In May, a man named Loz Denis set off to run the entirety of the United Kingdom — a journey often called the “End to End.” He would cover 850 miles (or 1,380 kilometers) in under 17 days.
“That’s two marathons a day, every day… apart from the final day, where I’ll be finishing with a half marathon into Land’s End,” Denis wrote on a crowdfunding page for the run.
But in his eyes, it would all be worth it if he could honor his late parents. In 2020, his mother died after a 10-year battle with neuroendocrine cancer. And in 2023, his father died suddenly after living with heart disease for most of his life. Both of his parents died when he was in his 20s.
“Running became my lifeline through grief. I turned to it searching for a way to cope,” Denis wrote. “What began as a way to manage panic attacks and sleepless nights quickly turned into something much more: a path forward. Running gave me structure, purpose, and a deep sense of connection to both my parents. It’s been a source of healing through some of the darkest days, and this challenge is the next step on that journey.”
His goal was to raise a total of £8,000, to be split among four charities: NET Cancer UK, Birmingham Children’s Hospital, The British Heart Foundation, and Mind, saying that all four organizations played a “significant role in our family’s story.”
With his eyes on the prize, Denis was off, posting daily updates of his journey across the country.
Every so often, he would post a video dedicated to a certain someone: pop sensation — and marathon runner himself — Harry Styles.
“Harry Styles, this message is for you,” a sweaty Denis in a high-visibility vest would speak to the camera enthusiastically.
“I’m running the length of the U.K., and I need your help. I need you to comment … or even, come f—cking run with me! We’re doing it for mental health and everyone going through it. And not only that, we’re doing it for my mum and dad up there, and everyone we’ve lost.”
While he didn’t immediately get Styles’ attention, fans of the singer found the call to action endearing, as the former boyband sensation began his residency at Wembley Stadium over the weekend.
“SIR do not invite him on a run,” one fan jokingly commented on Denis’ video, “because he WILL cancel his tour to join you.”
Styles did not cancel his shows. But he did lend a helping hand to Denis.
Two days after his original video to the singer, Denis got a direct message from HSHQ, the official Styles “headquarters” on Instagram.
“We saw your videos and love what you’ve been doing,” the message reads. “We’d love to invite you to a Together, Together Wembley Stadium show of your choosing. Let us know when works best, and we’ll get it sorted.”
Denis was overjoyed. And he was even more excited to share that after 43 hours of running, he learned Styles had also donated to his fundraiser.
Under the name “Together Together,” a £2,000 donation was left for Denis.
A video of Denis learning about this generous gift has since gone viral, the runner bent over crying with Styles’ “Sign of the Times” playing quietly in the background.
“It means so much,” Denis said through tears. I set myself at £8,000 because I thought it was a bit unrealistic for me to get that. Thank you Harry — and Harry’s team.”
“I’m a bit speechless,” he went on. “I can’t wait to go see him now. Hopefully we’re gonna go for a run together.”
After Styles donated, Denis’ fundraiser saw a major boost, beating his original goal. As of the writing of this article, he has raised over £12,000.
“They really didn’t have to do this,” he said of Styles’ and his team. “It literally means the world. Running the length of the U.K. and asking Harry to comment … is all about making as much noise and awareness as possible, so no one has to go through what I went through.”
And after 215 hours and 33 minutes, according to Denis’ Strava stats, he completed the run, crying as he reached Land’s End.
“Running can be a force for good — not just personally, but in service of something greater,” Denis wrote on his crowdfunding page.
“Your donation — big or small — will mean so much. It will go directly towards supporting vital research, care, and support services provided by these organizations. This run is for my mum, for my dad, and for everyone who’s ever needed to keep moving forward, one step at a time.”
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Header images by Anthony Pham and courtesy of Loz Denis/Instagram
