Vegan runner breaks Aussie half marathon record
Vegan runner breaks 25-year-old half marathon record in Japan
The women’s Australian half marathon record had stood for a quarter of a century but that didn’t deter 29 year-old Isobel “Izzi” Batt-Doyle from chasing after it.
The revered record was set by Izzi’s inspiration, Kerryn McCann, who sadly passed away in 2008, back in 2000 when she ran 1:07:48 in Tokyo. Now, aptly, the record was being challenged on Japanese soil– at the Kagawa Marugame half marathon of February 2025.
Izzi ran a disciplined race at a blistering pace and crossed the finish line 30 seconds under McCann’s record, with a time of 1:07:17, putting her in third place overall. Eleven of Izzy’s 21 km splits were between 3:08 and 3:10 minutes per km.
After the race, Izzi reflected on her win:
“Believed in myself today and made the most of the opportunity to compete against a great field and run fast. Over the moon to take over 30 seconds off the record that has stood for 25 years by the amazing Kerryn McCann from a race also in Japan in 2000.”
Izzi has been vegan since late 2014, following a few failed attempts to make the change after she was put off by old misconceptions in the running community. (For more info about a vegan diet for sportspeople, check out Viva!’s sports nutrition pages here.) Thankfully, her last attempt was successful and since making the change to a vegan diet she hasn’t looked back:
“At that point I didn’t care if it affected my running negatively, I knew it was what I wanted to do. However, it turns out it was beneficial for my running! While going full vegan was brought on by ethical and environmental reasons, I am vegan for life because of the health benefits and the way I feel.”
Now, the Australian half marathon record is one more incredible accolade she can add to her achievements, alongside holding the South Australian records for the 3,000, 5,000 and 10,000 metres, setting a Parkrun record in 2022, and competing at the Paris Olympics, World Championships and Commonwealth Games. Vegan runners for the win!
Content sourced and adapted, with permission, from Great Vegan Athletes.
About the author
Nicholas Hallows
Nicholas has been vegan since the early 2000s and worked for Viva! between 2017 and 2020 as a Senior Administrator and Web Content Assistant. He is a qualified teacher, specialising in Language and Literacy, and an accredited Proofreader and Editor. He is now a freelance writer covering topics including veganism, mindfulness and minimalism.
