Gurney's Bits of Wisdom - You'll learn more from what went wrong than what went right. - Winners don't see failure as failure - they see it as feedback.

At 12 o'clock today, Multisport supremo, Steve Gurney, arrived at the Seven Days of Sport Studios. In a fabled career, Steve mastered cycling, mountain running & kayaking, but can he conquer the fearsomely scary auto-cue? Find out tonight on the Seven Days of Sport! I'm your host Steve Gurney, nine time winner of the Coast to Coast....

The re-creation of an historic canoe voyage tackled in stages from Mana to Nelson has revealed that changes in technology are both good and bad.

Standing on the finish line, I like to turn around from where I've been, where I've come from. Not just in a race sense, but also in life. It's about shaking your hand with nature; getting away from the other busy aspects of life and taking a deep breath.

The devastating 2nd Christchurch quake was far more violent than the September one 5 months earlier. It killed an estimated 200 people and destroyed thousands of homes beyond repair. It’s being touted as NZ’s worst disaster. I survived them both… ...and found myself naked in my street again! Last time it was during the September earthquake when I bolted out of bed, off the roof and into the neighbour’s garden,… nude as the day I was born. I was highly embarrassed. This time I didn’t give a toss who saw my bare bum. I was having a bath in the gutter. Yes, bollocks naked for anyone who cared to look, splashing water from the gutter over my face, private bits, everywhere. Cool, clear water had welled up from a crack in my street and I feverishly took advantage of this surprise fountain to rid myself of 5 days of grime. It felt good. Really good. Clearly, my primordial self is taking over. I have further proof: After only a few days it feels completely normal to dig holes and crap in them, and to urinate/mark my territory around the back yard. I now live in a cave (called a tent) amidst piles of sand and rubble (used to be my house). I’m unshaven, my hands are grubby, I eat stuff that’s been on the ground for much longer than 10 seconds, and my daily routine is foraging, gathering and hunting in the rubble for my treasured belongings. I’ve developed a simple and easy routine: Maslow’s hierachy: Build shelter, collect water, gather food. We have a tribe, called neighbourhood. We meet daily at the village well (water tanker) and often help each other with tasks like gathering food and minding children. At night we meet to cook on a fire (BBQ) and exchange stories that will be passed on in folklore. It feels great! I have a true sense of community in stark contrast to isolated nuclear family style of society we’ve had previous to this. I’ve met neighbours I didn’t know I had! I have promised to meet more regularly. I really care about them now! On the other hand, there are those who fled the scene immediately. Loaded the car with wallets, passports, and kids. Some so badly affected, they’re leaving town, for good. Scared of the possible shocks, or devastated by the loss of loved ones and loss of valuables. I can understand this. I’ve lost my house, I’ve had 2 friends crushed by falling buildings, I’ve lost business as conference engagements cancel, and I’m very aware now of how insignificant I can be in the universe. Earthquakes give no warning, there is no predicting the size, timing or location. Here in Christchurch we used to be smug, thinking we were safe. No fault lines here like there are in Wellington, or the Southern Alps, or San Francisco. So, yes I now have a lurking fear. So why do I stay? I find it useful to flip the coin over. These next few years will surely be exciting times. Those who are left in town are the resilient ones, the ones with energy, vision, perspective and those who are able to put the bad stuff in the past, looking instead to the future. These are the kind of people I like to hang with. There is always opportunity in every crisis, and I see an abundance of opportunity here in Canterbury for the years to come. To name a few: As a city we have a fantastic opportunity to be a world-leading role model in earthquake proofing. We have a world-class research facility here that is the Civil Engineering Department of the University, and a full size laboratory that is our city. The majority of the citizens are now convinced that we must replace our dangerous old buildings and build a new heritage of sparkling, aesthetically stunning architecture. The time has come to let go of sentimentality. It costs us too much in lives and in money to fix them, and at the other end of the scale, we will always be afraid to enter those structures. Start with a clean new slate. What a fantastic opportunity for our architects to show-case their skills; marketing themselves to the world. Our council must implement a new building code to ensure that we have a creative, beautiful and functional personality to our city and that it is made robust yet pedestrian/cycle friendly. It’s an economically exciting future as money is poured into the area in the re-building phase. I love