CW // Mental Health, Eating Disorders
TRM would like to advise that this article focuses on Tom’s lived experience, and therefore discusses mental health and eating disorders, in particular Anorexia Nervosa. We understand that this discussion may be difficult for those in our community who also suffer from an eating disorder, and have included support services at the end of the article.
At just 23, Tom Dade from Mt Martha in Victoria has entered the ultra running community in a blaze of glory. In September 2019 he ran his first ultra, the 100km at the Surf Coast Century, and went on to run a further three ultras before taking home the top podium spot in the New Year’s Eve Rock Around The Clock 50km that same year in December.
But it wasn’t all podium finishes and glory. In fact, Tom faced an ultra race of a different kind earlier in life – one that involved fighting through an eating disorder.
About one million Australians live with an eating disorder in any given year;
