By Sahar Foladi
A Greater Dandenong resident who has just completed the marathon for Beyond Blue is ready to keep running the extra mile to support the mental-health support group.
On Sunday 15 October, Jacqui Swallow set off on the first marathon of her life and she smashed it as she finished 38 minutes ahead of her goal time of seven hours.
The physical pain of running the marathon was soothed by the overwhelming positive messages that poured in.
“I felt on top of the world, but a bit overwhelmed by all the congratulatory messages pouring in,” Ms Swallow said.
“Physically, I was hobbling around and had six huge blisters on my feet, as well as really sore muscles all over.
“I was scared to take my shoes off and survey the damage.”
She has raised more than $4,000 out of a total of $218,645 raised by participants for Beyond Blue in the Melbourne Marathon.
She ranks sixth in the charity’s leader board of fundraisers out of a pool of 3,315.
“The last four days I’ve felt really happy, proud, optimistic and mentally energised,” Ms Swallow said.
Her passion for Beyond Blue was sparked from a life-saving phone call with someone in the organisation.
As reported previously by Star Journal, Ms Swallow has been diagnosed with bipolar disorder. She attempted suicide in 2020 after a conversation over the phone with Beyond Blue.
Fortunately, the call operator recognised something was wrong with Ms Swallow’s tone, called for emergency services and she was treated right away.
Now, she has completed a 42-kilometre marathon and on the cusp of finishing her book, The Bipolar Runner.
The book focuses on her journey living with a bipolar disorder and the marathon experience.
“Training for a marathon was a by-product of an idea I got from a book called Atomic Habits.
“It suggests that sustaining healthy habits is much easier if the habit becomes an ingrained part of your identity,” she said.
“For me the habit was running, and the identity was being a runner.”
To donate, got to melbmara2023.grassrootz.com/beyondblue/jacqui-swallow.