the new perspective. As my friend Dr Richard Bolstad pointed out to me, “It’s as if the earthquake is a reminder to live more often in the present moment”. Out of the fear will rise courage. Courage to accept that to survive these random acts of nature we must be more adaptable, to be able to move with the changes, to be less dependent on technology, and to take more personal responsibility. In other words, be resilient and intelligent. In building a new city it’s important to predominantly focus on constructive things. It’s important to acknowledge the things that went wrong and learn from this. It’s important to allow a grieving stage for a finite time, a few weeks perhaps. The critical step is to then change the focus to where we do want to go. It’s like mountain-biking down a fast track. Invariably there are obstacles, such as big rocks. If I focus on the rock… “oh if I hit that rock it’ll really hurt,.. I don’t want to hit that rock!” If I keep looking at this obstacle, I will surely hit it! Instead, for success, I acknowledge the obstacle and then move on to successfully navigate it by looking ahead instead at the path that I do want to take. One excellent way to kick start this positive way of thinking is to start each day by listing 3 good things about the day or about life. I suggest writing these on a wall chart, perhaps using post-it notes, listing 3 new things each day. Get your family or workmates to add to the list too. I also challenge you to identify some new opportunities for yourself, your family and your business. Personally, I’ve got excellent, fresh new material for my motivational speaking on the topic of resilience. This augments superbly with my expertise in adventure resilience. I’m putting together a new marketing package. I am now marketing myself as an expert on resilience. I’ll need to practice what I preach in a business sense, which even more powerful for me. Know anyone looking for room to rent? My house is destroyed and now I’m looking for flatmates to share another house I’m planning to rent in Cliff St, Redcliffs, Christchurch. Until then, I’m enjoying camping out whilst the weather is good. I feel secure in my cave/tent. There’s no roof to collapse on me just a simple piece of canvas between me and the infinity that is the cosmos above me. Before I sleep I gaze skyward, contemplating the invisible forces that we cannot explain, let alone control. I also contemplate the wisdom of my ancestors. My dear old Gran once told me “at my old age, sonny, I never buy green bananas, they might just be a bad investment”. I truly feel and understand that simple wisdom now. The quake and its after shocks have forced me to live in the present moment a lot more. I never know when the next one is coming. The impressive ease with which this quake tore my Redcliffs house to uninhabitable pieces has made me realize that I’m just a speck of dust when it comes to the infinity that is nature, the universe, God, or whatever you want to call it. I marvel at the technological leaps and bounds that human kind has made in the recent decades of the technological revolution, and the clever gadgets made by clever boffins. It’s natural that I’m attracted to the sparkle, glitz and promises of an easier more enjoyable life. By buying the new widget, I can live tomorrow’s life today. I’ve raced to embrace life supported by electrical wizardry without much thought of what happens when someone trips over the plug. I am convinced we’ve become too dependant on technology. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not ready yet to toss my iPhone over my shoulder as I head off to find a cave. Right now, I’m beginning to really enjoy the simplicity of life, the peace and calm without emails, the internet and TV. My sanity returns, life makes more sense when I just let go, and focus on … well.. ….digging my hole. Quote for the day "Courage can only exist in the presence of fear. Feel the fear and then transmute it into courage with powerful action." - Steve Gurney. Steve Gurney is an adventurer, motivator and storyteller. He’s trained in developing mental excellence and resilience, teaching and speaking to businesses. www.stevegurney.co.nz

".....it's risky, that's why we love it!" - Kathmandu Coast to Coast Ambassador Steve Gurney Video by Mason Bennett

ANNA TURNER 06:17, Aug 04 2013 Kiwi adventure-sport legend and quake refugee Steve Gurney is "living like a student" in a caravan park in Queenstown. The nine-times Coast to Coast winner has fled Christchurch after becoming "overwhelmed" by the stress of dealing with his quake-damaged house. "I needed to get out of the stress zone. So I've moved to Queenstown to get away." Gurney's Redcliffs home was red-zoned after the February 2011 earthquake and for the past two-and-a-half years he has been struggling to settle with his insurance company. There were issues over the land-zoning and Gurney has already lost $20,000 in legal fees. "That's money I won't recover but it was needed to get what's mine. "I've got no land and no property and all my money is tied up in the claim. "It's bloody stressful