A 37-year-old fundraiser from Stevenage is preparing to run the St Albans Half Marathon with a 30kg wheelie bin strapped to his back, the BBC reported, in the latest of a string of unusual endurance challenges undertaken to raise money for charity.
Daniel Fairbrother, who has previously completed the London Marathon carrying a fridge and another in a pair of sliders, told the BBC he will compete on June 14 as “The Bin-credible Hulk.” He obtained permission from Stevenage Borough Council to use the bin, which he has been storing in his living room between training runs because, he said, “it’s too precious to have outside.”
“I’ve got the bin propped up next to the sofa. I lower myself down, I get the straps as tight as I can, and hopefully I can stand up,” Fairbrother told reporters Justin Dealey and Alex Pope of the BBC.
A Bigger, Heavier Load Than the Fridge
He said the bin presents a tougher challenge than the fridge he previously carried 26.2 miles through London. According to the BBC, the bin stands roughly half a foot taller and weighs about 5kg more than the appliance. Running with added load changes biomechanics and energy demand, particularly when the weight sits high on the back.
“It’s bigger and heavier, it’s a lot more difficult, more challenging,” Fairbrother said in the BBC interview. “Obviously it’s a large shape, a large mass on my back. The wind catches it, the slightest breeze, and it’s knocking me all over the show, so it just uses up extra energy.”
Training Setbacks
Training has not been without setbacks. Fairbrother told the BBC his knees have “already taken quite a pounding” and he can feel shin splints returning. He also admitted to the broadcaster that he had not factored in the hills along the St Albans course, which are flagged on the event’s website.
“I did miss when I booked it,” he said. The course is one of several reasons most coaches recommend a structured half marathon training plan well before race day — particularly when an unusual load is involved.
Running for Harper and Marlowe
The half marathon will raise money for Harper and Marlowe, five-year-old twin sisters with cerebral palsy who are close family friends. Their parents, the BBC reported, fundraise to cover additional therapy, intensive physio sessions and specialist equipment.
“I’ve got to know the girls over the last few years, and they’re amazing,” Fairbrother told the BBC. “They’re the brightest, bubbliest girls you’ll ever meet. Their parents are endlessly trying to fundraise for additional therapy, intensive therapy and physio sessions, along with equipment. I’ve always wanted to do my little bit for them.”
Charity running has become a defining feature of UK road racing. The London Marathon alone produces dozens of record attempts each year, many tied to fundraisers, while platforms like Strava now let runners tie donations directly to their workouts.
From Mile 25 to a Bin in the Living Room
Fairbrother told the BBC that running through Stevenage with the bin on his back “brightens up people’s day a little bit,” and he feels the local community is backing him. The London Marathon holds personal significance too: as the BBC noted, he proposed to his now-wife, Hayley, at mile 25 of the 2024 race.
The St Albans Half Marathon takes place on Sunday, June 14.
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