James Gwinnett Dares and Wins

Life has a way of throwing unexpected curveballs, and for some, these challenges can redefine who they are and the path they choose to walk. From devastating injuries to remarkable feats of endurance, today’s story from the inspiring James Gwinnett is one of resilience, transformation, and the relentless pursuit of purpose.

In this exclusive feature, we dive into the extraordinary journey of a semi-professional rugby player whose life took a dramatic turn after a career-ending injury. Through sheer determination, he overcame the shadows of depression and alcoholism to forge a new identity, one rooted in mental fitness, physical endurance, and a refusal to accept limits.

From ultramarathons to competing on SAS: Who Dares Wins, and the release of his deeply personal and motivational book READY, SET, LIFE, this is a testament to the power of perseverance and the human spirit’s ability to thrive even in the face of adversity.

Let’s uncover his insights on resilience, the challenges that shaped him, and the philosophies that continue to drive him forward.

James, can you share a bit about your journey from your rugby injury to where you are now? What role did resilience play in your transformation?

I grew up playing rugby and followed this through to play semi-professionally in my 20s. I loved the game and all that came with it, and also took it seriously such that pretty much everything else was centred around it, So, when I suffered a bad neck injury in a game and was told I could no longer play, that was effectively the end of my world. I’d forged an identity of being a big, strong, macho rugby player and I handled the shift to being weak and frail (wearing a neck brace 24/7 for three months and being signed off work) very poorly. I took to drinking too much, too often, and too quickly and fell into a spiral of alcoholism and depression, not wanting to see people and shutting myself off from friends and family. After a rock bottom, I realised that rediscovering my former fitness was key to staying sober, so I set myself the challenge of running a marathon. From there, I’ve run a series of arduous endurance races – marathons and ultramarathons of increasing distances – including several 100-mile ultras and a 145-mile race from London to Bristol. It wouldn’t have been possible without the discipline to stick to a training programme and the resilience to see through a challenge, the underlying reasoning for which wasn’t purely ticking a box; it was giving myself a platform to be fit and healthy again, mentally and physically.

Overcoming depression and alcoholism is an incredible achievement, what was the turning point that led you to take the first steps towards sobriety?

The rock bottom I mentioned involved a dingy hotel room and an empty bottle of Jack Daniel’s; but the less said about that the better. The key was the next morning when it hit me that enough was enough. I couldn’t go on living life in a blur. I was distancing myself from loved ones, whilst perpetually feeling awful – not just from the hangovers, but always guilty and ashamed of myself – and something had to change. From there I immersed myself in everything sobriety, from AA meetings, to hypnotherapy, counselling, seminars, and more.

Eight and a half years sober is a milestone. What strategies or habits have been key to maintaining your sobriety and mental fitness?

I relish a challenge and everything that comes with that; from signing up to something that you might have otherwise thought was ‘impossible’, to the discipline and routine of training for it – and all the physical and mental health benefits that come with exercising – to overcoming the voice that tells you ‘I can’t’ when you’re struggling through the challenge itself and the elation you feel when you cross the finish line … and then the knowledge that maybe there’s something even bigger and bolder that you could sign up to next. 

In terms of habits, exercise and a healthy routine is an absolute non-negotiable. I train, run, lift weights (and more recently practice Brazilian jiu jitsu) and take ice baths, not for my physical fitness, but for my mental fitness. That structure gives me the grounding I need to tackle the ups and downs of life, cope with the difficult stuff and appreciate the good stuff.

Thriving Through Challenges

Competing in ultramarathons and participating in SAS: Who Dares Wins are incredible feats. What inspired you to push your physical and mental limits in such extraordinary ways?

I suppose the inspiration started as a necessity, in that the desire to challenge myself was the foundation of my sobriety, but it then evolved into a fascination with discovering what I was capable of; how far I could push myself. Having abused my body pretty badly for several years, it became about proving that nothing was ‘impossible’. After all, the only limits we have are in our minds.

