Marathon Man: DJs including Skream and ADMT back friend’s four-race charity challenge

Once known on the dance floor as Party Pat, Doncaster-born Patrick Holden was the kind of raver who’d outlast the DJ. From DC10 to Burning Man, his infectious energy made him a familiar face in the house music circuit – best mates with the likes of Skream, Richy Ahmed, Rossko, ADMT and Tristan da Cunha.

Now 34, Holden’s swapped all-nighters for early morning runs, going sober and taking on four major endurance challenges in just six months – all to raise money for two charities close to his heart: Tom Harrison House and TAMOSEF a non-profit organization dedicated to improving the lives of vulnerable children across Tanzania.

It’s an audacious goal for someone who’s never laced up for a 10K, let alone a marathon. His schedule reads like a world tour for runners:

●      New York Marathon – November 2

●      Climb Mount Kilimanjaro – January 3

●      Tokyo Marathon – March 1

●      London Marathon – April 26

To prepare, Holden’s enlisted ex-military fitness coach Sean Willers, a familiar name in the music scene who’s trained artists between gigs and gone sober himself after years of addiction. Together, they’re building an intense training regime as intense as any club season – and twice as disciplined.

“Loads of mates in the industry have hit their mid-thirties and started prioritising health,” Patrick says. “Seeing that shift made me want to change too. Sean’s story really impressed me – he’s an Afghanistan veteran who’s turned his life around and now helps others do the same. I want to do my bit for that cause.”

Willers says the transformation is already underway. “In terms of fitness, Pat’s starting from scratch, but he’s got drive. We have been implementing a base building approach of running and strength training – getting Pat accustomed to short distance runs to get him in the right mindset for the New York marathon. This will be followed by longer distance runs and interval training to simulate the climb and prepare for Mount Kilimanjaro. We’ll ensure Pat has time for some recovery and rest and then we’ll begin the build for Tokyo. We like to aim high so our goal for the London Marathon is to achieve a sub four hour time, so Pat is joining me in a series of intensive training camps to get in the best shape of his life.”

Beyond coaching, Willers Fitness is teaming up with Tom Harrison House a specialist addiction recovery programme for UK Armed Forces serving personnel, veterans and emergency services workers, to train veterans as personal trainers – a move designed to help ex-service members find new purpose after military life. “Fitness gave me my focus back,” Willers adds. “Now I’m helping others do the same.”

Holden’s journey has caught the attention, and the full support of his DJ mates.

Tristan da Cunha said “One of things I love about Patrick is his commitment and determination. When he puts his mind to something, nothing can get in his way. When he said he was going to suddenly run all these marathons I had no doubt in my mind that he would achieve exactly what he set out to do. It’s really inspiring to see someone who can party as hard as Patrick flip the script and devote all that energy to such an amazing cause. We are all super proud of him.’’

Skream said ‘I am so proud of my bestie Pat. Regardless of whether it’s raving, working or just being the best person on the planet, he always puts in 100%. The transformation he’s gone through over the last few months is genuinely inspiring. Wish him all the best for this amazing cause.’

ADMT said “If you’d asked me who’d run a marathon, Patrick would have been last on my list and that’s exactly why I couldn’t be prouder. He’s proving limits aren’t fixed, what makes it so powerful is not just the miles, but the cause. He’s running with purpose and it’s sick to see.”

From the dancefloor to the starting line, Patrick’s story is a snapshot of a wider seismic change in dance music – one where balance, sobriety, and purpose are becoming as important as the music.

Donate to Patrick’s four-race fundraising mission here.