Lejog charity runner opens up about mental health issues after pro baseball career with LA Dodgers
A Land’s End to John O’Groats (Lejog) runner popped into Watten to give an interview during the last leg of his mammoth run for the Homeless World Cup Foundation.
American Andy Suiter started on June 11 and made it to his final destination at Groats on the evening of Tuesday, July 15. When Matthew Williams, Andy’s marketing and PR manager, contacted the paper, it turned out that the Lejog runner was only a couple of miles away and was able to drop in for a pit stop break before finishing the trip.
The 38-year-old talked about his life and motivation to undertake the gruelling Lejog run from Cornwall to Caithness.
“I grew up just outside of San Francisco in California and used to play professional baseball with the LA Dodgers,” he said.
“I was in the UK before and worked in Edinburgh in 2021 for a few months doing IT work. I fell in love with the place and knew I’d come back. I’m pretty sure I’ve got some Scottish heritage on my dad’s side.
“My fiancee, Angie, her sister is married to a guy who’s been working with the Homeless World Cup for a while and that’s how I found out about it initially. I think they’re doing something incredibly amazing through the power of sport.”
Andy journeyed from Helmsdale earlier that day and made it to Watten in the late afternoon. He originally set off with a tent with the intention of wild camping, but by day eight he ditched the idea. “I found it really difficult to run all day and then sleep well in the tent. Logistically, it was hard to find dinner, then a place to sleep and breakfast right away when I would wake up.
“That extra weight was also tough on the knees. So I started booking places ahead.”
Andy used national trails as he ran up the length of the UK but described the final hurdle of the John O’Groats Trail (JOGT) as particularly “challenging”.
“I was on the Trail for some of it and then the road, but yesterday I decided that I was going to just take the road and do a double marathon to finish in one day.”
Andy initially ran along the rugged Southwest Coast Path, crossed into Wales on Offa’s Dyke, climbed the remote Pennine Way through thick mist and rain along Hadrian’s Wall, ran along the West Highland Way and Great Glen Way, before hitting the last stretch of the JOGT. He experienced heatwaves and storms, freed a trapped lamb, was well looked after by the locals he had met and “ran every day with a smile on his face”, according to his PR manager.
Andy talked about his interest in the Homeless World Cup Foundation and how it came about. “When I got released from pro baseball, it was a really challenging time.
“I wasn’t homeless but I was struggling mentally with depression and anxiety. I was drinking a lot but I was lucky as I had family and friends who rallied around me. The core thing is, I had help.
“What I really connected to with the Homeless World Cup is if you think about yourself, or others in your life, there’s always a comeback story in there and people who will rally around to help.
“When I decided to run this double marathon today, I was going to be on more road than I’ve ever been on. I try to avoid A roads like the plague as they’re kind of dangerous at times.
“I was in this Spar shop in Helmsdale, and the lady said I needed a Hi-Vis vest, so she found out what bed and breakfast I was at and her husband dropped one off for me. That is the story of this trip – the kindness from the hundreds of people who have given me food or some pounds for a pint.”
Andy says that the Homeless World Cup gives athletes experiencing homelessness an opportunity to “compete on a huge stage, belong on a team, and go from feeling forgotten to feeling celebrated”.
“The Homeless World Cup speaks to something deep in me. As one of my professors once said, ‘Don’t ask what’s wrong with them, ask what they’ve been through’.
“That’s what the Homeless World Cup does. It lifts people up, people experiencing homelessness, through the power of sport, through team, belonging, discipline, and belief. Over 75 per cent of participants go on to secure stable housing and rebuild their lives.”
Matthew Williams, Andy’s marketing and pr manager, said: “We are delighted to see Andy finish his mammoth challenge for the Homeless World Cup Foundation. His personal story resonates with us and with so many of the people we help with our tournament across the globe. Andy is a Homeless World Cup hero!”
You can find more info on Andy and the Homeless World Cup at: www.runandyrun.com/
Homeless World Cup info is at this link: www.homelessworldcup.org/news/run-andy-run-the-finish-line-is-in-sight
Donate money to Andy’s fundraiser at: homelessworldcup.gofundraise.co.uk/page/Andy-43187072
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