Mother and daughter run length of Britain for charity
Last updated 14th Aug 2026
A mother and daughter from the Scottish Borders are nearing the halfway point of an epic 841-mile running challenge from John O’Groats to Land’s End.
Twenty-year-old chiropractic student Hannah Francis and her 51-year-old mum Katie, a farmer, set off from the Gordon Arms near Selkirk this morning (Friday), with Moffat their next destination.
The pair, who are raising money for charity, have already covered around 320 miles of the route, and are averaging about 34 miles a day.
“We're feeling good so far," Hannah, who is about to start her second year at the Scotland College of Chiropractic in Edinburgh, told Greatest Hits Radio.
“Our legs are definitely keeping together. Doing this as a mother-daughter pair has been fantastic.
“We both know each other really well and know our ups and downs and know how to get ourselves out of our ups and downs, so we've really been keeping each other going along the way.”
Hannah and Katie - the daughter and wife of Donald Francis, of Tweed Chiropractic in Hawick and Galashiels - set off from John O'Groats on August 4th and are due to arrive at Land’s End on August 28th.
They have so far completed the equivalent of around 25 ultra-marathons, although they took a shorter 20-mile day as they entered the Scottish Borders to allow for extra recovery.
The pair, who are kipping in a caravan borrowed from a friend at the end of each day, are raising money for three charities: Farmstrong Scotland, which supports the well-being of people working in agriculture; Tariro UK, which supports young people in Zimbabwe; and the Scotland College of Chiropractic.
Farmstrong Scotland is particularly close to the family, with Katie running a livestock farm in the Borders.
The charity encourages farmers to look after their own well-being, make time for interests outside farming and stay connected with other people.
Hannah said: “Farming can be surprisingly lonely. It’s entirely possible to spend long days working on your own, with very little conversation or social interaction.”
She added that making time for activities away from the farm could help farmers return to their work “with a clearer head and renewed energy”.
READ MORE: £30,000 worth of bikes and tools stolen in five days in Borders town
Tariro supports young people in Zimbabwe from childhood into adulthood, providing help with education, accommodation, counselling and practical skills.
The third charity, the Scotland College of Chiropractic, has a personal connection for Hannah, who is studying there.
She said the pair wanted to “give back to chiropractic as a profession” for the support it had provided through training, injuries and preparation for the run.
The challenge has also been made possible by support from family and friends, who have helped with the caravan the pair are using as accommodation throughout the journey.
Hannah said the support had been overwhelming.
“We just cannot believe how wonderful everyone's been,” she said.
For more and to support their challenge click here.
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