How a weekly run helped me make millions

Charlie Day (ATT Jenna Farmer): Parkrun showed me that making millions was possible It felt like any other day as a working mother (Picture: Charlie Day)

One morning in December 2023, I checked my accounts.

As a business owner, it’s a pretty mundane, standard part of the job, and I wasn’t expecting any surprises.

Suddenly I gasped.

That was the moment I realized I had done it. I had achieved my goal and earned £1 million.

I’ll say it again. A. Million. Pounds. It’s a huge amount of money, something many people don’t earn in their entire lives. Something I had previously considered impossible.

Still, it had been my goal since January 2023 to reach that milestone – and I had done it in less than a year.

I’d like to say I ran outside for champagneor went on vacation for what I thought would be a big life-defining moment. I felt totally elated… but it was also ‘business as usual’. It felt just like any other day as a working mom.

As strange as it sounds, none of this would have been possible if I hadn’t rained my trainers and went to my first parkrun in March 2019.

I’ve always been a big fan of goal setting. I read something earlier that year that said you are 42% more likely to achieve your goals if you write them down. So that’s what I did (and still do) every day.

Originally, my goals were all centered around my business. I work with companies to help them generate more revenue through my online membership, one-on-one conversations and a mastermind group I lead, as well as regular speaking opportunities.

Charlie is wearing leggings and a tank top and is running I wasn’t a sporty girl, and never had been. (Photo: Charlie Day)

I wanted to start a podcast and also write my own book. Being able to check off these tasks by August 2022 greatly improved my business, both in terms of visibility and credibility.

Soon my goals expanded beyond business, so I decided to focus on personal fitness goals as well.

“I’ve decided that I want to teach myself how to run,” I said to my husband and family one day.

This came as a surprise to them, because I was not a sporty girl and never had been.

At school I was never picked for the netball team and couldn’t catch a ball to save my life.

Growing up, I joined a gym, tried dance classes, and even had a personal trainer for a while, but the fitness bug never really bit me.

Still, running appealed to me because I could do it wherever and whenever I wanted – it fit into my busy schedule.

Charlie in shorts, a blue T-shirt and headphones, running I just bought a new pair of trainers, tied the laces and hit the pavement (Photo: Charlie Day)

I also thought it looked easy – you just put one foot in front of the other, right?

I really didn’t think it would be that hard, so I didn’t have a plan to make myself comfortable. Instead, I just bought a new pair of sneakers, laced them up, and headed out.

Mine first run however, it was a rude awakening.

I think I managed two and a half minutes before I became a hot and sweaty mess. My husband even joked that it was hardly worth putting on my sneakers!

As I trudged home in defeat, I could have stopped there right then and there. But I still went out the next day, and the next day.

If I had given up, I would have easily given up on my other goals – and that just wasn’t an option.

My running progressed slowly. I thought I could run fast without stopping, but I didn’t have the stamina or fitness and eventually I realized I might need some guidance after all.

Then I decided to join my local parkrun.

Charlie runs, wearing a pink zip-up and black leggings, surrounded by other runners I immediately loved the community element and the responsibility to keep me going (Photo: Charlie Day)

I’d seen photos and advertisements for the weekly event online – a free, regular community run – and also seen many runners who had just completed their 5ks, but I’d never been tempted to join.

I thought it was for serious runners, people who were super fit and had been running since they were young – not for someone like me.

My first time was great though. I went alone and the people were so friendly. I immediately loved the community element and the responsibility to keep me going.

At eight weeks I remember thinking, “Oh my God, I can run for 10 minutes without stopping!” And three months later I started being able to do it 5k run easy.

When lockdown came, it threatened to disrupt my progress – both in my business and fitness – so I decided to set myself new goals to keep me on track.

One was to start a new community for business owners (which I’m happy to say has now grown to over 10,000 people), and the other was to continue working on my running by setting the biggest goal I have could: participate in the London Marathon for the following year.

Charlie at the London Marathon, with her arms in the air, celebrating and laughing I achieved my running goal and completed the London Marathon in October 2021 (Photo: Charlie Day)

Even though I couldn’t run that far yet, I was confident I would get there. I started by combining walking and running a few times a week, and I made sure I went to parkrun every Saturday – even if I wasn’t at home, I would go to the local parkrun in that area.

I finally achieved my running goal and completed the London Marathon in October 2021. I’m not going to pretend that the marathon was easy, or that I was the fastest runner. In fact, I crossed the finish line after six hours and five minutes, but it was never about the speed for me.

It was about proving to myself that I could do it; that I could go from 2.5 minutes to 26.2 miles if I put in the effort.

I also realised: if I could teach myself to be a runner, then I could certainly teach myself to grow and scale my business – and make a million pounds.

All I had to do was break down my business goals into chunks, just like I did with my marathon training.

Suddenly that million pound target didn’t seem so impossible.

I created courses and group programs so I could help more people without having to work every hour of the day.

parkrun has been around for 20 years!

This year, Metro has teamed up with the iconic charity Parkrun to bring you a thriving new content series.

In a coming together of two pioneering powerhouses, Metro has been chosen as the first official media partner for parkrun as it celebrates its 20th anniversary in 2024.

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However, it’s not just for the runners: it’s for everyone.

Join us as we embark on a series of groundbreaking wellbeing content designed to promote and champion, as well as support, mental health and social cohesion. Whether you run, walk, jog or stroll…

Read the stories of those who have found their calling, their community or changed their lives through the simple act of putting on their trainers (not that you have to do parkrun in trainers… as we’ll show you later).

Get ready to be empowered, inspired and energized!

I also offered in-person events, provided daily WhatsApp support and regular Zooms to support business owners with monthly training, organized my own events and in-person days.

After adding all these new aspects to my business, business grew quickly and before I knew it, we were in December and that’s when I topped up my bank account.

It took me a while to realize that I was now technically done a millionairebut of course it didn’t take long before I decided to set my next audacious goals: to earn £10 million by 2027 and have one of the most successful sales agencies in the UK.

That’s something I’m already working towards.

I also want to take my son Ernie, who is neurodivergent, on as many adventures as possible and also use my platform to raise awareness.

And of course I plan to keep running.

How a weekly run helped me make millions

parkrun has been around for 20 years!

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