Man Up or Speak Up: Running Through Men's Mental Health

This week on The Back of the Pack Podcast: Second Wind, we launch our June Mental Health Awareness Month series with the most personal episode Kyle has ever recorded. In an unfiltered, no-interview format, Kyle opens up about his 15-year journey through mental health struggles stemming from divorce, single parenting, two open-heart surgeries, and the complex layers of modern masculinity that often leave men suffering in silence. Drawing from CDC statistics showing men die by suicide four times more often than women, Kyle explores the cultural conditioning that teaches men to "man up" instead of speak up, and how phrases like "don't cry" and "handle it" create dangerous emotional isolation. Through deeply personal stories about divorce, co-parenting challenges, his heart condition, and the overwhelming pressure of carrying it all quietly, Kyle demonstrates how life's compounding stressors can break even the strongest men. But this isn't just about the struggle – it's about survival through movement. Kyle reveals how running became his lifeline when words failed, offering structure in chaos, serving as meditation in motion, and providing the one safe space where a grown man could process pain without explanation or judgment. From his work with Team Fidelis supporting veteran suicide prevention to finding community in the back-of-the-pack philosophy, this episode proves that while running doesn't fix everything, it can give you strength when you have nothing left and remind you that moving forward – no matter how slowly – is always better than standing still.