NORFOLK MAN JOINS RICHARD BRANSON

Marathon man Simon McKinna will be racing with stars at next year's London Marathon.

Mr McKinna is one of 100 Virgin employees chosen to start the race at the celebrity line alongside company owner Richard Branson, to celebrate the first year of Virgin's sponsorship of the event.

The company signed a £17m deal to replace Flora, who had sponsored the marathon for 14 years.

Mr McKinna from Aylsham said: “Everyone who's running with Richard Branson has to raise at least £5,000 sponsorship, which is going to be a bit of a challenge. I've decided to do as many events as possible to try and get the money together.”

The 37-year-old ex-soldier will be raising cash for the East Anglian Air Ambulance alongside Virgin Unite, which tackles social and environmental problems.

As well as the London race, he will be running half-marathons in Norwich, Bungay and Silverstone - dressed in a yellow foam helicopter suit.

He has also planned a 24-hour Tred-a-thon on December 1, when two treadmills will be set up at the Black Boys pub in Aylsham and runners can pay £10 for a 15-minute slot keeping them moving.

“If people want to get involved but don't want to run themselves they can rent a runner for £20,” he said. “One of us will run the slot for them, and there will be a clothes rail of wholly inappropriate clothes - gladiator suits, women's negligees - for people to dress their runners in.”

But the event will only go ahead if Mr McKinna can persuade companies to donate the equipment he needs.

Mr McKinna has already run more than 200 miles in training since his selection for the Branson 100, and believes he will hit 1,100 miles before the marathon in April 2010. He is tracking his progress on his website.

“As the crow flies I would reach Africa and Iceland,” he said. “As my radius reaches through various countries I am going to write to the mayors of each capital city and ask if they would donate something.”

Mr McKinna will be joined in some of his fundraising efforts by other runners from Virgin Money in Norwich.

Thirty-five staff will be running the London Marathon, 12 of whom will also be raising money for the Air Ambulance.

For more information, to sponsor Simon or to give him a challenge, visit www.mckinna.co.uk.