Earlier this week, as part of answering questions to give an insight into why I wrote @greatestdefeat I was asked what parts of myself I’d had to confront in its writing. This mental health awareness week, I wanted to share and expand on my answer. #MentalHealthAwarenessWeek

Like many of us, I have struggled for large parts of my life with elements of my mental health and mental well being. Despite the public persona of the permanently happy, bouncy person, I can be a dreadful rollercoaster. I’m not always that guy. I’m not always the Duracell bunny.

With the effervescent highs, there are crushing lows. I’m not sure I have a middle ground and that makes me a difficult person to be around sometimes. I recognise I’ve not been the best person I could have been to those I care the deepest about.

It’s funny how many people with a depressive personality or who struggle with anxiety and self confidence thrust ourselves infront of a camera. Perhaps out of some need for validation. Yet in the social media era trolling can be utterly soul crushing. Words hurt. Every single one

I think the introduction to @GreatestDefeat is perhaps where I found my voice in talking about my struggles to a small extent, and for the first time talked openly about the fact that beneath the bubbly exterior there’s a person who isn’t always at 100%.

In talking to these great racers and finding that they also struggled, I can only repeat my hope for the book which is that it might allow those of us who do struggle to see that even our great heroes have battled the same demons that we do. And come out the other side stronger.

Please know that no matter how deep you plunge nor how confusing the maze you toil to resolve, there is a route out. And that if you look up, you’ll always see the sun. And if the sun has set the moon shines still. Light exists. Always. And it shines in you.