VHS Fletchers are pleased to sponsor Nottingham runner Naomi McArthur. Naomi is to run her first full Marathon this year in London on 22 April to benefit the Help a Child Appeal.
In relation to the marathon itself, Naomi describes herself as:
“excited and terrified in equal measure!”
National Justice Museum’s Help a Child Appeal
Her chosen charity is The National Justice Museum’s Help a Child Appeal. This aims to help children to stay away from crime and understand and engage with their rights while living up to their responsibilities.
Naomi has described her motivation for completing the marathon for the charity:
“As a mum of three, living in the City of Nottingham, I wanted to support a charity which educates local children about the law, and encourages them to become law abiding citizens, and make positive decisions for their futures.”
The money raised helps the charity to provide educational activities for children, who might not otherwise have the opportunity to visit the museum.
How will the donations be spent?
The funded activities will help broaden the horizons of the children who take part in the program. They encourage self-motivation, self-confidence and engagement. Young people who attend will be able to develop a range of essential skills.
These include critical thinking, debate, presentation, research and analytical skills, as well as speaking, listening and communication skills.
Any donations can help children feel empowered to:
- Learn about the law
- Stay away from crime
- Make positive decisions
- Be more tolerant of others
- Develop aspirations for their future
In 2015/16 over 22 000 young people took part in one of the charity’s educational activities. With continued help, the charity aims to continue to reach out and provide opportunities for even more. Any donations made will have a direct impact on the children and young people that the charity works with.
Update
On Friday 23 February Naomi held a fund raiser at Suede Bar in Nottingham.
This was a great success, with a total of 115 tickets sold. 600 raffle tickets were also sold for a great array of prizes donated by individuals and local business. After expenses an impressive total of
£1600
was raised for the charity.
Naomi had recovered sufficiently by the Sunday to take on a 16 mile run, enjoying the sunshine before the Beast from the East hit.
On Tuesday Naomi didn’t let the snow keep her indoors, and we have photographic evidence to prove it.
Unfortunately, Thursday‘s planned 18 mile run was frustrated by too much snow as the Beast from the East struck and schools were closed. Instead Naomi took to the exercise bike.
We’ll post further updates when we have them. Click on the links below to show your support (moral and financial).
Update 2 – 16 March 2018
Since we last updated you on Naomi’s progress towards the London Marathon she has undertaken a 16 mile run from East Midlands airport to Nottingham Castle. Here she is contemplating a flight out of the country rather than doing the run.
158 people took part in the run. The cause on this occasion was to raise money for the UK Bowel Cancer charity.
Here is Naomi at the finish. With five weeks to go, she has an 18 mile run planned for tonight.
Naomi has also been asking people to guess her finish time with the incentive of a cash prize, with time ranging from 3:42:10 to ‘did not finish’. It’s £1 a guess, and she’ll ask you when she sees you.
Update number three – 3 April
Naomi enjoyed her longest run ever in the sunshine on Sunday 25 March. This was 22 miles along the Grantham Canal. She was dropped off in Harby and left to run home!
Another 20 miles just 4 days later was tough going on her legs, so Naomi is very happy that it’s now time to taper off. She is slightly disappointed that the taper is not a little more drastic as there is still over 100 miles to run, with two more long runs of 15 and 10 miles respectively as the date of 22 April approaches.
Update number 4 – 17 April
That’s it now, Naomi has completed her training. The t-shirt has been printed. Only five more sleeps to go. Despite popping echinacea supplement and bingeing on oranges, “maranoia” has well and truly taken hold!
Naomi questions whether she will manage the last 4 miles that she hasn’t covered in training? Will 
her bad knee finally give way? Will she melt in the blistering heat of the hottest London Marathon in fifteen years?
423 miles have been run since January of this year, taking up 66 hours of her time. Over £1700 has been raised so far for the for The National Justice Museum’s Help a Child Campaign.
Despite this, she remains as terrified as she was three months ago!
PS – Update 5 – 19 April
Naomi after 3 miles in the blazing sunshine this evening. 3 MILES in the EVENING!!! She’s wondering whether it’s too late to defer….
Follow the link to give to make this all worth while!
Update 6 – the day after
Despite it being her first marathon, and it being the hottest London Marathon on record, Naomi completed the race in an impressive 4 hours and 56 minutes.
We have asked Naomi for her comments on the day and she offers:
‘It was TOUGH! The hottest London Marathon on record (would you believe it after all that training in the snow, ice and rain?) and the heat 
really got to me. I felt unwell really early on, with nausea and dizziness from miles 5 and 6.
It was a mental battle of over 4 hours to reach the finish line from there! All ideas of achieving my dream time went out of the window and it just became a case of ploughing on until the finish line.
It was so HOT that I questioned whether or not I’d even make it to the finish line at all, but thanks to my running buddy and a great support team I did!
I’m feeling proud but broken today, and very happy to have raised nearly £2000 for a great cause.’
Although Naomi has vowed ‘never again’ as she stumbled across the finish line, she is left wondering what she might be capable of in better conditions.
Its not too late to donate. Follow the links below.
