Episode 162 - Pat Davies

Pat Davies - loving his race on the beaches of Auckland’s North Shore.

Pat Davies served in the Gulf Wars and conflict zones such as Afghanistan and the Falklands during his military career. Starting off as a 17-year-old in the RAF, he eventually ended up moving with his family to New Zealand and joining the RNZAF, and now works for Defence. Along the way, it’s fair to say, he’s seen some things people shouldn’t have to. And those experiences take their toll. In this conversation, Pat talks candidly and openly about the mental health impacts of serving in those environments and how there was a time when it was not the done thing to talk about what you were going through and, instead, to self-medicate with alcohol (for some) or take a stiff upper lip approach (for others). These days, he knows how important it is to seek help, and it’s a message he wants to spread. He also knows that, for him, running makes a difference. He started running when he first joined the Air Force and he’s barely stopped, along the way running in some pretty amazing places, from having to carry a firearm to protect himself from wild dogs in Kuwait, to the stunning Coromandel in one of his favourite ultras, the Kauri Run, to running with the Night Ninjas. Our GRE this week is a throw-back to 30 years ago, and we round up some of the races and adventures over the weekend, some more revealing than others (looking at you, Dougie …). Enjoy!