and I've just had enough." Until going to Queenstown, he'd been living in a caravan on his sister's land in Rangiora. "There's only so much stress you can take before it becomes unhealthy and it was reaching that point. "So, I've left. I'm still living in a caravan but at least in Queenstown I've got something nice to look at and I'm slightly further away from the situation." Since moving, Gurney said his stress levels had reduced. "I've loved moving to Queenstown. I actually can't believe I didn't do it years ago. "I'm very happy living in an adventure playground where there's easy access to the mountains and wilderness. "Most importantly, the people are awesomely friendly and I have heaps of friends here." He's been busy integrating himself into the Queenstown lifestyle. At the Queenstown Winter Festival, Gurney made a splash as he took out the birdman contest, squeezed in a dash in the Jelly Belly Undie 500 and took on the mountain bike mayhem and suitcase race at Coronet Peak. But while he was enjoying the town, Gurney was not completely happy with his caravan spot. "It's pretty cold and takes a lot to keep warm. "My stuff is still in storage containers on the side of the road near my broken house. I only have essentials with me here. It's still a bit of a mess." Gurney's Redcliffs home is subject to an emergency demolition order and he said he was sad to see it go. "I've been living there nearly 30 years. It was perfect - right near the beach so I could go kayaking, running and walking. "It's a very special area to me but it's become stressful," he said. Since retiring from competitive professional sport, Gurney has worked as a motivational speaker and "expert team builder". He said most audiences wanted to hear how he recovered from a severe and life-threatening illness - he contracted leptospirosis in the jungles of Borneo - to keep winning in his sport. Queenstown was the "ideal conference location" from which to base his business. "I can't 100 per cent say I'm going to live in Queenstown permanently but it's looking pretty good at the moment," he said. "What I really want is to be able to move on with my life. I need some answers."

Date and Time: Monday December 16th, 2013: 7:00 am Location: Southern Response Carpark, 6 Show Place, Addington, Christchurch. Duration: As long as it takes. Schedule: See below Email Group: Join the email group working together to resolve each other's claims. Leading up to the 16th we need to keep pressure on. The squeaky hinge gets the oil. I believe that the universe helps those who help themselves. Be proactive, stand up, turn up, and intelligently speak out for what is rightfully yours. News roundup on Southern No Response protests: Significant Acknowledgements and Commitment From Southern Response Protesters confront Southern Response Anger, frustration at doors of Southern Response Summary: My gut feeling is that Peter Rose took our concerns and our protest seriously, and I believe many cases from the 50 to 70 that were presented will be resolvable come 16th Dec. For those protesters who are still not satisfied with Southern Response’s response on Dec 16th, we will have the opportunity to stay on-site in or near the carpark, protesting until satisfied. This is where the protest truly begins in earnest! We may see, camping, siege, banners, chanting, all aimed at pressuring Southern Response into acting responsibly and professionally. By gathering in one place, we present a great opportunity for media to find a good story. It will be so much more passionate this time! This is an ultimatum we've issued to SR and the 16th is like "D-day". The day of reckoning. We've handed Southern Response and Peter Rose an opportunity to put things right, to give these folks and their families their lives back, to give them their back their homes, the things they've saved their entire lives for, and ultimately give them back their health, happiness and dignity. SR have breached their contract in these cases. If Peter Rose fails to deliver satisfactory reparation on the 16th, then the crowd will surely go wild. This is when the protest will truly ramp up. On the 16th, we're expecting most protestors to come prepared to camp out in the carpark and stay there protesting until they're delivered a satisfactory solution. For those of you who came on the 2nd, prepared to stay all day and even camp in for days, I wish to thank you for your commitment. Your chance will come again on the 16th, and my aim is that we’ll be joined by others prepared to stay as many days as are necessary to get our claims settled! Since the protest on Dec 2nd many more people have contacted us asking to be added to our group. So on the 16th I'm picking the numbers assembling in the SR carpark will far exceed what we had on Dec 2nd, perhaps nearer 200-300. The carpark will become very congested, and will disrupt the offices of SR. There is great power in numbers. Please invite others, your families, supporters and friends. Also consider that we must surely be the tip of the iceberg. There will be many people who couldn’t come (child-care, work, out of