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My Birthday Charity Challenge: 825lbs + 10k for Mental Health On December 28th - my birthday - I'm doing something a bit mad: lifting 825lbs (375kg, that's 5x my bodyweight) across squat, bench, and deadlift, then running 10k straight after. Why? I've been in the dark places. I know what it's like to struggle with mental health and not have the words or the support. This challenge combines two things that have helped me through those times. Powerlifting taught me that strength and femininity aren't mutually exclusive, and when everything felt uncertain, it's structure became my anchor. Running? I used to run marathons and half Ironmans - now I've just finished Couch to 5K. I've felt real shame struggling with something that was once easy. But now, in returning to it, there's joy in rebuilding. Together, they prove that strength comes in different forms, and the hardest thing we can do is to keep showing up. That's what I want to prove - and raise money for young people who need support on their hard days. Who am I raising money for? Heads Above The Waves (HATW) is a Cardiff-based not-for-profit doing incredible work around youth mental health. They promote positive, creative ways of dealing with the bad days and help young people have the conversations they desperately need. We can all relate to having bad days but not having the words to voice them. The conversations HATW inspire might have been the ones you needed when you were younger but weren't there. Now, through supporting this challenge, they're the conversations we can give people today. The Challenge: - 825lbs (375kg) total across squat, bench, and deadlift - Immediately followed by a 10k run - All on my birthday, December 28th Every pound raised goes directly to supporting young people's mental health. If this resonates, please donate what you can. Thank you 💙 Follow the journey: I'm documenting the training and writing about fitness, mental health, and starting again on Instagram: @Pen_and_Plates / https://www.instagram.com/pen_and_plates/

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