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50 Races, One Year, One Incredible Journey: With Dan Hall

A runner since his school days, Dan had drifted away from the sport during university before returning to it in 2010, motivated by a desire to challenge himself and give back. His youngest daughter was born with Down syndrome, and a charity place in the London Marathon set him on a path, one that began when he turned 49 and culminated in this extraordinary year at the London Marathon as he reached 50. On this fascinating Sapphire Running Zone podcast he tells us his story.

A runner since his school days, Dan had drifted away from the sport during university before returning to it in 2010, motivated by a desire to challenge himself and give back. His youngest daughter was born with Down syndrome, and a charity place in the London Marathon set him on a path, one that began when he turned 49 and culminated in this extraordinary year at the London Marathon as he reached 50. On this fascinating Sapphire Running Zone podcast he tells us his story. HAVE A LISTEN TO THE PODCAST HERE The challenge was simple in concept but formidable in execution: roughly one race per week across every distance from 5K to marathon, on road and trail, sourced from across the country. Dan quickly learned there wouldn't always be a road race available: trail running filled the gaps, and in doing so opened up an entirely new world. "I wanted to create a bit of a cause and a bit of a journey, both for myself, but also for Phab, who I ran for." Finding the hidden gems on his incredible journey The process of hunting for 50 races in a year led Dan to events he never would have found otherwise. Among his favourites: a series of 10K trail races organised around local microbreweries by a group called Ale and Trails, where finishers are rewarded with a pint glass, a medal, and a taste of local ale. He also discovered the Martian Race in Woking, a 10K through the sandbanks where H.G. Wells wrote The War of the Worlds, complete with an alien-head finisher medal. With a family and a demanding job in the toy industry, Dan works for LEGO, the logistics were considerable. He planned meticulously to keep most races local and to be home by midday (most of the time...). His training coach helped him view certain races not as extra load, but as part of the programme itself, using shorter events as hard training days and longer ones as easy long runs. "London is your victory lap. You've done the hard work. Go and enjoy it." Two Londons, two experiences London 2025 was hot. Dan had gone in with a time goal and the fitness to match it, but the heat forced a mid-race rethink. He still ran a personal best and took away a lesson in flexibility that would serve him all year: have an A plan, but make peace with B and C. London 2026, race number 50, was different. Slower, more deliberate, and far more emotionally charged. He stopped at Tower Bridge to hug supporters from Phab. He saw his family at mile 19, at precisely the moment he needed a boost. He noticed parts of the course he'd missed in seven previous runs. And when he crossed the finish line, strangers greeted him as someone they'd followed on Instagram throughout the year on his incredible journey. If you'd like to run for Phab in 2027 you can find out more here Fundraising with a personal story Dan raised money throughout the year for Phab, a charity that has supported his daughter's independence for the better part of a decade. Rather than a single appeal, he ran raffles (using LEGO sets and Formula One merchandise), organised football sweepstakes, and let supporters pledge amounts across multiple milestones. The emotional honesty of his fundraising, grounded in his family's lived experience, made all the difference. "People can see that emotional connection in the way that you talk or write messages. It gives a true reason and I think people buy into that." If there's a single lesson from Dan's year, it might be this: the running world is far bigger and richer than the big race ballots suggest. Somewhere out there, a small race is happening in a place you've never been, organised by people who care deeply about it, and it might just be one of the best things you ever do. HAVE A LISTEN TO THE PODCAST HERE

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