town), chose not to come (scared), some didn’t hear about it (too stressed, too busy to follow media, now live out of town). As these folks join us we will have greater momentum, so keep up the faith, keep pressing for resolution. My aim is to set some sort of precedent, case studies if you like. As our cases are resolved and the unethical and unprofessional behaviour of Southern Response is proven, it must get easier and easier for us, and for lawyers and QSs to help us. Also worth considering, are the statistics around the many who will have settled prematurely with sub-standard repairs, or a “low-ball” figure because they felt rail-roaded, cornered by Southern Response through bullying and purposeful “low-balling” etc. These folks will understandably feel despair, and there might be some means of recourse. But the important ramification are the statistics. Southern Response will be quoting numbers of successfully settled cases, but many of these are not “successful” due to the duress and pressure under which the customers would have settled. If by some miraculous transformation, Southern Response changes their procedures and delivers contracts that customers can settle amicably, then the crowd will disperse with good will, and in the spirit of the season, with the best Christmas news they'll have had in 3 years. 2. You will need to have a fact sheet filled out as per the template. Be realistic, honest, no exaggeration, and this way we will be taken seriously. Please print off 3 copies of your own completed template to bring with you on Monday morning, (one for yourself, one for our legal crew, and one for Southern Response to take away) Stay posted and please share this information with all who you know will be there. Download your form template here. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Event Schedule Protest #2: Read / hear Southern Response’s replies/offers to us. Siege and protest if not satisfied. 7 am Assemble with tents, caravans, portaloos, etc Totally "inhabit" the carpark! 8 am Steve and Ali address the crowd to get folks organised 8:30 Peter Rose and SR managers present us with replies for settlement. 9:00 Assess, check with your lawyers 12:00 If not satisfied come back to siege and camp until satisfied. It might be useful to fill out a 1-pager to hand to them so that we have constructive methods to progress forward. So it is imperative that we get numbers for Monday morning Dec 16th, 7:00 am. What you need to bring: Signs that make your point. Reasonably large signs that TV and Newspaper photographers will be able to read at 50 metres. Bold and stark. Use cardboard or "real-estate" signs. Black poster paint or test pots. Tents (you'll need bricks to tie the guy ropes to if pitching tent on the tarseal) Feel free to bring caravans and campavans, the more the merrier and the better. Mattress or stretcher to sleep on Sleeping bags Warm clothes Raincoat Warm shoes Sunscreen Umbrellas Food, (think picnic style with Chilly-bins), Breakfast (simple cereal), Lunch, (make sandwiches or bacon-egg pie etc), Dinner (Get your friends to bring, or bring a camp cooker). We have secured a BBQ, so bring some meat and cooking will be easy. Containers of water for drinking, cooking and washing. Headlamps and spare batteries. For many of you these supplies could be comprised of your EarthQuake emergency kits, and this would make good effect for the TV. Rubbish bag. Bryan, are those Port-a-loos available again? We need to show Southern Response and the TV that we're sincere and will siege them until we get fair and reasonable action. Thus, we need to FILL the carpark with people, tents, and as much evidence that we are sincere and serious! Once again, I urge you to be passionate and frustrated, but cool, collected and intelligent. I understand you may have other commitments such as work, childcare, etc. BUT this is extremely important and is seriously affecting your lives and health. You need to pull out all stops, bring your kids, get stand-in help for your work. This could be your last chance: let's unite and sort this once and for all! Steve Gurney ------------------------- I’ve instigated a Campbell Live investigation into Southern Response (the insurance body set up by the Gov’t after AMI’s collapse to pay out Earthquake claims). Personally I have found Southern Response to be ridiculously tardy, unethical, and unprofessional. I’ve still not been paid for my smashed house and property, they’ve had my life savings tied up since Feb 2011. But that's not the half of it - I’m going to bat for a group of over 130 households who are being treated abysmally by Southern Response. The underlying problem seems to be that Southern Response is a “sunset” entity, ceasing to exist after they’ve paid out the claims from the earthquake. Thus, they have no interest in maintaining their brand or image; they have no clients to retain or impress. Trouble is they’ve gone too far, they simply don’t give a damn for the people they were set up to support! We'd just like to be paid out so we can move on - how many more years are we expected to live in limbo?

