Why I Run: Dan Churchill
For the performance chef, running is a refuge
DAN CHURCHILL IS a busy man. So busy is Churchill that it’s hard to imagine how he can squeeze in four weekly runs of up to 30km and the occasional ultramarathon into his routine. But the truth is, to reduce running to nothing more than a time commitment would be antithetical to why Churchill does what he does.
For Churchill, running is so much more than a means of toning up and staying fit. It’s a learning opportunity, a time where the absence of the usual chaos of his schedule allows him to be creative and appreciate the little things in life. Then again, plenty of people run for the mental benefit the activity provides, but not all of them can pull off a 160km all-terrain endeavour like Churchill.
So, what drives Churchill to continually challenge himself? Here, he takes us through why he runs, how he bulletproofs himself against injuries, and how he overcame his biggest challenge yet, in his own words.
I PLAYED RUGBY growing up, but I was never really a runner. I ran in the cross country at school, but I never did all that well. I didn’t pursue running as a sport, I was doing it to keep fit. But as you move forwards, you adapt and grow to take on bigger challenges.
As I got older, I realised that I actually had a decent repeat sprint ability. My anaerobic threshold is naturally quite high and I have a very low resting heart rate. Eventually I was asked to run in the New York City marathon on behalf of a charity, so I started taking running more seriously.
From there I just started to get more and more into it every year. I would train for one event and come out of it already thinking about my next one. I love setting my mind on something, having a goal and achieving that goal. Running is something I can do that with.
Running has multiple benefits for me. Obviously, the physical aspect of it is phenomenal, but then you’ve got things like the euphoric feeling of running, the time with your friends, or to yourself. The personal time I get with myself to be creative and alone with my thoughts is so important. It’s like an escape from everything else where I can just focus on one thing and nail it.
Running has reached a point where it’s almost more about the social aspect than the physical one. We’ve made running cool. With things like run clubs, anyone of any background or experience can go for a run and be a part of a community. You always get that beautiful rush of endorphins and adrenaline, but it feels even better when you do it with other people. It’s something that I think is often overlooked in fitness, the power of community.
A few years ago, I heard of this thing called Leadville [Trail 100]. It’s a 100-mile, or 160km race through the mountains of Colorado, and the entire thing is above 10,000 feet. It was exactly what I was looking for in my next challenge because I wanted to test my body and put myself in a position where it wasn’t about the time, it was just about being able to complete it and see what I was capable of.
I failed my first time attempt of Leadville in 2023. I ended up injuring my ankle and I stood on the finish line with crutches and watched others finish it. That was a learning experience. It taught me that despite how much you prepare, there is so much outside of your control. It set me up for a year of redemption and personal development.
Any injury sucks, but they’re bound to happen if you push as hard as I do. I basically had to build a house again from the ground up. The worst part about being injured isn’t the pain though, it’s the inactivity. It can just feel so frustrating. But the thing is, even though it can feel like you’re taking a step back in these situations, your body stays in tune with where it was at beforehand, so you can get back to where you were fairly quickly. That’s what happened to me.
My biggest advice to people dealing with injuries is to wholeheartedly lean into recovery. If you are in pain, use the time that you would usually dedicate to training to a recovery session. I used contrast therapy and red light therapy every morning and I had a Centr recovery kit, which has a massage stick, foam roller and exercise ball. Honestly, I just prioritised recovery with that stuff and did that for the same amount of time that I would’ve been running and I got better pretty quickly.
Ultimately, you just have to lean into it and find the resources that can help you recover. That’s why running in a group or being a part of a community is so important. Having people there to support you can be such a massive help.
Dan Churchill's injury recovery tips
- Lean into and embrace recovery. Dedicate your usual training time to recovery time.
- Use resources that you know and trust that will support the modalities you need to look after.
- Rely on your community as a support network.
I am someone who likes to push the boundaries of what I think I can achieve. I’ve always been a high achiever, but I’m almost in this constant search of education and learning. For me, that’s why ultras have always been super interesting. I wouldn’t even classify myself as an ultra runner. I’m just curious about myself and want to see what I can learn from the experience, which is why I just had to have another go at Leadville this year.
The first time I attempted Leadville, I was doing it purely for me. I wasn’t looking for any brands to sponsor me, I just wanted to see what I could do. And I felt like I let myself down. The second time around, it was less about seeing what I was capable of and more about enjoying the process. I wanted to enjoy every step of training, I wanted to be present with every foot strike, I wanted to get to be a part of nature while out on these runs. It was like a maturing experience in the end.
I was constantly on my feet in the lead up to Leadville this year, doing a minimum of three hours per day of running. Now I’m running four times a week and my shortest run is around 10km. My longest run will get up to around 30km, but it’ll be a mix of tempos with some slow, zone two efforts. What I do when I have a big commitment like Leadville is make sacrifices around my schedule. I try to pick out things that I might like to do, but aren’t necessities.
When you’re planning your week ahead, you need to put in your health-related needs first. Outside of that, you’ve got your work schedule, which you can’t really change, but you can definitely cut down on some of the extra things that you don’t really need to do. When I was training for Leadville I would have no social time. It was work and run. Going into, say, a marathon I’m much more flexible with that.
When I finally got back to the starting line, I was in the happiest possible state because I just knew I was going to finish the race. I was in a much better position physically and mentally. I was bigger, I was stronger and I had trained better. It’s not that I trained more, but I was way smarter about the way I trained.
My mindset was all about enjoying the moment through the good and the bad. Every time I got to go down a valley or watch the sunrise over a beautiful lake, I made sure to take the time to breathe in the moment. And it was the same when I was working my way up a 12,500ft elevation hill. It sucked, but I made sure to find enjoyment in it. Otherwise, I might not have finished.
I did manage to cross the finish line this time around and it was euphoria, but what made it so special was all the steps along the way and finding the enjoyment in all of them. That’s a feeling I chase in all of my runs, and I guess it’s why I run.
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