Title: From Zero to 100 Marathons: Hannah Cox’s Unlikely Journey Across India

The battered soles of Hannah Cox’s running shoes serve as a testament to an extraordinary feat. Caked in orange dust and patched with strips of car tire, they reveal that the miles logged extend far beyond a single marathon. While most runners dread the thought of repeating a 26.2-mile race the following day, Cox faced a grueling prospect: running another 26.2 miles, and then another, for 100 consecutive days. The added complexity? She was traversing India, and just 18 months prior, she had never run a step. This epic, emotional saga is literally stamped into her footwear.

For years, Cox, now 41, harbored a specific ambition regarding a 4,200km route in India. However, the method of traversal remained undecided. Following the death of her father in 2011, she developed a deep interest in her Indian heritage, specifically focusing on a path utilized by the British in the 19th century to enforce a contentious salt tax. This route was tied to the Great Hedge of India, a customs barrier established during colonial rule. The plan crystallized in the summer of 2024 when a friend asked if she was "still obsessed with that hedge." When she confirmed she was, he unexpectedly suggested, "I think you should run it."

That comment planted a seed. Cox joined a local running club in Manchester, starting with three 30-minute sessions a week. Her fitness rapidly evolved from 5Ks to 10Ks, and she began training for consecutive running days, a necessity for success in India. To test her limits, she undertook rigorous challenges, including "20 20 20" (running 20km daily for 20 weekdays) and completing seven marathons in seven days across the UK from coast to coast. These experiences convinced her that 'Project Salt Run' was viable. She subsequently assembled a support crew, secured a van, and set a goal to raise £1m for environmental charities.

Despite her physical and logistical preparation, Cox was unprepared for the chaotic road conditions and severe illness she encountered. "Everyone tried to put me off at first - people just didn't believe I would actually do it," Cox recalls. Nevertheless, 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.

Staying true to the historical route, Cox’s days varied wildly. Some involved running 42km along monotonous highways that she described as "boring as hell," while others took her through nature reserves, along canals, and across farmers' fields. The roads were fraught with danger, featuring cows, snakes, and goats, as well as drivers frequently traveling on the wrong side of the highway. The hazards were real; Cox sustained a scar on her right leg from a motorbike collision. In areas notorious for fatal tiger attacks, she even required police escorts. The environment was relentlessly hot, dusty, and smoggy. Although she spent two weeks in a heat chamber to acclimatize beforehand, the conditions in India proved unlike anything she had experienced.

Illness played a significant role in the physical toll of the journey, contributing to her losing more than 10kg. One particularly challenging episode coincided with a surreal encounter with Richard Branson at the Taj Mahal.

"It was day 24 and we met Richard Branson at the Taj Mahal," she explains. "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 previous evening, Branson had invited her to dinner at a luxury hotel. Cox had taken a single sip of an Old Fashioned cocktail before realizing she was going to be sick. "I had to run to these really fancy toilets and I was sick everywhere," she says. The following day, she faced the prospect of running a marathon while ill. 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 would rise early each day to accumulate miles before the...

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