A Manchester entrepreneur has been reflecting on her remarkable achievement of running 100 marathons in 100 days across South East Asia.
41-year-old Hannah Cox is the founder Better 老九品茶 Network and the Better 老九品茶 Summit.
Although not a professional athlete she embarked on a 4,200km run across India by following a forgotten colonial boundary called the Inland Customs Line in India.
Her journey 鈥� known as – was inspired by her late father, Deric Cox, who was born in Calcutta (now Kolkata) before moving to the UK in 1953.
Fittingly, she reached her destination by arriving in her father鈥檚 childhood home in Kolkata, on the India Bangladesh border.
Cox鈥檚 incredible exploits have raised more than 拢85,00 for her chosen four charities – 1% for the Planet, Frank Water, ClientEarth, and Big Change.
Reflecting on her achievements, she said: 鈥淚t鈥檚 taken me a little while to find the words for this. I used to joke that my brain worked differently.
鈥淚n reality, it’s because I鈥檝e been uncomfortable with myself.
鈥淧roject Salt Run has changed that and my life in ways I鈥檓 still processing.
鈥淭his isn鈥檛 just a list of stats. It鈥檚 evidence of what becomes possible when thousands of people show up.
鈥淚t was never just a run. It started with a simple belief: people power still matter and business can make the world a better place.
鈥淲e don鈥檛 need to be perfect. We don鈥檛 need to be rich, young, famous or fearless. We don鈥檛 need everyone to like us. We just need to start.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 have children of my own, but I wanted to be able to look my nieces and nephews in the eye and say I tried to do something with what I had.
100 marathons in 100 days: Hannah Cox
鈥淚n difficult times, when so many people feel powerless, this project was about starting anyway.
鈥淪ome people donated money. Others gave time, food, messages, meals and beds. Many passed the story on when they couldn鈥檛 give anything else.
鈥淎ll of it mattered. Because of that collective effort:
- 100 marathon distances in 100 days (4,224km)
- 75 marathons, 23 ultras, 3 pairs of trainers
- 308 Individuals & 39 businesses helped cover project costs via Crowdfunder
- 1,033 individuals and 67 businesses raised 拢85,746 (with Gift Aid). 100% goes directly to the charities, with donations continuing to come in
- 3 million views on Instagram
鈥淚njuries, illness, heat, setbacks and hard days but also kindness, generosity and community at every step.
鈥淲e are not as helpless as we鈥檙e often led to believe. That gives me real hope for our future.鈥