Naomi Benson is an Ellis Brigham athlete, a serving member of the British Army and competing in XC for the Army Medical Services. Her career and love of travel has provided opportunities to run in various locations and climates around the world including Afghanistan, Romania, Norway, and Africa. Naomi’s first ‘proper’ race was a half marathon in Cyprus in 2013 which she signed up for the day before. This race ignited a flame inside to continuously push her limits and she ran her first Ultra the following year.

In 2019 Naomi ran a 100-mile race followed by an 88-mile race only 3 days later. Chasing 200 miles, Naomi then completed the inaugural Wildhorse 200 in 2022 finishing as second place female. Though Naomi prefers longer ultras, she competed in the UTS by UTMB 55k in 2023 placing in the top 10 female finishers. She regularly completes ultra distance events handcuffed to a medicine ball raising money for mental health charities and was shortlisted for the Soldiering On Award in Sporting Excellence in 2022, and won the Combat Stress Endurance Fundraiser of the Year in 2023. 

In 2024 Naomi finished fourth place female in the Arc of Attrition, just 2 weeks after achieving her Western States qualifying run in the Hill Country, Texas, USA, having done most of her training whilst deployed on a ship with the UK Commando Forces.

In her spare time Naomi spent several years recceing and route-marking races for Trail Events Co and finished her time with the company as Race Director.

Looking to the future Naomi is competing in 2 further military endurance races in the autumn of 2024, including the Marine Corps Marathon in the USA, and has her eyes set on the WCP FKT for 2025.

Links
Website: Naomi B Running
Instagram: naomi_b_running

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