New Jersey woman completes 100th half marathon, inspiring runners across the country

At 65, Denise Hall of Gloucester Township, New Jersey, has reached an important milestone: She completed her 100th half marathon during Philadelphia Marathon Weekend. But Hall, who didn’t start running until she was 54, received more recognition than she could have ever imagined before she even competed.

Hall’s journey to her 100th half marathon began in her early 50s when a friend, Lisa Murray, encouraged her to participate in a run with the South Jersey chapter of Black Girls Run, a grassroots organization that promotes the health and wellness of Black women and girls .

But at first Hall was skeptical.

“I thought, ‘Oh no, I’m not running for anything…except a dog,'” Hall said.

But after her first few runs, she said, she was “hooked.” Soon, another Black Girls Run friend, Hasana O’Neal, encouraged Hall to join her in a new challenge – running a half marathon in all 50 states. In 2022, Hall reached this ambitious milestone. And just as her friends had encouraged her to exercise, she now does the same for others.

“She is very powerful. She’s very motivating,” said Juanita Robinson, a member of Black Girls Run.

When Hall decided to complete 100 half marathons, she approached that goal with the same humble determination. But what started as a personal milestone quickly turned into a viral sensation.

After a friend of Hall’s suggested spotlighting her story, CBS News Philadelphia reported first reported her story on November 19th. When Hall’s story was shared online across CBS News Philadelphia’s various platforms, it received hundreds of thousands of views and more than 750 encouraging comments and messages of admiration. Even Brooks Running, the Seattle-based athletic shoe company, took notice.

“We saw it and thought, ‘Oh my God, this is such a great story,'” said Liang Du, Brooks Running’s head of social media community. The company sent Hall new equipment to help her celebrate her achievement.

The recognition didn’t stop there. Hall received a thank you letter from Pennsylvania First Lady Lori Shapiro, a fellow running mate. By the time she started, Hall was already something of a celebrity.

“The whole time people were saying, ‘I saw you on TikTok,'” Hall said.

When Hall crossed the finish line to complete her 100th half marathon, she had just begun to process everything.

“I just ran. One race after another – 84, 85, 86… It was only after (CBS News Philadelphia) did the interview that I realized this was special,” Hall said.

Hall credits her achievement to the strength she draws from Black Girls Run and her faith.

“Thank you Black Girls Run,” Hall said. “Thank God, thank God. He got me through.”