Baldivis resident Paul Turley to tackle grueling 243km Kathmandu Coast to Coast for mental health

A Baldivis resident is preparing to tackle a grueling two-day running, cycling, and kayaking race in New Zealand to raise funds for a mental health charity. Paul Turley will compete in the Kathmandu Coast to Coast on February 9 to 10, a multi-sport 243km course, which traverses New Zealand’s South Island. The race starts at Kumara Beach on the west coast and crosses the width of the South Island, finishing in Christchurch and along the way involves mountain biking, trail running and kayaking through gorges and rapids. Mr Turley said he has been preparing for the race over the past year — after entering the ballot to take part since 2021 — including obtaining a white water kayaking certificate, for what he expects to be his favorite part of the course. “The kayak is going to be the best,” he said. “That’s pretty much the reason why I signed up for it. “I’m hoping the bike will be the easiest out of the three, because as long as you’re on it, then you’re moving, it’s moving for you. “The run, I think, will be probably the most difficult for me, just because it’s a lot of terrain.” Mr Turley is using his two-day journey as a fundraiser for the charity Black Dog On A Lead, which works to promote open communication about mental illness and ending the taboo surrounding mental health. “For so long, if you’re physically hurt, if there’s physical injury, people were very quick to jump in and help,” he said. “But a lot of people were in denial or not willing to open up about a mental injury, or a mental issue, for fear of the stigma that can bring with it . . . but they go absolutely hand-in-hand. “You can’t be in a great physical position if you’re not in a decent mental position as well.” It’s a cause that is close to Mr Turley’s heart, having suffered his own mental health challenges and was previously imprisoned for causing a fatal drunk driving crash in 2004. He now shares the lessons he learned from his past with others through keynote speaking talks at local schools and events, on mental health, decision making and resilience, and has plans to create his own charity. “I was young and stupid at one stage, and I made a very, very stupid decision at the age of 21, to jump behind the wheel of a car while drunk,” Mr Turley said. “And this had terrible repercussions — I hit another car. That person isn’t around today, they lost their life (and) I had to do a custodial sentence. “Over the last 15-20 years, I’ve processed that, I’ve learned to use my story for good, basically to say, well, this is just about the worst thing that you can do. “And you could easily just try and forget about it and go to your grave like it never happened, or you can use that experience, and the power of that story, to try and educate and help other people. “This is my chance to give back and basically honour my victim by saying ‘look, I can’t change what happened, I can’t bring him back, but what I can do is do everything I can to help other people not make the same mistake’, and try to minimise the road statistics.” To donate to the fundraiser, visit: https://bit.ly/3HvayT5