by Many people will train for months, even years, to run a full 26.2-mile marathon.
But for the Wade twins, one marathon wasn’t enough.
Twin brothers Henry and Will Wade, 30, decided to challenge themselves by completing seven marathons in seven days as a way to raise awareness of mental health.
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The content-creating twins from London shared their experiences with Fox News Digital, explaining how they came up with the idea after one of their houses burned down.
“Last year, unfortunately, Will’s house burned down unexpectedly, and Will was still in it when it happened,” said Henry Wade.
The Wade twins completed seven marathons in seven days, all for a good cause.
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“Passed a full toll [on] myself, my mental health… and it was the first time in my life that I experienced a kind of massive anxiety, panic attacks and a little bit of post-traumatic stress disorder as well,” Will Wade said of the dramatic loss of his home.
He said he dealt with those struggles by going out and running.
Will Wade, 30, crossed the finish line at the 2022 New York City Marathon in an effort to raise more awareness of mental health issues.
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After seeing his brother overcome his running difficulties, Henry teamed up with Will, and the brothers decided to raise awareness of mental health issues by partnering with Beder, a charity.
Beder is an organization in the UK and Ireland that is dedicated to reducing suicide and ending the stigma surrounding mental health.
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Henry Wade said the brothers knew that completing seven marathons would be difficult, but for them the difficulty would be temporary.
However, many people with mental health problems face a much more difficult situation.
“People who have mental health problems and [who] they feel alone all the time, they have these thoughts and feelings 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year,” he said.
Henry Wade, 30, trained with his brother Will, who faced some mental health issues after his house burned down last year.
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“While we are putting ourselves in a little pain these few hours a day, what they are going through is much worse,” he also said.
The brothers decided to document their journey for their over 750,000 TikTok followers, showing the struggle of completing marathons day in and day out.
After arriving in New York City a week before the 2022 TCS NYC Marathon, the brothers ran 26.2 miles each day around the city.
“Making them back to back…that was just the most ridiculous thing ever,” Will said.
The brothers noted that days four and five were the worst; They felt they couldn’t take it anymore.
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Still, with swollen feet and wasted bodies, the twins persevered and made it to the seventh day.
The Wade twins documented their progress in the marathon. They hope it will bring more awareness of mental health to as many people as possible.
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For the final marathon, the brothers came out strong: They ran the 2022 New York City Marathon.
“Making them back to back…that was just the most ridiculous.”
“It was electric, like our energy came back out of nowhere,” said Will Wade.
The Wade twins found that staying on track mentally was the hardest part, as the five-county marathon race presented them with difficult weather and geography.
The Wade twins congratulated each other on completing the New York City Marathon on November 6, 2022.
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“That’s where the mental challenge comes in because you’re reducing yourself to your essence. Your essence is your most vulnerable state,” Henry said.
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The two celebrated their seven marathons the next morning by enjoying a full American breakfast: pancakes, waffles and all.
The Wade twins have completed seven marathons in seven days and said they are “super grateful” for all the support they have received as they spread greater awareness of mental health issues.
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When asked if they would do it again, the brothers said they are just trying to live in the moment for now: “Seeing these messages today and in the last few days has been very, very moving. We are very grateful.”
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To find out more about Beder, the charity the Wade twins partnered with, visit beder.org.uk for more details.
