Better Dads Set Sights On City2Surf

By Marcus Braid on July 31, 2015 in News

To be a better dad, you need to be a better bloke. That is the philosophy underpinning Alex Laguna’s ‘Better Dads’ initiative, and to help spread the word he has entered a team into this year’s City2Surf.

Mr Laguna will be walking the route with his two daughters, Milla and Stella, and son Arnaud, and has invited other dads and their kids to join in.

“For me, a big part of being a father is creating memories for our children,” Mr Laguna said. “That’s what we’re here for. We’ve had our shot at it, and now we’ve got children it’s about doing those things.

“I wanted to put a team together, and I wanted to promote health and well-being. It’s not just about that one day; it’s all the exercise you should be doing leading up to it. It’s about getting out there with your kids and enjoying it; it’s such a great day. You can walk it or even if you don’t make it, you can get out there and set your children some goals.”

All dads who participate will receive a Better Dads cap, and one lucky dad who finishes the race will be given two tickets to the AC/DC concert in Sydney in November.

“We can say that we’ve raced in this iconic race together and it will be a good memory. It will be really great character building too,” Mr Laguna said.

“We’ve probably got about 10 to 15 teams signed up. As we get closer, hopefully more people will commit.

“It’s on my birthday too. I figured it would be a great way to turn 41, and then I’ll have really earned a couple of beers afterwards.”

A number of well-known Australian dads have opened up about their experiences as fathers in support of Better Dads through the organisation’s website, which gives men an opportunity to candidly talk about the challenges of being a father.

Matt Moran, George Gregan, Nigel Marsh, Dion Horstmans, Shannon Noll, Tom Carroll and Tom Williams are among those who feature in an ever-growing library of interviews on the site.

“I went through a divorce a few years ago and had to parent my kids without the guidance of my partner,” Mr Laguna said.

“I had to do a bit of homework for myself and I found that there were other dads in the same position as me.”

Mr Laguna said dads are faced with a number of challenges throughout their lives, and it was important to share their experiences.

“Dads do find it difficult to put in place really simple measures to play a role in their children’s lives,” he said.

“It’s about time management and men working out what their priorities are. Mental health and guys looking after themselves is another important issue.”

Better Dads will be walking the 14-kilometre course on Sunday, August 9, starting in the orange group at the back of the pack at 9.30am.

Adult entry is $80, entry for kids aged six to 16 is $55, and for kids under five, entry is $15. To register as part of the Better Dads team, email alex@betterdads.com or call him on 0409 125 325. For more information about the City2Surf, visit www.city2surf.com.au.