Alex Marstella

2024 - DGR - Health & Gratitude

Saturday 13th Apr 2024

I will not be riding in The Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride this year as I will be celebrating my gorgeous wife's 30th. However, this doesn't stop my passion to raise funds and create conversations of the importance of mental health and men's health.

DGR 2024 will be my 8th year fundraising. Over the years my wife and I have reached a milestone of $12,000 and above in total fundraising! This is all thanks to community, along with dedicated friends and families generosity. For this I am grateful and I thank you all.

A little bit about me and my current health:

Thanks to my continued careers as an Auxiliary Firefighter & High School Teacher, I get to spend my days educating students about the importance of safety, health, wellbeing and physical activity. I have to keep myself alert and prepared. As opportunities arise, I do my best to role model everything I teach and act in a way that provides the best outcome for myself, those in my immediate care and those who I meet along the way. It is my love of Christ that assists and gives me daily strength. My faith helps me to do my best to act justly, love mercy and walk humbly each day.

Teaching provides me with a platform to approach safety and awareness of mental health in many safe, but also challenging environments. As a Firefighter I also get challenged to look out for my own and others wellbeing, in immediate emergency situations and as a crew member. My experiences in both fields has taught me the importance of good mental and physical wellbeing, guided by spirituality, keeping active, eating right and speaking openly.

As I stated earlier on, I'll not be riding in this years DGR as it will be my wife's 30th. Not only this, 2024 has been a year of injuries for me. Firstly, through sport, I crushed ligaments in my wrist which stopped me from a lot of normal day to day tasks and riding my Bonneville. Further to this, and most recently, I was hospitalised with severe sciatica caused by spinal stenosis and a herniated disc. Currently, I am going through physiotherapy and chiropractic care along with nerve and pain medication. My struggle at the moment is coming to terms with the fact that 'time' and 'healing' is what is required. These two can only happen with me being disciplined in my recovery, which is incredibly hard as a Firefighter and Teacher (not to mention my love of riding my motorcycle and also my passion for music being a drummer). Patience is what I am struggling with at the moment. However, it does make me stop and think of those in far worse cases than myself. What does all this waffling on of mine mean? Well, what I have taught myself and recommend is to:

1. Know that it is absolutely fine and okay to be unhappy, upset, stressed, in pain and or suffering. This is a part of life. Allow yourself to go through these moments.

2. Make certain that you do not stay tangled within these moments. Seek out support. Talk about your emotions. Get assistance and help. Surround yourself with positive people and positive environments.

3. Be critical and take charge and ownership of your life. Seek out spirituality and look after your health and wellbeing through physical activity and eating right.

4. Finally, be open and honest with yourself and others. Be a role model and you/we can make an actual change to mental wellbeing and men's health.

Again, if you can, I encourage you to continue to support me with your generosity and thank you for taking the time to read my blog.

Riding Dapper (when I recover),

Alex.

I'm Riding for Men's Health in The Distinguished Gentleman's Ride

Saturday 23rd Mar 2024 On Sunday the 19th of May 2024, I'm riding in The Distinguished Gentleman's Ride with fellow men and women across the globe to raise funds and awareness for prostate cancer and men's mental health on behalf of Movember. Men die on average 6 years earlier than women and for largely preventable reasons. The number of men that are suffering is growing, and we need to do something about that. So, before I press my tweed and polish my boots, I'm asking you to join me in raising funds and awareness for these causes by donating what you can for this meaningful cause and to help the men we love, live happier and healthier lives.