A Millbrook father-of-four is preparing to take on an extraordinary 100-kilometre ultra-marathon in the Lake District next month to raise funds for a local primary school.
Dan Haydon, who lives in the village and serves as a governor at Millbrook Primary School, will tackle the gruelling challenge on Saturday, June 6, hoping to raise thousands of pounds for the school’s special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) facilities.
The event begins at 7am, with participants given 24 hours to complete the demanding route through the Lake District’s rugged terrain. Dan is aiming to finish in around 17 hours.
Speaking to the Tameside Correspondent, he admitted he may be questioning his decision once the race gets underway.
“It’s a very, very long run,” he said. “I’ve got eight days to go, and I imagine I’ll be regretting my life choices by the time I’m out there.”
While around 2,000 runners are expected to take part in the event, Dan will be tackling the challenge independently.
“I signed up as part of my midlife crisis,” he joked. “Then it turned into a fundraising event for my daughter’s school.”
Training for the challenge has included a 50km run completed on Easter Sunday, covering the distance in six hours of running spread across an eight-hour period.
“The first half of the route is incredibly hilly,” Dan explained. “My thinking was that if I can get through the first 50 kilometres in eight or nine hours, then I can walk the second half if I need to and still finish within the 24-hour limit.”
Dan’s motivation comes from his seven-year-old daughter, who has special educational needs and attends Millbrook Primary School.
The school recently received an Outstanding Ofsted rating but is seeking around £20,000 to improve its SEND provision, including creating a dedicated breakout space for pupils who need additional support.
Dan told the Correspondent: “I run my own business, and I can’t afford to donate £20,000, but I can see what I can raise while doing something ridiculous.
“If I can get as close to £5,000 as possible, it will go some way towards helping.”
At the time of speaking, Dan had already raised approximately £2,500.
As a governor, he has been actively involved in projects designed to improve facilities and strengthen community involvement at the school. Recent initiatives have included developing the school’s forest school area and constructing a chicken coop with the help of other parents.
Dan said: “Anything we can do helps, money isn’t particularly abundant right now, and we’re trying to create the best environment possible for the children.”
Despite the daunting distance ahead, Dan remains focused on the cause and says support from the local community has been overwhelming.
The challenge has also sparked plenty of suggestions about what he should attempt next.
“People keep asking what’s next – an Ironman, cycling around the world or swimming Lake Windermere,” he laughed. “I’ll keep everyone updated on whatever crazy idea comes next.”
Donations can be made via Dan’s fundraising page, with all proceeds going towards improving SEND facilities at Millbrook Primary School: https://www.zeffy.com/en-GB/peer-to-peer/miles-for-millbrook-100km-lake-district-ultra-challenge