From London to Brighton Music Conference: Mason’s 100km Run for Guillain-Barré Syndrome Awareness

Dutch DJ and producer Mason has spent more than two decades navigating the unpredictable currents of electronic music culture. Best known commercially for the global crossover hit Exceeder, later rediscovered by a new generation through the film Saltburn, Mason has built a career balancing underground credibility with mainstream success, releasing artist albums, running his Animal Language label and collaborating with artists across genres. But in late 2019, his life abruptly shifted from international touring schedules and studio sessions to hospital appointments and an uncertain recovery. 

Now, after overcoming Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS), the rare neurological disease that partially paralysed him, Mason is preparing for another big challenge: a 100km ultra marathon from London to Brighton on 23rd May, finishing at Brighton Music Conference to raise awareness and funds for Inflammatory Neuropathies UK. 

The irony of the challenge is not lost on him. Just a few years ago, Mason could barely walk. “I had a NYE show in Taiwan and all of a sudden collapsed a few times, like my legs couldn’t hold my weight anymore,” he recalls. “I made a doctor’s appointment for when I got back home, but by that time my condition had become much worse and I could hardly walk. It deteriorated super-fast, every new day was twice as bad.”

Weeks of tests followed before doctors finally diagnosed Guillain-Barré Syndrome, an autoimmune condition where the body attacks its own nervous system. Mason was painfully aware of how severe the disease could become. 

“It’s an autoimmune disease where your own body accidentally attacks and destroys your nervous system,” he explains. “I was lucky in my case that it ‘only’ affected the nerves in my arms and legs, as there are people who can’t swallow or breathe because of GBS and are hospitalised for years while being completely mentally sharp and awake. The horror.”

That uncertainty in the early days proved psychologically devastating. Doctors floated worst-case scenarios ranging from ALS to decade-long recovery timelines. “Mentally, the toughest part was the beginning, when it was unclear how bad this thing would become,” he says.

Oddly, the timing of the illness coincided with the beginning of the Covid pandemic, something Mason believes helped him mentally process recovery.

“It started a few weeks before the Covid era began, which honestly really helped. As everyone was sitting at home on the couch, there was zero FOMO to have. While others were busy with face masks, social distancing and QR codes, I was busy recovering. For me, that whole Corona period was one blur mixed together with GBS.”

During that time, Mason redirected his energy into music production, completing much of his album Frisky Biscuits from home. What could have become creative paralysis instead became a lifeline. “That was actually a brilliant life hack,” he says. “Making music is challenging in many ways, but there’s not much physical labour involved at all, so I could just surround myself with gear, write and produce.”

Looking back now, he can hear traces of that recovery period embedded in the music itself. “That album was rather soft and melancholic, which suited that period.”

The experience also fundamentally reshaped his understanding of success. Having spent 25 years in music, Mason now rejects the industry’s obsession with constant upward momentum. “When I was 20, I saw the music industry like many people that age do: as a linear ladder where you can only climb upwards,” he says. “If you see your career that way, there’s only going to be frustration, because it really isn’t linear.”

Instead, he now sees longevity as the ability to evolve in multiple directions, touring, producing, writing, scoring films, running labels, without defining worth by chart positions or status. “For me, success is a very relative thing,” he explains. “It’s not about money or having the biggest record or tour. It’s about creating stuff that’s meaningful and fulfilling to yourself.”

That same mindset now fuels his ultra marathon challenge. While the idea of running 100km may sound extreme, Mason frames it as another expression of the discipline that has always defined him. “Just like any other person, I have plenty of character flaws, but one thing I do have is discipline,” he says. “I’ve always been a bit like that, whether it’s spending crazy hours learning a new instrument, driving my neighbours insane as a teenager while practicing DJing, or now this ultra marathon challenge.”

There is also symbolic power in reclaiming physical strength after once losing mobility entirely. “In this case there was the extra reason that I had once been immobile because of GBS, so the idea of running was quite appealing.”

Training has reinforced his belief in the body’s ability to adapt. “It’s crazy how far you can tweak your body for a certain task,” he says. “But at the end of the day it’s just a schedule and a plan to follow. I think almost anyone can do almost anything with the right determination.”

Not everyone close to him shares his enthusiasm for the challenge though. “Let’s just say my mum is not a fan of the idea,” he laughs.

Still, quitting is no longer part of the equation. “Now that you guys wrote about it and made it public, failure really isn’t an option anymore. So, thanks for that!”

The finish line itself carries emotional significance. After running from London to Brighton over the course of an entire day, Mason will complete the challenge surrounded by the electronic music community at Brighton Music Conference. “At the end of the day, electronic music is my first and biggest love, so that feels like a very symbolic place to wrap it all up.”

Yet beyond the physical feat, the fundraiser is rooted in something deeper: visibility for people living silently with severe neurological conditions. “Society generally gets divided between haves and have-not,” Mason says, “but I think the biggest division is between healthy people being active in society, and those who can’t keep up physically or mentally. But they’re there. maybe not as vocal.”

That desire to give voice to unseen suffering became one of the major motivations for speaking publicly about his own experience. “I’m raising money for research, but also to give a bit of awareness to those silently lying in rooms with the curtains drawn for years,” he says. “People you don’t hear about, but they’re there.”

And for anyone currently battling Guillain-Barré Syndrome themselves, Mason hopes his story offers something simple but vital: proof that recovery is possible. “Maybe my story can give a bit of hope that there will be a time when you’re back on your feet and strong again,” he says. “Just hang in there…”

For more information on Mason’s Ultra Marathon fundraiser for Inflammatory Neuropathies UK on 23^rd May head HERE.