William Robertson will inspire anyone who has faced addiction and personality struggles in life.

WILLIAM ROBERTSON grew up in Glasgow where he was unhappy for much of his childhood. He got involved with gangs and drugs and later spent time in a mental health hospital.

Life could have got worse, and quite honestly unbearable, but William found strength in running and soon realised how much there was to live for. He ran his first marathon in 2013 and has gone on to run many more.  

This is his amazing story.

Could you tell us about some of the troubles you faced in life and difficulties you got yourself into before you decided enough was enough?

As a kid I was unhappy a lot and scared with no idea what was wrong with my mind, which led me to get involved in drinking alcohol and following a gang in Glasgow from the young age of 12. Glasgow was a place known for young kids fighting against other gangs on territorial battles, a thing the city has grown out of, it is a beautiful place to stay now.

As the years went on and I grew up it led me to land in prison at a young age for being involved in fights and on my release I entered the party scene which led me to take drugs as as a way to escape. 

I went to Greece with friends on a lads holiday and I completely lost every part of me, I had a psychotic episode where I was ripping up money and was tasered by authorities and sectioned in a high security mental hospital in the island of Crete. 

I got back to Scotland and straight into a mental health hospital and this is when I was to face the start of a journey that has taught me everything about my past, present and what I could aim for in the future. It took a while for those around me to believe me though. I went up to 21 stone in weight and was not in a good state of health, but I took myself to the Scottish mountains, learned my own style of meditation (rested mind) and decided what I was going to do.

William has competed in marathons and ultra marathons racking up some impressive finishing times and places.

What inspired you to make the change and how was running involved? Had you always been a runner?

Everything inspired me to make the change, running was something I couldn’t do at school. I was left out of the football team because I couldn’t run. I tried the treadmill during my time in the young offenders prison. The real reason I picked a marathon is because my mate who was the fastest in primary school was running and I said I would give it a go. I signed up and ran the Blackpool marathon in 4:53 with no training, wearing a tracksuit and hillwalking shoes. I didn’t look into gels, plans and hydration, I just knew I could do it, and there’s nothing more powerful than a made up mind.

What have been some of your successes in running and what are you currently training for?

Since my first marathon in April 2013 in (4:53) I’ve gone on to run many more, the most recent at Manchester in a time of 2:55 which qualifies for the majors.

I ran the 100-mile self supporter Grim-reaper Ultra Marathon in 2014 against all the advice of others in 24:37 and went back down again recently and finished in 20:37 (third place). 

I’ve won a 10k event this year, came second at kintyre 35.5 ultra, fifth at Glasgow to Edinburgh 55 mile, 17th at the Hoka Highland Fling, which is a massive ultra in Scotland, and ran all of these except the 100 on consecutive weeks with the 2:55 marathon in between. 

I’m recovering faster and getting stronger in everything I do, not just in running but with life itself. 

I’m vegan and follow a plant based diet of mostly fruit & vegetables which I share online and on YouTube videos too. 

Click the link below to see a video of William speaking about the stigma surrounding mental health problems.

https://www.youtube.com/user/wullyrobertson1985

I don’t train for events, I do it for the lifestyle, the freedom and the love of bettering myself to be the best father I can be and best person for those around me. With the marathon time and all other events I know I will just keep getting faster but I’m not out to be Mo Farah or Killian Jornet, I am out to be the best me, and that’s enough.

Today William is focussed on the right things in life and is intent on being the best father possible to his daughter.

How much has running been behind the change in your lifestyle and life as a whole?

Running is a tool that teaches, a discipline to conquer and a physical way to present your improvement to yourself on a daily basis – it’s a sport of one and it’s all within yourself. Running has given me a chance to show what I can do with discipline, it’s opened up all new people into my life, new experiences and new adventures so I will always be grateful for the sport. The change in my lifestyle and life as a whole was my mindset, running has just added so much more onto that as freedom on feet as I call it, a way to take in life and new experiences with my strong mind, healthy heart and my running shoes.

What are the most important things to you in life and how thankful are you to be alive and fit?

My daughter, my family, friends, strangers and animals. By being the best dad that I can be in the best state of health to take on life in the most productive way possible, whatever life throws my way. I live on my own with access to see my daughter and understand in this thing we call life each of us need all of us, it takes all of us to make a life. A community, a country, a planet ,a social media and a way in which we connect, it takes all of us. 

I’m not a newborn hippy vegan though as I understand it good needs bad and life needs death and everything is relevant to make up life.

There will always be criticism and some people will be difficult on your journey too but it’s all needed and by being in the best health it helps me realise that and I’m still forever thankful. 

How William looked before his transformation which now sees him compete in marathons.

I say strangers because at my down times at the start of this journey to health and ultra running, when nobody believed in what I was doing, every day people gave me their time, by having conversations, by treating me like a person and when being diagnosed with a mental illness after being sectioned in Greece back in 2008 that meant a lot, it still does. 

Just people treating me like a person showed me that people care; so that’s why I opened up my journey and now go on to share my journey as it happens. I’m always grateful to be connected as part of this world.

What advice would you give to someone who is facing difficulties in life similar to those you were facing before your transformation?

Go away from what and who you already know for answers, attach to others like you, read a book, go onto YouTube, meet new people or even phone The Samaritans if you must because if you look around the same places for answers I just don’t feel it will work. 

In order to grow, expand and become more of who you are you need to let out your true self, what you love and what you aspire to by looking at what you’re inspired by. There are so many options in this world today with technology giving you another great tool to learn. Use everything you have to become more of you, whatever journey you are on there are already people on it, or coming back from it.

Some people run for weeks on end, some people study religion or science, some people fly to space or study museums and archaeology but for me I went internal on my journey and made a decision when I got clear that I was going to be healthy and live with freedom of mind. 

So whatever you want from your journey, you can get it if you are focused, clear and get around others who are on the journey you want to go on. Inside or out.

Do you have any goals or challenges set for the rest of the year and beyond?

My goals are to wake up at 4am and be my best self everyday, to live in the best health possible and experience the rest of my life in this way. I set outside goals as a way to have fun and keep becoming more of me. 

I’m 30 at the end of the year and have found my peace, purpose and passion in life. 

The challenges next will be to enjoy the London Marathon beating 2:55, take the time down in the 100-miler and keep becoming stronger in everything my name’s attached to. 

To keep connected to the world and people around me and always look at ways to improve, learn and become better.