City centre running club 'helped me find community'

A man who started running after a period of "being completely lost" said he hoped his challenge to run to every station on Greater Manchester's Metrolink tram network would help raise awareness around mental health.

Jamie Soutar said he found himself feeling isolated after a break-up and selling his house.

"I'd lived in Manchester for 10 years but I didn't know anybody. Big cities can feel like that, and I'd convinced myself my life wasn't worth much," the 36-year-old said.

"I was lost for many years, but I was lucky enough to have a support network and access to professional help."

"I thought I'm just going to keep saying yes to things and along the way I found running, and more importantly I found community," he said.

"That community changed my life and has brought me here."

Jamie started making videos online as a way to document his running progress and said it helped to "show what's possible when you stop doubting yourself".

"We all have ups and downs," he said.

"I wish that I had sought professional help much sooner.

"I never wanted to admit to myself that I needed to. I think you can sometimes feel like you don't want to admit weakness.

"That's why I think it's important that we normalise that conversation."

"We should be normalising conversations about mental health."

Jamie will be running to every one of Greater Manchester's 99 Metrolink stations on a 99 mile (160 km) route over two days and is raising money for youth mental health charity 42nd Street.

He has been training for six months and is being supported by the Manchester Bee Network, which is providing a support vehicle throughout.

The Every Stop Counts challenge starts at the Trafford Centre Metrolink stop at Barton Dock Road at 08:00 on Sunday and finishes at Piccadilly Station.

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