On Saturday, south Wales’ Terry Rosoman completed a record-breaking 24-hour run through the Welsh mountains. The 39-year-old’s well-planned running route, when uploaded to exercise app Strava, closely resembled male genitalia–and outlined all of its anatomical details. As a marketing director, Rosoman knows how to get the attention of his target demographic; his goal was to raise money and awareness for men’s mental health issues for Movember.
“I don’t want to offend anyone with the shape,” he told BBC News. “It was just to get their attention.”
The run began at 5 p.m. on Friday, traced through the mountain range known as the Brecon Beacons, and ended at 4:30 p.m. on Saturday. The chosen route was hard (no pun intended); Rosoman faced more than 2,800m of ascent and more than 12 hours of running in complete darkness. The 116-km distance, almost equivalent to three marathons, marked the longest distance he had ever covered.
“It was the hardest thing I’ve ever done in my life,” Rosoman told media. “It was just a hard slog for 24 hours–I didn’t sleep, I ran through the night, pitch black, I couldn’t see anything. We got lost loads of times.”
The Welshman’s phallic Strava upload broke the record for the biggest GPS drawing of a penis completed on foot by an unsupported individual in a single continuous effort. He surpassed his original fundraising goal of CAD $9,000 (£5,000), raising more than CAD $15,000.
Claire of New Jersey, who uses the Instagram handle dick_run_claire and is known for uploading Strava runs exclusively in the shape of penises, showed her support on Rosoman’s Instagram. “I AM SO PROUD OF YOU,” she wrote. “This is a masterPIECE. It brings a tear to my eyes.”
Rosoman began completing gruelling endurance challenges in an effort to transform his life after struggling with binge drinking, smoking, drugs and weight issues. He went from what he called the “worst physical and mental health condition” to swapping his drinking and smoking for boxing and a healthy diet. Rosoman has now scaled the Pen Y Fan peak 10 times in 24 hours, and ran a 50-mile ultra-marathon carrying a rucksack of weights.
“I completely turned my life around and I was in the happiest place I’ve been ever in my life,” he told BBC News. He aims to motivate other men to show mental toughness and work to find meaning and purpose.
The run aligned with the start of the charity campaign Movember, an annual event taking place in November where participants grow moustaches to raise money and awareness for men’s mental health, suicide prevention and prostate and testicular cancers.
