Sam Gash: How (and why) I use running for social change

My introduction to endurance sports came via a story of two Australian brothers who ran across the Saharan Desert. I was at university, and my friend’s mother had helped them publish a book documenting their adventure.

Something about how they spoke of their mindset – the brain’s ability to transcend physical pain – caught my attention. So, in 2010, with minimal experience (I had recently run my first marathon), I jumped into the deep end of ultrarunning. Looking back, I was naïve – but sometimes ignorance is bliss. 

My debut event was the first leg of the Four Deserts Grand Slam – a 250 kilometre run through Chile’s Atacama Desert. There were so many obstacles to navigate before I even made it to the start line. Most notably, I was badly injured six weeks before the race. But I was determined to see it through (plus, the race director told me I couldn’t postpone my entry).

In the end, I think my injury helped me. I had no idea what it meant to run that distance. It forced me back to basics – to take things slow. If I weren’t injured, I would have gone out way too hard and blown up further down the track – which isn’t uncommon. 

After that event, I began to think about tackling the three remaining Grand Slam legs in a calendar year – something no woman had done before. Honestly, I don’t know why I thought it would be possible. I was still a student, and it’s expensive to compete in races in remote locations around the globe – let alone the physical undertaking. But I committed to making it work.

Over the next few years, I kept competing, and my perspective began to evolve. I had several confronting experiences during events that prompted this change. In a multistage race in China, a competitor died. Then, I competed in a 100-kilometre run in the Kimberley while the area was under threat from bushfires. Unfortunately, many runners were severely injured during that race. It made me realise I needed time to reassess my involvement in the sport, including being clear on the ‘why’ that was guiding me.

In 2012, I ran 379 kilometres across the Simpson Desert, raising money for Save The Children in the process. I’d always had a fundraising component to my runs, but this was the first time I put it at the forefront. It was a conscious decision that changed my relationship with ultrarunning and clarified my priorities.

The pursuit of raising money through endurance sports is complicated. All the elements – training, planning logistics and securing funds – take considerable time.  At some point, you need to decide on your focus – because success depends on where your intentions lie. Placing the emphasis on running as a vehicle for social change was a decision better aligned with my values – with who I want to be.

In many ways, running is a sport of privilege. I choose to suffer during these events – but not everyone has that choice. In the context of everything that goes on in the world, my suffering through running is minimal – and remembering that makes it easy to keep pushing in moments of doubt or pain. When my purpose is strong, it grounds me.

In December 2019, I married my co-star from Survivor – Mark Wales. As corporate speakers who regularly travel for work, we decided to honeymoon close to home in the small coastal town of Bermagui, New South Wales. While watching the news, we saw the bushfires were getting closer ­– and at the last minute we decided it wasn’t wise to be on the road. The next day, the entire population of Bermagui was evacuated to the beach. Fires had been roaring through Australia for over a month, yet all of a sudden they seemed very real to me.

Experiencing that proximity to the black summer bushfires triggered the idea that ended up becoming Relief Run. I reached out to one of my close friends, a partner in many projects and creative genius, Nic Davidson, and we started to put together a virtual running event to raise funds for the bushfire relief effort.

Initially, we thought if we could get 400 people involved, it would be a big achievement. Ultimately, in 12 days, we registered 19,000 participants from 96 countries and raised $1.1 million. I sincerely believe people don’t just want to donate. They want to come together to be part of a solution – to have an experience of pushing themselves for a cause. 

The most recent Relief Run – which took place June 11–13 – raised much-needed funds to support the people of India during the COVID-19 crisis.

India holds a special place in my heart. My first trip there involved a 222-kilometre non-stop run through the Himalayas. I was supported by a tight team of friends who are still involved in many of my expeditions, ideas and businesses today. India was also where I realised that running could be used for something bigger than the ‘I’.

All in all, I ended up travelling to India six times – including a 2016 trip when I traversed the country by running west to east, from the desert to the mountains. Relief Run co-founder Nic Davidson has joined me on four of these visits.

I am so lucky to be able to lean on my AIA Vitality Ambassador family – people who share my values – to keep me motivated and accountable in this journey. I’m proud to say that this Relief Run raised over $340,000 to support the people of India. It’s a testament to the power of mass micro-action. Together, we can all play a part in making a difference – one step at a time. 

AIA Vitality is proud to partner with Relief Run. Although the event is over, fundraising for India’s COVID-19 relief continues. Visit Relief Run today to make a tax-deductible donation.