Our Communications team sat down with Construction Member, Myles Dininio to discuss his recent run across Canada from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean, raising funds and awareness for mental health.

IATSE 873 Communications: Firstly, congratulations on this amazing accomplishment. You've said that completing this challenge has been a long-time dream of yours. What inspired you to work towards this goal?

Myles: It’s nice to have something to focus on and to strive for, even when life keeps getting in the way. I thought I was gonna do it many years ago, and it took me 22 years to finally get to it. I just had to let life play itself out, and this year, I felt, was my year. I also felt my clock was ticking in the sense that my body wouldn't be able to take it if I waited much longer, because it's really difficult physically, and it's hard to recover. So, yeah, I had to get going.

IATSE 873 Communications: It was an incredible test of endurance. What were some of the highlights and memorable moments along the journey?

Myles: Completing Newfoundland was a big one. That first province under my belt. Newfoundland was very difficult. The weather didn't cooperate, not once. I faced my first big injury out there. It was a long province, and it made me wonder, what the heck am I doing? And…do I keep this up? I had to keep telling myself that it's only going to get better. So, I would say getting across Newfoundland was one of the biggest challenges, but also the most satisfying moments.

There's so many. When I was in Manitoba. I met a woman; her name was Angela, and she was part of an Indigenous community, and she pulled me over on the side of the road, and she told me that she knew I was coming, that she was told about me, and that the elders told her about me 27 years ago. And she had been watching for me. With that interaction, she invited us to a Sundance ritual, which is part of her Indigenous community. So, the next day, we got to go and experience that. And that was a whole new world. What an eye-opener. It was incredible.

IATSE 873 Communications: You've faced challenges along the way. Was there ever a moment where you questioned if you could keep going? And what helped you push through?

Myles: Oh my gosh, I probably quit this run a hundred times in my head, if not more. One of the biggest ones to start was, even though I always had a driver with me, I was alone. I was alone on that road. I didn't have a driver right behind me or nearby. It was quiet and lonely, so… at the very beginning, the loneliness was one of the biggest challenges that I was dealing with, and…you know, trying to not get in my own head about different issues that are going on in life, and not grow those problems.

 

IATSE 873 Communications: How did it feel to reach the finish line per se and complete the challenge that you have dreamed of doing for so long?

Myles: You know, it was way weirder than I thought it was gonna be. It wasn't like this super celebration and you know, people cheering, and me celebrating, and all that. I thought, in my mind, throughout the run, oh, I'm gonna run to the ocean, I'm gonna dive in, and… no, I sat on a log on the beach for about an hour and just kind of sat there. My family was around, my kids and my wife, and a couple friends, but I just needed some quiet time, and…my kids just played in the water and on the beach as I sat there and just kind of tried to process the idea of. You know, not the end of the journey, but definitely closing a massive chapter in it. Yeah, it was a lot.

IATSE 873 Communications: Why was raising funds and awareness of mental health important?

Myles: I think it needs a little more attention. It's something that I still struggle with today. I'd be shocked to think that it hasn't affected somebody. I think it's touched everybody at some point in their lives, and we can all kind of agree that it needs a little more support and exposure, and we need to, you know, simplify the conversation, make it a little more normal.

IATSE 873 Communications: What is one thing you wish more people understood about mental health?

Myles: I wish we knew that there were always people there, no matter what. No matter who you are, where you're coming from, there's someone you can reach out to. You don't have to know them, but there's someone there who will listen to you.

IATSE 873 Communications: Are there any takeaways from this challenge that you would like to share with your union kin?

Myles: I think the biggest thing I took away from this challenge is that you really gotta trust yourself, and that you gotta believe in yourself, because we're all capable of whatever the heck we wanna do, and I just proved that, because I'm not some super runner guy. I'm a carpenter. I'm a father. I live out here in the country. I probably ran 10 runs before I started running across the country. It's not like I trained for years and prepared myself and all this; I just knew I could do it. I just knew no matter what it was going to take, I was going to do it. And once I had that belief in myself, it didn't make it easier, but it assured me that I was doing the right thing.

IATSE 873 Communications: So, what's next for you? Is there another goal or challenge on the horizon?

Myles: What's next? I don't know. Let's stay tuned for that. I know I'll do another big bike ride, and I'll probably do another big run somewhere. And it has to happen, like I said, sooner than later. As I slowly get older. But yeah, I'm far from finished.

IATSE 873 Communications: So lastly, is there anything you would like to add or share with your union kin?

Myles: I absolutely appreciate all the support that I've received from the union, and from my brothers and sisters. It definitely helped me through a lot of long days. And, as much as I don't look forward to going back to work, I look forward to getting back to it, and seeing everybody, and getting back to normal life. I appreciate everybody for following, and for partaking in this journey with me.

Myles completed his 7,446km run across the country on August 22 after more than four months on the road, totalling 148 days running, and raising more than $50,000 for CAMH. Way to go, Myles!

Check out @mylesacrosscanada on Instagram for a look back at his journey and many stories along the way.