Epic 397 mile challenge for Methil woman

Ruth Webster (47) will set off from The Meadows in Edinburgh on June 2, walking 397 miles to London, covering 30 miles per day.

She hopes to raise £10,000 for charity MIND, as well as raising awareness of mental health.

“When I was at my heaviest I found it difficult to walk any sort of distance,” Ruth told the Mail.

“For me, when I had taken control of my eating, had lost weight, and had my depression under control, I felt I needed to do something epic.”

Ruth has lost the weight with the support of fitness coach and TV personality Joe Wicks.

She has been following his methods, and the pair have developed a friendship, with Joe set to meet Ruth on her walk into London to help her reach the finishing line.

He has also been to Leven recently, filming a short piece about Ruth’s journey which will be aired on his social media pages.

“He has been a constant support for me,” said Ruth.

“We’ve met up a few times. He is a great guy.”

Ruth has been open about her battle with depression and her weight loss, setting up an Instagram page to share her story.

“I have quite a large following,” she told the Mail, “and a lot of people have contacted me about their personal experiences.

“It made me realise that people need to see that it is OK not to be OK.

“The trick is to keep going whether it is a good day or a bad day.”

Ruth started walking longer distances last year, saying that the fresh air was good for her mental health.

She has been slowly increasing the distances over time, and last month did just over 31 miles in less than 10 hours.

As well as getting fitter and healthier – both mentally and physically – Ruth has met numerous people during her walks, some of whom will even be joining her for sections of the challenge.

For more information about Ruth and her story, visit her Instagram page – www.instagram.com/charlieroofroof.

To support Ruth and made a donation, visit www.justgiving.com/fundraising/ruthwebster4770.