HIS body is feeling "all right" but mentally, Alan Thorpe admitted to feeling "scared" at times.
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In about one week's time, Mr Thorpe will start walking 500 kilometres in 20 days - the equivalent to 25km each day - about Ballarat in his continued mission to raise money and awareness for mental health support.
Mr Thorpe has regrouped after severely battered and blistered feet cut short his attempt to 600km walk from Ballarat to Adelaide, not long after he had crossed the border into South Australia.
This time, Mr Thorpe is sticking to well-worn Ballarat courses with the hope of capturing increasing attention he day he sets out about Lake Wendouree. Plus, there is the added bonus of sleeping in his own bed each night.
Mr Thorpe, who is a suicide survivor, was particularly determined to help make a difference for young people in a time of heightened mental health concerns.
"That drives me harder, to get more people talking," Mr Thorpe said. "It's getting worse for the younger once with bullying. When I was younger, if there was an issue you usually didn't hear about it until the next day at school. Now, with mobile phones, it doesn't stop.
"I want to make a huge difference in helping people to speak up and make a change. To know, when you are in that bad place, there is help."
Walking helped save Mr Thorpe's life. It gave him added purpose.
Mr Thorpe was in a dark place last year and could barely get off the couch.
He had been injured in a house fire. His brother was diagnosed with cancer. His seizures were playing up.
Always in the back of Mr Thorpe's mind was that he had lost six family members to suicide. He was determined to break the cycle.
It got to a point where he started walking and talking.
On Tuesday, Mr Thorpe clocked up his 200th kilometre covered in 130 walks.
Mr Thorpe has continued to blog his progress, particularly in preparation for his next mission. Mostly "younger ones" tend to reach out to encourage him and to seek encouragement. This keeps spurring him along.
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The Athlete's Foot Ballarat keeps stepping up to ensure Mr Thorpe has quality footwear for the training and for his mission. D2E Gym has again worked with Mr Thorpe to build leg strength and Hip Pocket Workwear has supplied him clothes for the journey.
Mr Thorpe will start and finish his 20-day effort across the road from The Lake View Hotel as a sign of thanks for the meals they have offered to keep him fuelled in training.
"I wouldn't be able to do this without all this support," Mr Thorpe said. "It's not as easy as getting up and walking. There's a lot that happens behind the scenes with people helping me.
"...I also know the pain I put myself through is nothing to the pain of losing someone to suicide and the ripple effects this makes."
Mr Thorpe is $2000 short of his $20,000 fundraising target for national mental health support BeyondBlue. To follow Mr Thorpe and his fundraising efforts, visit his socials or team-beyond-blue.raisely.com/alan-thorpe.
Beyond Blue:1300 224 636
Lifeline: 13 11 14
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