Daniel Chaplin is on a Mission

Daniel Chaplin is on a mission to complete a half-marathon in EVERY state and thats not all! Daniel believes there should be a 321 runner at Daniel Chaplinevery major marathon, following the path of the Boston Marathon. Join him in his pursuit of bringing a 321 runner to NYC and Chicago

“I first got interested in running in 2012, when I took a health class at Samford, where the final exam was to complete a 5k. This was really hard for me since I have Down syndrome. But after that, I did many more 5ks, one 10k, one 5-mile. Then I heard from several friends of mine about the Talladega half marathon, So, I entered the race.  This was my very first half marathon. I ended up sleeping for more than 18 hours afterward since I had never run that long of a distance before.  

I had read and heard some people talking about a great club, the 50 States Half marathon club, which I joined. That is when I started my journey to complete a half marathon in all 50 states. I hope to become the first person with Down syndrome to accomplish this. 

All of this training and running has changed me in a significant way. Whether it is just standing at the start line of one of my half marathons, standing at the start line of my first ever marathon, or standing at the start line of any race I break down in tears. I find myself having to fight the tears because I never thought I’d be able to run a half marathon, marathon, or any race since I have had to overcome so many odds and obstacles associated with Down syndrome. 

My friends and family have supported me throughout this journey. I would like to encourage people to realize that they have a lot of potential to be successful and that they can do whatever they put their mind to. Everyone who has Down syndrome is very special and can make an impact on this world to show everyone that individuals with Down syndrome are able to participate in more physical activities. It also shows that individuals with Down syndrome really are More Alike Than Different.

   – Daniel Chaplin

Daniel’s Half-Marathon Map

(updated 5.6.2022)

 

Valley marathon runner defies the odds. – 2.16.2020
Daniel Chaplin running marathons to raise down syndrome awareness – 2.18.2020