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Maltese Athlete To Run 365km Across Sicily To Spread Message: ‘Mental Health Is Everything’

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Maltese ultrarunner Steve Sammut Nurminen is on a mission to raise awareness of mental health, and plans to do so by running a distance of 365km across Sicily.

To this end, he has partnered with Dr Klown, the Maltese NGO that provides aid to hospitalised children through fun and laughter.

Come July, Steve will set out from Syracuse and run all the way to Trapani in a challenge forecasted to last between two to three days.

Upon completion, it may be the farthest run ever completed by a Maltese national to date.

He will go the distance assisted by a sponsor, Pragmatic Play, and will be accompanied by a team of professionals to make certain of his well-being.

Steve will also have a live tracker for the benefit of anyone who wishes to follow his journey remotely.

“On a personal level, I am always looking to challenge myself and since I did the 110km run across Malta, I felt that this would be the next step,” Steve told Lovin Malta.

“At the same time, I’m a big advocate for mental health and I use these challenges to raise awareness around this topic as I feel it is not given enough importance here in Malta.”

Training for the ordeal is no joke, with the ultrarunner averaging around 80-100km per week, upping his mileage to 130-140km per week, come May.

“Mental health is everything – and I only say this through experience. I spent a big chunk of my life passing through a routine – work and sports during the week, party and binge-drinking throughout the weekend – and this became my unhealthy cycle.”

“Funnily enough, it was thanks to COVID that I actually fell out of this rut! When the pandemic hit, we were forced to work from home and this gave me the opportunity to finally have that work/life balance that got me running consistently. I got hooked.”

“It doesn’t have to be running, it can be anything, but I think it is super important to make time for oneself each and every day.”

The venture is not the first Herculean feat in the ultrarunner’s books.

Only last year, Steve ran the length of Malta three times nonstop. A total of 110 km within 12 hours.

He completed the ordeal in the middle of summer under Malta’s notorious summer heat and humidity.

His most recent run was the La Valette full marathon on 24th April. Though unfortunately, he had to pull out due to a nagging injury, especially when considering the insane challenge he will be undertaking in less than three months’ time.

“I tried to walk it off for 1km, but was not feeling right at all, and keeping July’s Sicily ultra run in mind, I did not wish to jeopardise this week’s preparation towards my ultimate goal.”

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