How Wallaby Ben Alexander turned his post-rugby despair into a lifeline for others

Not long after calling time on a career that included 72 caps for the Wallabies and 152 games for the Brumbies, he spiraled into depression.

Alexander didn't want to leave the house. He lost his ambition. He couldn't see a way out after chasing the rugby dream. The most-capped player in Brumbies history feared what was next.

"I felt like my battery for life was empty, and I lost hope that it would ever recharge," Alexander told the Canberra Times in 2023.

Parkrun - a free weekly community running event - was his panacea.

"It was a godsend for me. It kept me active and I reconnected with old uni friends," Alexander said.

After completing his 50^th Parkrun, Alexander wrote a blog, documenting how Parkrun had helped him through mental health issues.

It struck a chord with Brumbies fan Matt Breen, who was struggling after losing his dad to suicide and his mother's diagnosis with terminal cancer.

Breen contacted Alexander to see if the former Wallaby would host a one-off run for mental health at the pub he co-owns, The Dock, in Canberra.

"We said no worries and that we would shout everyone a drink and slice of pizza," Alexander said. "About 20 people turned up for the first one. I said to Breeny: 'this is good fun, The Dock will shout again next week'.

Running for Resilience was born. That was six years ago.

The free community program now has about 20 events a month in Canberra and has expanded to include pickleball, yoga, knitting and stand-up paddleboarding.

"It hasn't stopped," Alexander said. "We get 1000 people a week across our events. We are at other pubs, cafes, schools, workplaces."

Now, Running For Resilience is coming to Newcastle.

The program will be launched on January 7 at Customs House Hotel. Participants will run or walk along a route along the harbour and break wall.

"The secret we stumbled across was that once people do exercise and you whack a drink in their hand - whether it is water, beer or coffee - they stick around for 20 minutes and chat," Alexander said. "It is super social. It is a combination of exercise and catching up afterwards."

Mateo Zingoni, an Argentinian psychologist and keen runner, is leading the Newcastle program.

"The aim is to get men to realise they have support," Zingoni said. "We move for half an hour and the most important part is sticking around and having a chat. It is a chance to meet new people and connect.

"You don't have to register or commit to each week. Just show up and join in."

Running for Resilience is part of a Canberra-wide effort to reduce suicide in the national capital.

Since 2021, suicide deaths have fallen from 62 to 38 - a 39 per cent drop.

"We have a mission of a suicide-free Canberra," Alexander said. "The result in suicide trend dropping is not all due to us. It is a Canberra-wide effort.

"Through our podcast and newsletter, we have talked a lot about mental health. The other part of our success is that we have created an environment where it is OK for things not to be that great. Me sharing my story, others sharing theirs.

"We are keen to try to help other areas.

"Mateo reached out and a friend of mine from school, Ben Stehr, bought Customs House Hotel. He texted me and said we'd love to host a run."

Alexander will head a contingent of seven travelling up from Canberra for the Newcastle launch on Wednesday (6pm).

His business partner at The Dock, Scott Fardy has moved to Newcastle and is an assistant coach with the Hunter Wildfires rugby union side.

"We are super pumped for January 7," Alexander said. "My brother lives in Newcastle. I caught up with him and Fards. We checked the course out that Mateo has planned. It's beautiful. In Canberra, we run around Lake Burley Griffin which is nice. The run out past Nobbys in Newcastle is beautiful. It couldn't be a better spot."