Mum of three runs 42 marathons for mental health awareness

Mum of three runs 42 marathons for mental health awareness

By Liz Lockhart

Shortlisted Olympic torch-bearer and mother of three runs 42 marathons in seven weeks to raise awareness of mental health

42 year old dietician and mother of three, Vicky Willan, is this week running through Wales as part of her ‘GB Top to Bottom Challenge’, where she aims to complete 42 marathons in 7 weeks to raise awareness of the importance of exercise and nutrition for maintaining good mental health and to raise money for the Mental Health Foundation. 

Vicky began her challenge to run the length of Great Britain, completing one marathon a day, six days a week, on Saturday 20th August in Tongue, Scotland and she will finish at the Sandbanks Hotel in Poole, Dorset on World Mental Health Day, Monday 10th October. In recognition of her challenge, Vicky has been shortlisted to be a torch-bearer for the Olympic Games when they come to London in 2012.

Vicky, a dietician from Dorset HealthCare University NHS Foundation Trust, is running a total of 1,092 miles, taking a personal route through all of the places that have shaped her life. She has already run through Inverness where her son was born and Aberdeen where her eldest daughter was born, and she has also just run from Todhills (12th September), through to Crosby (14th September) and on to Maryport (15th September) where she spent her teenage years. She will then continue on to her family home in Manchester, through Plymouth where her youngest daughter was born and finish in Poole where she currently lives. 

Mental Healthy caught up with Vicky as she crosses Wales.  Vicky spoke to us about her passion to inform people of the important ties between good mental health and good physical health – the two go hand in hand.  Vicky said ‘I work as a dietician in a psychiatric hospital, and I realise that people with poor mental health forget the vital role that physical health plays in their wellbeing.’

Vicky has only two weeks left before she finishes this seven week mammoth undertaking.  She tells us that she does not have blisters at the moment although she did suffer from them towards the start of her run.  She is in amazingly high spirits and is feeling very positive.  Speaking to her is quite inspirational – her obvious passion to promote good mental health is what drives her on each day. 

Vicky asked Mental Healthy to give a specific mention to her employers, Dorset Health Care University NHS Foundation Trust.  They have been totally supportive to Vicky in her venture to raise mental health awareness and have given her the time off work to accomplish this amazing achievement.

Vicky is in touch with her facebook group whilst she is on the run and has asked us to invite you to ‘like’ her on her facebook page to show your support. 

Vicky explains her reasons for organising and undertaking this epic challenge:

“Mental illness is a long term condition and it can take some people many years before they can learn to manage it. I wanted to undertake an endurance challenge to reflect that, rather than a one-off marathon. With the right help and support, people can go on to lead healthy, happy lives and good physical health is an intrinsic part of that road to mental wellbeing and recovery.

“I have chosen to raise money for the Mental Health Foundation because their research and free resources on the importance of exercise and nutrition have helped me to improve the mental wellbeing of my patients through my role as a dietician.”

You can support Vicky with her ‘GB Top to Bottom Challenge’ by making a donation to the Mental Health Foundation via her fundraising page: http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/fundraiser-web/fundraiser/showFundraiserProfilePage.action?userUrl=VickyWillan or you can visit her website to find out more information about her challenge, route, or to read her blog:  www.gbtop2bottomchallenge.com.

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