2nd May 2012

HONITON: Battle of the brides

By Anders Larsson

Naomi Garrick didn’t win the London Marathon but she has probably generated as much publicity, if not more, than the male and female winners.

That is because Naomi, who teaches at Honiton Primary School, ran in her wedding dress and became the fastest person ever to do so.

Another spectacular fact is that she came in seven minutes faster than she did previously when she turned out in traditional running clothes.

Naomi, who is a member of Sidmouth Running Club, explained her time by saying: “There was another bride ahead, so I had to run really fast.”

She certainly did and finished after three hours and 41 minutes - beating the other bride by four minutes.

Since her achievement on Sunday, April 22nd Naomi has been featured on national and regional TV and other media.

She said: “I’ve been on so many things but I haven’t seen half of them.”

About six months before the race, she decided to beat the then record of four hours and 11 minutes for running London Marathon in a wedding dress.

Her training was done in the wedding dress and all sorts of thoughts passed through people’s minds when she pounded the streets.

She said: “There were some hilarious reactions. Some people thought I was late for my wedding, others thought I was running away.”

Naomi, 43, ran to raise money for The Buturi Project, which works to strengthen the village of Buturi in Tanzania in different ways.

Anyone wishing to sponsor her can do so by sending a cheque to The Buturi Project, c/o Naomi Garrick, Honiton Primary School, Clapper Lane, Honiton, Devon, EX14 1QF.

More information about the project is available online at www.buturi-project.co.uk.

PICTURE: TEACHER Naomi Garrick training for the London Marathon in her wedding dress