The opportunity to be on SAS: Who Dares Wins came about as part of this series of challenges, and the producers obviously liked my story enough to whisk me off to the Chilean Andes for two weeks and have me be shouted at by Ant Middleton and co! People always ask me, “Was it as bad as it looks on TV?” My response is always the same: “No. It’s ten times worse!” But the overriding memories for me are fond ones, of having met some incredible people, learned a lot about myself and been privileged to have enjoyed a remarkable experience.

You’ve accomplished some incredible physical challenges, how did you prepare mentally and physically for such gruelling endeavours?

The physical preparation for an ultramarathon is fairly simple; you run a lot! But I firmly believe that once you can run 10 miles, you can run any distance. I mean it! The key is in realising that there are far more elements than just running that go into crossing a finish line; you have look after yourself, pace yourself, eat the right things, and, most importantly, simply keep on putting one foot in front of the other. It’s an important metaphor for life because we will all face difficult times and hurdles that we find hard to overcome. But if you can just do today – just do the next five minutes in some cases – the finish line will come. I think we’re increasingly quick to throw in the towel when things get tough these days, when the right mindset can be key to overcoming hardship and adversity.

Your book, READY, SET, LIFE, delves into some deeply personal and philosophical topics. What inspired you to write it, and what do you hope readers will take away from it?

I had to be an open book – pun intended – in order to describe my own journey through sobriety, and the topics that arose as a result did so fairly naturally; identity, fear, change, mental fitness, etc. But aside from wanting to share my own story, it was the news that my wife was expecting our first child, and the range of emotions that came with that, that prompted me to write it. I wanted to explore the thought processes of bringing a child into a world that’s, if we’re honest, a mess and what my son could learn from my experiences and those of people that I’ve come across in my life – hence the blend of my story and those of some incredible interviewees. 

The book explores cultural criticism in a positive way. Can you share one or two key messages from the book that resonate most with you?

I’m glad you say that the criticism is positive! Because some of the book is cynical about the state of the world but it’s written in a way that aims be colloquial and fun, rather than dwelling too much on everything that’s going wrong. And the message is that we can still thrive. That’s what I want people to take from my story and from the interviews I mentioned above – that no matter how bad a situation seems, there will invariably be positives or a way through. 

You’ve interviewed some incredible people for READY, SET, LIFE. What’s one piece of advice or insight from those interviews that’s had a lasting impact on you?

All my interviewees are exceptional, true experts in their fields, with some truly remarkable achievements between them. But I think the conversation that most fascinated me was with Ollie Phillips, a former England rugby player, who I was hoping to speak to about peak performance – how he had achieved what he had. But our chat took an unexpected turn when he admitted that his entire career (and achievements after rugby, which include sailing round the world and setting world records at the North Pole and on Mt Everest) had been based on wanting recognition from his father – which he didn’t get as a youngster. His list of accolades is nothing short of incredible, but it has only been in recent years that he has started to appreciate his drivers and settled into a more wholesome life of family, and the importance of knowing why he is making decisions. It was a beautifully open and honest – indeed vulnerable – conversation, and I’m extremely grateful to Ollie for sharing.

Mental Fitness and Thriving in 2025

Mental fitness is a key theme for you. What practices or philosophies do you believe are essential for thriving in today’s world?

In Chapter 12 of READY, SET, LIFE, which focuses on mental fitness, I share some strategies that have served me well in building it. Firstly, fitness is getting comfortable with being uncomfortable, so do something that makes you uncomfortable every day. Exercise rigorously, take a cold shower, say hello to a stranger, dance down the cereal aisle in your local supermarket; it doesn’t matter what. But by experiencing discomfort, you can start recognising the emotions involved and by doing so, learn to respond positively to them. Secondly, don’t ever tell yourself you can’t do something. You might have no inclination of doing the thing – like running an ultramarathon – but by telling yourself you can’t, you’re subconsciously denting your self-confidence and denying yourself the opportunity to feel good about yourself. Thirdly, ask yourself ‘How am I, really?’ And don’t just think ‘I’m fine’ and move on. Take time to really think about the answer.

As we look towards 2025, what advice would you give to someone striving to find clarity and purpose in a chaotic world?

Read READY, SET, LIFE, of course, in hardback, paperback or Kindle format!

Make sure you do read READY, SET, LIFE, and let James know what you think via Instagram

Natalie