Melton man to run sub-three hour marathon for Mencap

Daniel Kelly, 30, aims to complete the gruelling 26.2-mile race in just two hours and 50 minutes, which is nearly two hours quicker than the average marathon time of four hours 32 minutes.

To help with his fundraising efforts, he’s set up a ‘guess my time’ game, where whoever chooses a number closest to his finish time can win up to £100.

Dan said: “It’s a privilege to be taking on the iconic London Marathon this year and raising money for an incredible charity who work both locally and nationally to tackle inequalities people with learning disabilities face.

“I’ve worked within the community and with vulnerable people for over five years now and have seen first hand the commendable work this charity does.

“Running has become a big part of my life and I’m excited to try and complete my admittedly ambitious goal of running the marathon in two hours 50 minutes… which is around six minutes per mile.”

Dan’s training schedule currently consists of running 100km per week in an effort to achieve his goal. He also represents Melton Mowbray via his running club, the Stilton Striders, and regularly competes in the Leicestershire Road Running League and Derby Runner Cross Country races.

All of the work Mencap does is about valuing and supporting people with a learning disability, and their families and carers. Their vision is for the UK to be the best place in the world for people with a learning disability to live happy and healthy lives.

Find out more about Dan’s running journey and his fundraising game.