Marathon mum from Worthing fundraises for deafblind charity

Victoria McHugh, of Greenland Close in Worthing, said she is both ‘excited and nervous’ for the Paris marathon in March and the London race in April, which will not leave much resting time before the 100k in May.

The 34-year-old said she did not always like running, but after gaining four stone with the birth of her son, Harry, she ‘decided to get fit and healthy.’ In April this year, she missed her five hour target for a Brighton marathon by just one second. She also completed a ‘Lunar-tic’ marathon around Adur in July – an experience she described as ‘very hard’ but ‘very rewarding’.

One of the best things about the races, she said, was meeting lots of people along the way. She said: “Everyone gives a lot of support to eachother. You make a lot of friendships.”

Training for the marathons means Victoria goes running at least three times a week, including with a club that runs up to Cissbury Ring.

“Running as a group is great as it keeps you really motivated,” she said.

But her intensive training does not mean leaving 22-month-year-old Harry behind. Tucked in a running buggy, he often accompanies his mother at the park run in Worthing, which she said he ‘absolutely loves.’

Victoria is raising money for the charity Sense, which supports deafblind people to live more independent lives.

“What they do is absolutely amazing,” she said. “They make people’s lives worth living, giving them experiences they wouldn’t otherwise have. I wanted to help them help others.”

She is hosting a sold-out charity quiz tommorrow at the Warren room at Worthing college and said she was ‘overwhelmed’ by the ‘generosity’ of businesses who have donated prizes for a raffle at the event.

She is confident she will meet her £1,500 target, with her employer – she works at an operation centre in Haywards Heath for Lloyds bank – willing to match her fundraising total through their charity scheme.

There will no training lapse over Christmas, as Victoria takes on the ‘mouth to mouth’ race from Shoreham to Littlehampton in December. 


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