As part of Karen's Resilience 7 week online series, she caught up with Steve: Resilience is an inside job: Interview with Steve Gurney October 23, 2015 by Karen Ross Last month as part of my 90-day Resilience for Leaders programme, I caught up with the ever-energetic Steve Gurney to talk resilience: what it is, how it applies to life and performance, and what it takes to win against the odds. Steve, one of New Zealand’s most respected adventure athletes, inventor, speaker and author, speaks candidly here about some of his biggest adventures, coming back from the brink of death, and overcoming some of life’s biggest challenges – including losing his home in the 2011 Christchurch earthquake. He has just a bit of experience to draw from! At the heart of what he shares here about resilience is the central role our mind and our internal state plays in dealing with life’s unexpected challenges and coming out on top. He makes it clear that we can be relaxed and do well – and probably better than if we are over-extending ourselves and pushing too hard. More on this in my previous blog about being “addicted to ‘hard”. Make your state the most important part of how you’re being, because it really does make the biggest difference. Steve talks a lot about the nuts and bolts of managing your state in his first book, Lucky Legs, and explores resilience in Eating Dirt. Like Steve, I’m big on the ‘how’ and here’s what he suggests if you want to prepare your emotional state and mind-set before a performance, competition or simply a busy day at work. Ask yourself this core question: If I was to have fun and it seemed to take very little effort, what state of mind and physiology would I need to have? Take time to really think about this. What would you be feeling in your body, what would your attention be on, or what would you be saying to yourself when it was feeling fun and seemed to take very little effort? Visualise this, get a feel for it, write down what you discover. In this way, be intentional about how you go into that race, meeting or presentation. This is simple but profound. Steve says so, right?! Prioritise your state. No matter how intelligent, brilliant and experienced you might be, how you feel in the moment will determine how brilliant you are there and then. Period. Can you believe it? Feeling good is at the heart of peak performance – you don’t have to wait until you’ve won the race to feel great. The irony. Karen x

OLIVIA CALDWELL 05:00, Feb 10 2018 Endurance athlete Steve Gurney says retiring from sport can potentially have traumatic effects on an athlete's mental health. Depression, it is a dirty word. Nine-time Coast to Coast winner and multisport legend Steve Gurney has gone down that pathway, come out and gone back down it again. He isn't ashamed about this fact, but the Kiwi multisport icon says too many athletes are afraid to open up because of the stigma around the 'D' word. Gurney has publicly struggled off the course with his mental health because after the massive high of an event and career, the comedown can be brutal. He is currently going through what he calls "another bout", but is learning how to first recognise the signs of depression and secondly address it. Adventure racing legend Steve Gurney struggles with his depression at times and says Kiwi athletes need to speak out about mental health. He says through injury and "being too old", he can't compete at the same level I was competing at, so that's massively depressing, suicidally depressing at some stages and I've had help with this." READ MORE: Sports retirees are at risk of depression Since retiring from serious competition the 54-year-old has left Christchurch for Queenstown, taken up motivational speaking and dabbles in multisport. While that fills in time, it does not fill void that his love for competition once occupied. Sir John Kirwan was one of the first Kiwi sports people to speak out about depression and mental health. He believes this is a common issue many athletes are left with when they decide to "hang up the boots", because they all have that competitive streak that doesn't just go away the minute you retire or run out of form. "I don't think you can change your personality. As a driven person, it's your personality type. Often the first born or things that have happened in your life as a kid, drives you to be competitive. "So when things go wrong, or when your career gets interrupted then life suddenly gets really tough because we are competitive by nature and I don't think you can change your nature. What we can do is understand." "There are a lot of athletes who used to be professionals or high level competing athletes who have had injury or had to retire and are now struggling because