something different on the trails: the feeling of being a kid again, getting to be himself - without a mask. Now, he GETS to run and also helps other veterans on his job as a social worker. He loves helping fellow troops, but had to take care of himself first. (31:49) For his upcoming 444 miles, Phil discusses the logistics (40 miles per day), support(getting help from running group "Band of Brothers"), and nutrition/hydration that will be central to his week-and-a-half journey. Think electrolytes, PB&Js, Chex Mix, and more. Meantime, his triathlete wife is no slouch, training for an Ironman. You can learn more about the 444 here: https://unbridledrunning.com/the-four-forty-four/ Part of his journey is also being a (42:48) cult survivor, just going along as he grew up, but being terrified to break free, and finally being able to question things in life. (47:07) Phil also has a life-saving message for anyone, especially former/current military, that involves a story about a bridge on the Natchez Trace that has seen too much tragedy. The takeaway: Sit with the pain and discomfort in life or running, and it will get better, things will turn around. Stay in motion and do something! After our chat, I close the pod in prayer. Thanks for listening to the #RunTheRace podcast, which I hope you'll subscribe to! Share it with your friends. Also, write a quick review about it, on Apple podcasts. For more info and listen to any previous episodes, go to www.wtvm.com/podcast/.