Archie is in the running to break a World Record with the run (Picture: Supplied)
‘It was raw, it was horrible and it still hits me at the core now’ says Archie Cobb, 25.
Seven years ago, Archie’s childhood friend Harry Corbett killed himself while he was backpacking in Vietnam, a trip to celebrate finishing school.
Harry was head boy, captain of the rugby team and had secured a place at Swansea University after excelling in his A levels. ‘Everyone looked at him and went, that’s what I want to be,’ Archie, who lives in London, tells Metro.co.uk.
His dad, David Corbett, said Harry was ‘loved by all who knew him’ and ‘his enthusiasm inspired others to believe and attain more.’
But while it seemed like the 19-year-old had the world at his feet, he was privately struggling with his mental health.
Harry (centre) and Archie (left) were childhood friends (Picture: Supplied)
‘I suppose signs were there…’ says Archie. ‘But at the time, I just dismissed it because he didn’t make a big deal out of it. He might have a bit of a low one night but then the next day he went back to his happy, chirpy self.’
After a seemingly-trivial argument with one of the group, Harry left the boat cabin they were staying in and never came back. Vietnamese police found his body and notified his friends, who returned home ‘broken’ by the tragic loss.
The 25-year-old previously ran a 106km ultra marathon to commemorate his friend (Picture: Supplied)
It’s an event that has shaped the lives of Archie and those who knew Harry ever since, teaching the tech consultant the importance of reaching out if he’s struggling and being open about his feelings as a result.
The year after their friend’s death, Harry’s family and friends organised a commemorative charity rugby tournament, The Great 8 (Harry’s shirt number), beginning an annual tradition of celebrating his life through fundraising and physical ‘challenges’.
Tech consultant Archie and his friends try to do something in Harry’s memory each year (Picture: Supplied)
‘They’re to keep his memory going, but also put myself through a bit of pain to try and relate to the mental health issues that people face in a sense,’ says Archie
Having previously done a 106km ultra marathon and a press up challenge, Archie decided to mark the most recent anniversary of Harry’s suicide with something particularly unique. On March 17, Archie attempted to break a world record in his friend’s honour.
The run took almost six hours (Picture: Supplied)
Although a record exists for running through all the locations featured on the Monopoly board, their route wasn’t in order. Instead, Archie wanted to pass through each spot exactly as it appears on the board, from Old Kent Road to Mayfair.
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It took around six hours ‘moving time’ or over seven hours including breaks across 60km (a poignant number given Movember’s latest campaign highlights the 60 men lost to suicide every hour around the world), with Archie travelling from Lambeth North to Whitechapel before doing several laps of Central London.
The London Monopoly locations Archie ran to (in order)
The route started in Lambeth North and ended in Mayfair (Picture: Strava)
- Old Kent Road
- Whitechapel Road
- King’s Cross Station
- The Angel, Islington
- Euston Road
- Pentonville Road
- Pall Mall
- Whitehall
- Northumberland Avenue
- Marylebone Station
- Bow Street
- Great Marlborough Street
- Vine Street
- Strand
- Fleet Street
- Trafalgar Square
- Fenchurch Street Station
- Leicester Square
- Coventry Street
- Piccadilly
- Regent Street
- Oxford Street
- Bond Street
- Liverpool Street Station
- Park Lane
- Mayfair
Alongside drawing in a crowd of people who turned up to support Archie or run stints with him, the stunt raised over £2,000 for Movember, which will support the delivery of mental health literacy training to a parent, coach or volunteer in a community sporting club – and the total is still growing.
‘Part of what made the event amazing was the dedication of people to also put themselves through some physical kind of strain,’ says Archie. ‘And it all got very emotional at the end. I did a speech and I caught on video a few people crying, so I think I must have said something right.’
He continues: ‘Surrounded by amazing people, I felt the weight of their support, the warmth of their encouragement and a surge of emotions. And let me tell you, when I was taken out by a stranger at 56 kilometres, it wasn’t my legs that got me back up. It was the realisation that my struggle pales in comparison to those battling their inner demons every day.’
Next year, Archie is considering something even bigger to commemorate Harry, and he has a Three Peaks Challenge coming up in May. He’s also ‘eyeing up an Iron Man’.
Now, though, he’s taking a well-earned rest and waiting for Guinness to decide whether he’s created a new world record: the Records Management Team arecurrently assessing the evidence Archie has submitted and will judge whether his application is ‘significantly different’ enough from the existing record, which could take months.
A large group of people came out to support Archie and their group (Picture: Supplied)
But while Archie is excited at the prospect of receiving that coveted certificate, his main goal is to change the stereotype of men talking about mental health.
‘By doing these tough challenges, and raising awareness, it’s trying to break that stigma. If me and my friends and all those people that came on the run are starting to open up and tell their stories, that instantly makes the conversation so much easier for someone who needs to tell that story.’
He also highlights the importance of checking in with loved ones, adding: ‘It’s as easy as literally dropping a text and saying, “talk to me, how are you actually feeling?” Then if someone replies “good” or “fine”, ask that second follow-up question – that’s a big thing I’ve learned.
‘Whoever it is, no matter the personality and no matter how comfortable you think they are, everyone’s got something going on. So check in with them. Make sure they’re okay.’