Title: From Zero to Hero: Running 100 Marathons in 100 Days After an 18-Month Hiatus

The battered soles of Hannah Cox’s trainers narrate a tale of endurance. Caked in dust and reinforced with patches of car tire, these shoes have traversed far more ground than a single marathon could ever demand. While most marathoners wake up the next day too sore to climb stairs and vowing never to repeat the feat, imagine facing another 26.2 miles immediately after. And then another. And another. For 100 consecutive days. Across India. The most startling detail? Until just 18 months prior, Cox had never run a step. This harrowing yet inspiring journey is literally etched into her footwear.

For years, Cox, now 41, had envisioned an ambitious path but hadn’t determined the mode of travel. Her motivation deepened following her father’s death in 2011, sparking a profound interest in her Indian heritage. Specifically, she became fixated on a 4,200km route established by the British in the 19th century to enforce a controversial salt tax. This colonial barrier featured the Great Hedge of India, a living fence of vegetation. In the summer of 2024, a friend asked if she was "still obsessed with that hedge," prompting Cox to decide it was time to finally undertake the journey. She hadn’t anticipated his suggestion to "run it," but the idea took root. She joined a running club in Manchester, starting with 30-minute sessions three times a week.

As her stamina grew, her runs expanded from 5Ks to 10Ks, and she began training for consecutive running days—a necessity for success in India. She tested her limits with challenges like "20 20 20," which involved running 20km every weekday for 20 days, as well as completing seven marathons in seven days while crossing the UK from coast to coast. These trials convinced Cox that 'Project Salt Run' was viable. She assembled a support crew, secured a van, and set a fundraising goal of £1 million for environmental charities.

Despite her physical and logistical preparation, nothing could have fully prepared her for the chaos of Indian roads or the severe illness she would endure. "Everyone tried to put me off at first—people just didn’t believe I would actually do it," Cox recalled.

On October 26 of last year, she departed from the Attari-Wagah border between Pakistan and India, heading toward Kolkata, located just miles from where her father, Deric, was born. Sticking to the historical route meant some days were grueling, such as running 42km along a monotonous highway that she described as "boring as hell." Other days offered scenic routes through nature reserves, canals, and farmland. The roads were hazardous, populated by cows, snakes, and goats, with drivers frequently using the wrong side of the highway. The dangers were real; Cox sustained a scar on her right leg from a motorcycle collision. In areas notorious for fatal tiger attacks, she even required police escorts.

The environment was oppressive—hot, dusty, and thick with smog. Although she spent two weeks in a heat chamber to acclimatize, the conditions remained unlike anything she had previously experienced. Compounding the physical strain was severe sickness, which contributed to her losing over 10kg during the challenge.

One particularly surreal moment occurred while she was battling this illness. "It was day 24 and we met Richard Branson at the Taj Mahal," she said. Branson was in the area hosting a charity cycling event. "He was out there to host a charity cycling event and we were walking round the Taj and I was just feeling worse and worse."

The evening before, Branson had invited her to dinner at a high-end hotel. Cox admitted, "I had one sniff of an Old Fashioned cocktail and I was like: 'oh my god, I'm going to be sick'. I had to run to these really fancy toilets and I was sick everywhere."

The following day, she faced the daunting task of running a marathon. Five participants from Branson’s charity event chose to run alongside her. "I was sick all day that day by the side of the road but I just knew I had to finish," Cox explained. Her determination led her to wake up early each morning to accumulate miles before the...

Source: BBC News Generated at: 2026-04-27 05:43:32 UTC