Brighton Marathon Completed for Mental Health Charity, Mind

Brighton Marathon Completed by Our Star Marketing Manager

Last week, we covered the story of our marketing manager, Simona Whyte, preparing to run the 2018 Brighton Marathon. Simona decided to take on the monumental challenge and run the marathon in aid of mental health charity, Mind. We are incredibly proud to say that Simona and her running partner Joseph – who’s sister has been supported by Mind for 5 years completed the marathon and raised nearly £1,300 for Mind.

The Brighton marathon is a whopping 26.2 miles winding through Brighton town centre and along the seafront. With spectators and athletes travelling from all over the UK, it’s a truly special event. Spectators say it has more of a family feel than the London Marathon and the whole city of Brighton supports the race. Crowds line the streets to encourage and support runners.

Training and Fundraising

Simona managed to complete the marathon in 4h 13mins and 17seconds! After training for months, and having run half-marathons before, she was well prepared for the race. While her fundraising target for the marathon was only £1000, she managed to smash that goal by nearly £300. Supported by over 60 generous individuals, all the money Simona raised by running the marathon will go to supporting Mind.

The services Mind provide help aid people with mental health illnesses across the UK. They provide vital services to help support those in need, and their families. From helping with bereavement to LGBTQ mental health to anxiety or depression, Mind provides support and information to those who need it most.

Simona’s Experience

When speaking of her accomplishments, Simona had this to say: “Even though I spent months training rigorously, I still felt very nervous as I have never done more than 18 miles of steady running. To keep going, I kept thinking of all my supporters.  They helped me raise nearly £1,300 for Mind, which was a constant boost for my confidence. There were so many runners with the same goal as me, either raising money for their favourite charity or in memory of their loved ones.

All in all, it was a wonderful experience full of inspirational stories and tough moments. When you feel you cannot push anymore, but find it within yourself to carry on. Of course, the thrilling feeling of supporting runners during the race and after, the feeling of crossing that finish line made it all worthwhile. I will keep doing more and more races to continue the charity work as the warm feeling inside my heart is unquestionably priceless.”

We can’t wait to see what fundraising Simona does next. Whatever she does, she will be fully supported by the Billi team!