Daniel French took on a monster challenge on 27 September, running the Loch Ness Marathon and raising £1,379 for Fertility Action.
Daniel took the bold step of running his first-ever marathon, setting his sights on the Loch Ness Marathon, which starts in dramatic moorland, winds along the shores of Loch Ness and finishes in Inverness.
He also challenged himself the target of raising £1,000. He didn’t just reach this target, he smashed it, raising a whopping £1,379 for Fertility Action, a cause that is deeply personal to him and his wife, Laura.
Why Daniel Chose to Run for Us
For the past three years, Daniel and Laura have been on their own IVF journey. During that time, Daniel has seen first-hand just how difficult it can be to get the right support through what can be some of the toughest, and most private, moments in a couple’s life.
When Daniel signed up to the marathon last year, he didn’t initially have a charity in mind. But around the same time, he and Laura had a successful IVF transfer. Sadly, at six weeks, they discovered that the pregnancy was no longer progressing.
As Laura faced the physical and emotional aftermath, Daniel had to travel to China for work. For a week, she was on her own, receiving conflicting information and opinions from the hospital about what she would need to go through following the failed pregnancy.
When Daniel returned, he witnessed something that would stay with him throughout his marathon training.
“Laura was putting on a brave face, having this removed with only gas and air, and was in floods of tears,” Daniel recalls. “And then, weeks later, she was asking about the next date for transfer.”
For Daniel, that moment put his own challenge into perspective.
“It made me realise how strong she was. If she could put herself through that and still persevere with future rounds of IVF, I could run a silly little marathon.”
That thought stayed with him through the long training runs and, ultimately, through the Loch Ness Marathon itself.
When his legs began to tire on race day, and his mind started telling him to stop, he thought back to what Laura had been through.
“That moment drove me through all the long runs in training, and again on Sunday when the legs got tired and the mind started to tell me to give up – and I didn’t stop.”
But Daniel’s marathon story has a particularly special ending.
After four unsuccessful transfers, Daniel and Laura had another transfer in June – their fifth attempt. This time, it was successful.
Laura is now 16 weeks pregnant.
For Daniel, raising money for Fertility Action has therefore been about much more than completing 26.2 miles. It has been a way of supporting a cause that has been part of one of the most difficult journeys of his and Laura’s lives, while helping to raise awareness of the support that couples going through fertility treatment need.
And after everything they have been through, crossing the finish line at Loch Ness feels like another milestone in a much bigger journey.
Still Smiling!
We are incredibly grateful to Daniel for stretching himself, and his legs, well outside his comfort zone. We know how much time and effort goes into preparing and training for something like this, and every pound he has raised will go a long way towards helping us keep supporting anyone facing infertility, in all its forms.
We are so proud of Daniel for completing his mission, crossing the finish line after an impressive 4 hours, 48 minutes.
He even kept a smile on his face while doing it.
Our thanks to Daniel for taking on the Loch Ness Marathon and sharing his story with us – and we wish Daniel and Laura all the very best for the next chapter.
Support Daniel
Daniel is continuing to raise money for Fertility Action. If you’d like to support his fundraising and help us continue supporting people affected by fertility challenges, you can still donate on his JustGiving page.
And, look out for more superstars running for us at the Manchester Marathon and the London Landmarks Half Marathon, both in April 2027.
Take On Your Own Challenge
Would you like to set yourself a similar challenge on behalf of Fertility Action? Email Clare at volunteer@fertilityaction.org to find out how we can support you every step of the way to your goal.
Every mile Daniel ran helps make sure nobody facing infertility has to do it alone.
