This November, Christchurch Police Dog Handler and Armed Offenders Squad member Constable Nick Johnston is stepping up for a cause with a challenge that pushes the limits of physical and mental endurance.
He’s planning to complete a half Ironman every single day, in his own time, for the entire month.
That’s 1.9km of swimming, 90km of cycling and 21.1km of running – every day. Over 30 days, that adds up to: 57km of swimming (2,280 lengths of a 25m pool), 2,700km of cycling (longer than the length of New Zealand) and 633km of running (further than Christchurch to Invercargill).
Nick’s not doing it for the glory, he’s doing it for BetterMan, a charity on a mission to help Kiwi boys and men become better versions of themselves – mentally, emotionally and physically.
BetterMan offers services aimed at improving mental health and wellbeing, and Nick’s epic effort is all about raising awareness and much-needed funding.
“I enjoy the endurance aspect of triathlon,” says Nick. “So, I thought, why not do one every day of November, which is Men’s Mental Health Month?
“I wanted to do something that would push me mentally and physically and hopefully get people to donate to a great cause.”
With over 13 years on the frontline, Nick has seen firsthand the toll trauma and pressure can take on police officers.
“This is personal,” he says. “Like all of us, I’ve dealt with jobs that have had a lasting impact, on my colleagues, my friends and myself. My brother has also struggled with mental health most of his adult life.”
While conversations around mental health are becoming more common, Nick believes there’s still work to do.
“It needs to be normalised more, especially between mates. In this job, just check in with your mates.”
Training for the challenge is no small feat in itself, especially while juggling work and family life.
“I have a very understanding wife who’s been doing the heavy lifting at home while I train,” Nick says. “I’ve also got great family support lined up for November. I couldn’t do it without them.”
“I suspect the first 10 days will be the hardest,” Nick admits. “Hopefully once I get through them, the body will realise this is what we’re doing every day and keep turning up for me. I’ll just focus on each day and not look too far ahead – that could get daunting.”
And when things get tough?
“I think of what some of my mates have been through in this job, the dark places they’ve been. That makes what I’m doing feel easy.”
For Nick, exercise is key to maintaining his own mental wellbeing. “It always makes the mind better,” he says. He’s passionate about encouraging others in the job to look after themselves too.
“To any new police officer who thinks they won’t be affected by this job – you will be humbled at some point. When that happens, don’t be afraid to reach out to your colleagues, your sergeant or the welfare team. They do a great job and they’re always willing to help.”