Josh Hall training for the SkiErg challenge alongside a sketch of his younger sister Tyler Hall. Photo / Supplied
Josh Hall training for the SkiErg challenge alongside a sketch of his younger sister Tyler Hall. Photo / Supplied
Content warning: This article discusses suicide and may be distressing to some readers.
A Mount Maunganui gym coach has intentionally put himself through a "mental battle" in memory of his sister, who died of suspected suicide last year.
Josh Hall (Ngāi Te Rangi, Ngāti Pūkenga) completed the 100km SkiErg challenge in seven hours and nine minutes.
The 32-year-old, who had been training for the challenge since February, said dealing with the pain endurance was one of the "hardest" things he had ever done.
Hall described the challenge as a "mental battle" but believed it was important to get it done for his "stubborn but loving" little sister Tyler Hall.
He reached the halfway point of his mission to raise $100,000 for the Mental Health Foundation - with $52,550 as of 2pm yesterday.
The challenge, titled "The Cookie 100", took place on September 25 in line with Tyler's 31st birthday at Mount Maunganui Gym RAW Fitness HQ.
Hall picked up the nickname Cookie years ago while playing rugby in Tauranga, and is now often referred to as "Coach Cookie" at the gym.
32-year-old RAW Fitness coach Josh Hall had been training for the 100 kilometre SkiErg challenge since February. Photo / Supplied
"It was a special day, the gym was full of support. The amount of people that came through to watch me stand on a ski for seven hours was incredible.
"It was long. The pain endurance is up there with one of the hardest things I have had to deal with – and that's part of the mindset I wanted to put myself in."
The idea for the event came about after Hall, who also has three younger brothers, was struggling during the first few months after Tyler's death.
"It was to get a little bit of healing for myself, to get me on the straight and narrow."
While he initially wanted to complete the challenge without anyone knowing, Hall said his partner Kelly Dodd encouraged him to use the opportunity to open up conversations about suicide prevention and mental health.
He chose to complete the challenge on a SkiErg because he liked it "a little better" than the rowing machine.
Since launching into training for the challenge earlier this year, Hall said gym members had come forward sharing their stories of mental health struggles.
"I used to be a shocker for bottling things up. I am an introvert so I keep things pretty close to my chest.
"People that I coach every day have found the courage to come forward ... That's all we can ask for, is people to speak up about it rather than bottle it up.
"It has helped me, in a way, let everything out."
Sharing that pain and hurt has been a "huge relief" for Hall.
He described Tyler as a "tough woman" who also "loved hard".
"She was loud, she stamped her authority on you if you needed it. But on the flip side, she was one of the most loving and caring people around.
"You could probably hear her laugh from a million miles away."