that purpose that they had has now evaporated. I know it's especially happening in sport but also other professions and walks of life too." Gurney and other Kiwi sporting greats have provided years of entertainment and inspiration to upcoming athletes and sports fans. But these same athletes are somewhat forgotten when they retire from professional sport and some even feel a sense of trauma when they are left with what can seem like nothing. "It is like they are discarded in to the used basket you know." When Gurney retired after winning his ninth Coast to Coast event he wasn't sure what to do with his life. He was left with with huge amounts of anxiety and a head space often so bad he thought about taking his own life. While Gurney made a conscious decision to leave sport when the time was right, many athletes have to end their careers because of injury or poor form, and sometimes because of a mental health struggle. He says there needs to be an open avenue for these athletes to talk about their mental health issues, both during and post career. "There's nothing really, no organisations, help or courses. I see a gaping hole there with these sorts of people who are now lost. They can be helped." An athlete's performance is not only driven by their physical fitness, but a lot has to do with their mental health. If an athlete's belief or self confidence is low, it is likely to show on game day. The quick answer of anti depressants does not sit well with Gurney nor with former sportspeople who have spent a career resisting the temptation of drugs. "We have fought really hard to stay clean in our sport. Drugs are kind of a dirty word to us. I'd rather figure out what's going on in my brain." The former Cantabrian says mental health struggles are a lifelong battle and there is no easy fix. Since realising he battled with his own mind, Gurney has learned how to recognise triggers and address them before they become too large to cope with. "Recognition is the first thing, and being aware of that. Then you can choose a response. "Instead of being all upset and pissed off you can say 'there goes that competitive streak again' and think 'okay what's a better response'? That's the hardest thing for some people, to be able to recognise it." One of Gurney's biggest concerns about depression is the word "depression". He believes Kiwis, especially males, treat having depression as a failure and others sometimes treat it as an excuse for life's failures. "I think depression has been thought of as a dirty word and something you don't really want to talk about. There is a stigma and it's only just coming out into the open now, but there is resistance." "Everyone is on the scale. Traditionally we have placed people in a box. 'Okay so you are in the depressed box' we say. And that's like you have got a fault. But it is human nature, we are all on the spectrum between happiness and depressed and we are all somewhere on that line. "Society is still a long way from normalising it, but I really commend those high achievers who come out and are helping to normalise it." AT A GLANCE Steve Gurney's steps to a clear mind: - It's about getting back in to good habits. Keep it small, like eating healthy food - Ban any form of junk food, throw out all the sugar in your house - Stay off social media, disconnect - Meet people face to face - Get lots of sleep. Get early nights and get up early - Sunlight. You need sun on your skin - Remove yourself from the cause of trauma - Acknowledge the good things and share it. It's an uplifting spiral - Develop and attitude of gratitude Where to get help Lifeline (open 24/7) - 0800 543 354 Depression Helpline (open 24/7) - 0800 111 757 Healthline (open 24/7) - 0800 611 116 Samaritans (open 24/7) - 0800 726 666 Suicide Crisis Helpline (open 24/7) - 0508 828 865 (0508 TAUTOKO). This is a service for people who may be thinking about suicide, or those who are concerned about family or friends. Youthline (open 24/7) - 0800 376 633. You can also text 234 for free between 8am and midnight, or email talk@youthline.co.nz 0800 WHATSUP children's helpline - phone 0800 9428 787 between 1pm and 10pm on weekdays and from 3pm to 10pm on weekends. Online chat is available from 7pm to 10pm every day at www.whatsup.co.nz. Kidsline (open 24/7) - 0800 543 754. This service is for children aged 5 to 18. Those who ring between 4pm and 9pm on weekdays will speak to a Kidsline buddy. These are specially trained teenage telephone counsellors. Your local Rural Support Trust - 0800 787 254 (0800 RURAL HELP) Alcohol Drug Helpline (open 24/7) - 0800 787 797. You can also text 8691 for free. For further information, contact the Mental Health Foundation's free Resource and Information Service (09 623 4812).

