Worth staff member ready for Marathon challenge

Worth’s Head of Performance Mr Tom Wilkinson will be taking part in the 2025 London Marathon on Sunday 27 April to highlight how running can help mental health, as well as raising money for Mary’s Meals which is one of the School’s main charities.

Mr Wilkinson has been training hard for several months and taking part in a series of half marathons in preparation.

He said: “It hasn’t been easy; I’ve had massive highs and massive lows, from getting PBs and times I never thought my body was capable of, to injuries threatening my participation in this marathon.

“This journey has been tough. I’ve done it tired, happy, sad, when it rains, when it shines and most importantly, I’ve done about 95% of my training alone. This really has been a solo mission. It has been a huge mental challenge but looking back I am extremely proud of how I’ve dealt with it.

“A question that has often been asked by my friends and family is, ‘How are you feeling ahead of the marathon?’ Truthfully, quite scared; marathons are tough, especially if you are aiming for a specific time. My goal is to get anything under three hours. It has been a huge goal for the last two years when I first started my long-distance running journey. It will all come down to how I turn up on the day. I know my body can do this so realistically I will be aiming for a time of 2:55.”

Mr Wilkinson has thanked a number of people for their support, including his work colleagues and especially the sports department, plus school sports kit suppliers Grays for providing a special Mary’s Meals running vest for the race. He added: “I would also like to thank the parents and children at Worth who constantly ask how I’m getting on and have offered their support throughout this journey whilst donating to Mary’s Meals.”

If you can support Mr Wilkinson, please sponsor him here: https://www.justgiving.com/page/worth-school-marys-meals

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