Loch Ness Marathon: The Last Challenge for Stuart and his Late Brother

In 2019, Stuart Walford lost his brother, running partner and best friend, Bryan. Bryan had struggled with his mental health and depression for the duration of his adult life and subsequently took his own life in July 2019.

The brothers shared a close bond and a love of running and fitness, and together had plans to run various races and events – the last of which being the Baxters Loch Ness Marathon.

Now, Stuart will face this last challenge in honour of his late brother.

“Bryan was a personal trainer and physiotherapist, working for the NHS, and he loved his job,” says Stuart. “Despite his struggles with mental health and depression, Bryan was the life and soul of the party, and would always be seen with a smile on his face.

“Because of his mental health battles, Bryan had used the services of Mind and Oxfordshire Mind and, in turn, he always tried to raise funds and awareness to help support them.

“When we lost Bryan in 2019, his wife gave me his Mind running vest so I could complete his events for him.”

Stuart has now completed nine events that he and his brother planned to complete together.

Stuart’s tenth and final event will be the Baxters Loch Ness Marathon 2021: “The Loch Ness Marathon will be the final run I get to do with Bryan. It will be the final time I run in his Mind vest before I retire it.”

Stuart has set up a JustGiving page to raise funds for Mind, as he completes each challenge.

“On a personal level, I’ve tried to talk to as many people about the need to talk and to be there for others. After the loss of Bryan, I found myself helpless and in a dark place which I still battle to keep myself out of,” Stuart added.

“The day before the Loch Ness marathon I also intend to climb Ben Nevis as that is the kind of silly thing Bryan would do…climbing the highest mountain in the UK the day before running a marathon!

“Bryan’s running club, the Hook Norton Harriers, has a member who has made teddy bears representing each member of the club in exchange for a donation to charity. You can follow the Hooky Harriers Bears on Tour page on Facebook to see where they’ve been.

“I hope to sit at the summit of Ben Nevis with the B the Bear, the Bear that was made for Bryan, and have a coffee and contemplate the following day’s Loch Ness Marathon and its significance. It will be my last event with Bryan and my final farewell to my running partner, my best friend, my little brother.”