1 Jun, 2018 05:00 AM Multisport Legend Steve Gurney speaks out about depression. Photo/ supplied By: Emma Russell Emma Russell is a health reporter for the New Zealand Herald emma.russell@nzherald.co.nz Steve Gurney is speaking out about his 20-year battle with depression in a bid to help change the stigma around mental health. As Men's Health Month starts today, Gurney has revealed that at the crux of his professional athletic career he was struck with a life-threatening leptospirosis infection that almost broke him. "I was told I had to hang up my bike and it was devastating. My kidneys had failed and there was nothing I could do. "Being told that was the end of my career set off a reaction in my brain that just sickened me and that's when the depression started." For years Gurney tried to figure out what was going on in his head. He said he read books, had regular appointments with counsellors, took courses and it was really hard. "I think the only reason I didn't suicide was because there was a little spark of belief that if I apply the same grit of determination to figuring it out as I did to my racing then maybe I'd find a solution." And eventually he came up with simple habits and thought processes that helped him tackle his depression. "Being aware was a big part of my recovery." For Gurney, his depression stemmed from the need to prove himself. Steve Gurney celebrating another win at Coast to Coast with founder of the event Robin Judkins. Photo/ supplied. "Racing was my happy place but as it turns out my need to win was an underlying problem because it was trying to prove that I was lovable." "I think this is really common in successful people because they feel that need to prove themselves and there's no right and wrong, that's just life," Gurney said. Dealing with depression was no easy road but Gurney emphasised that how we respond to challenges determines attitude and state of mind. "If you act happy and positive people respond better. Fake it till you make it is what I always say." He said it takes courage to better ourselves but it's worth fighting for. "It's amazing that when I share my story [others] open up about their experiences and it helps." Gurney will be joining National leader Simon Bridges and radio presenter Paul Flynn at a Men's Health Trust networking breakfast at Stamford Plaza in Auckland on June 8. Despite being told his infection back in 1995 would be the end of his career, Gurney went on to win another seven Coast to Coast races. Gurney says he still participates but holds back on winning. Steve's key messages: 1. Simple habits make a difference - make sure you're getting early nights and turn off the TV. 2. Get off Facebook - comparing your life to what's online can get you down but remember what people post online is never the full story. 3. Eat healthy - something that's repeated again and again but it makes a difference. 4. Exercise - even if it's just a walk. 5. Get out in the sun - soaking up vitamin D is so important even more so in these cold winter months. 6. Each night before bed write down three things you are grateful for - try it for a month. 7. Stay positive - read positive books, be around positive people, think positive. WHERE TO GET HELP: If you are worried about your or someone else's mental health, the best place to get help is your GP or local mental health provider. However, if you or someone else is in danger or endangering others, call police immediately on 111. OR IF YOU NEED TO TALK TO SOMEONE ELSE: • LIFELINE: 0800 543 354 or text HELP to 4357 (available 24/7) • SUICIDE CRISIS HELPLINE: 0508 828 865 (0508 TAUTOKO) (available 24/7) • YOUTHLINE: 0800 376 633 • NEED TO TALK? Free call or text 1737 (available 24/7) • KIDSLINE: 0800 543 754 (available 24/7) • WHATSUP: 0800 942 8787 (1pm to 11pm) • DEPRESSION HELPLINE: 0800 111 757

Their curiosity piqued by their previous re-enactment "A Most Ambitious Journey" Gurney and Moffatt were motivated to re-trace the steps of Marmaduke Dixon and Guy Mannering; in a most exciting mountaineering / kayaking dual adventure. Dixon and Mannering in 1890 were attempting to be the first to summit Aoraki/Mt Cook, followed by paddling their Rob Roy kayaks from the Hermitage down to the east Coast at Oamaru. Once again, Gurney was like a kid in a toyshop using the most modern equipment he could, whilst for comparison Moffatt uses gear and food of the original adventurers; hobnail boots, tweed jacket, oilskins, etc. The trip didn't go as planned with a drama high on the flanks of Aoraki/Mt Cook, with consequences later in the trip. The learning the pair got from this has direct applications, not only to modern-day adventure, but in Gurney's opinion, to the rapid march of technology in every-day modern life. Gurney expands on this concept in his latest book "Eating Dirt" and as a conference speaker.