Marathon for PTSD
Doron Atzmon has been training hard on the latter for the gruelling 252km multi-day Marathon De Sables to be held in Morocco later this month.
The Sahara desert sand dunes in Morocco are a long way from Sydney’s Bondi Beach.
Sydneysider Doron Atzmon has been training hard on the latter for the gruelling 252km multi-day Marathon De Sables to be held in Morocco later this month, in which he will raise funds for Israelis suffering from PTSD.
Spurring him on is the memory of his nephew Ilay Nachman, murdered by Hamas at the Nova music festival on October 7, and his cousin Rani Tachan, who fell fighting in Gaza.
Atzmon told The AJN he had already been training when he travelled to Israel after his nephew’s death.
“I contacted my cousin [Tachan], he’s an ultramarathon runner, to come and train with me and maybe join join me for the marathon … and he said he can’t join me because he’s going to fight in Gaza.
“A month later, my cousin was was killed.”
He said Tachan rejoined the IDF despite suffering from PTSD. “I decided not to stop my running … I decided to carry on, like he carried on,” he said.
Runners tackle the 252km course mostly on sand, in 40 degree heat, with a 12kg pack containing essentials on their backs. Atzmon said out of 900 people only 30 per cent complete the run.
To prepare, he has been running hundreds of kilometres each week.
“I know many people now. All the lifeguards, they know me by now,” he joked.
While Atzmon does the hard work, members of the community can do their part and donate.
“Basically the whole country is in need of support,” he said.
“Whatever is possible to give, it will be very helpful to fight PTSD.”
Donate: gofundme.com/f/lets-help-survivors-suffering-with-ptsd
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