We are proud to celebrate the achievement of Stuart McIver, who in March 2026 completed the Tokyo Marathon, making him Action Mental Health’s first fundraiser to take part in this event. Stuart, an experienced marathon runner, successfully completed the race while raising an outstanding total of £4783 for our mental health services.
Stuart McIver has an impressive track record of races, with 35 marathons now under his belt. But running in Tokyo was a goal he had yet to reach.
Stuart first became involved with Action Mental Health at a corporate volunteering day in our Downpatrick service. Here he had a conversation with our Fundraising team and discovered the opportunities available by running for Action Mental Health.
Travelling to Tokyo a few days before the race gave Stuart the chance to make sure he was well-rested and marathon ready. He was also able to explore the city and soak up the atmosphere as Tokyo filled with runners from across the globe.
Having previously run in Boston, London, Berlin, Chicago and New York, Tokyo was the last of the 6 World Marathon Majors for Stuart to take on. Not only did he complete it and earn the prestigious Six Star Medal, Stuart achieved a time of 2:54:53, adding to his collection of sub-3 hour times in every one of the Majors.
Stuart’s physical efforts were matched by an equally impressive fundraising achievement.
Stuart was supported by an incredible community of friends, family, colleagues, and donors including U Hire, Flanagan Flooring, and Killinchy Cycling Club. Thanks to their generosity, he raised an impressive £4783 for Action Mental Health.
The funds raised by Stuart will make a real and lasting difference to local people.
His efforts will help us to continue providing vital frontline mental health support services across Northern Ireland. This includes recovery and employability programmes for adults with mental health issues, counselling to people of all ages, and resilience-building programmes in schools, community settings and workplaces.
“Running the Tokyo Marathon was a fantastic experience I’ll never forget. I’m thrilled to have now completed all of the 6 World Majors, and proud to have supported such a worthwhile cause”.
We want to say a huge thank you to Stuart for choosing to support us in such an inspiring way, as well as to everyone who donated for making his fundraising achievement possible.
Training for and completing a marathon requires not just physical endurance, but mental resilience too. There’s a powerful connection between running and mental wellbeing – setting goals, staying motivated, and overcoming challenges.
If you’ve been inspired to run for Action Mental Health, check out our upcoming opportunities below, including Hillsborough 10km or Half Marathon!
