Mauve’s Marathon Man: CFO John Ellis takes on his 111th marathon in Sydney

The team at Mauve Group are wishing our co-founder and Chief Financial Officer, John Ellis, the best of luck as he takes part in his 111^th marathon this weekend - the TCS Sydney Marathon in Sydney, Australia.

No, that’s not a typo – John has previously completed 110 marathons, running his first in Rome in 2005.

This means that, by the time he reaches the finish line at the iconic Sydney Opera House, John will have covered 2,910 miles (4,684km) of ground in marathon races alone – the equivalent of 525 Everests, or 12% of the Earth’s circumference.

This figure is comprised purely of the marathons themselves – never mind the amount of running required to train for a race of this length! Before he starts training for a marathon, John typically runs between 20 and 30 kilometres per week - made up of 5km and 10km runs. Nine weeks out from the race, John begins running 40km per week, including practicing running on tired legs, and doing this until he starts tapering around five weeks out. During the final week, he undertakes a couple of short, easy jogs and incorporates lots of rest days. John is meticulous with his training and pre-race nutrition - unsurprising considering how many marathons he has under his belt!

Supporting causes, one step at a time

Over the past 30 years, John’s marathon running has raised tens of thousands for charities whose missions range from children causes, to disease prevention, to mental health initiatives. John will be running the Sydney marathon in support of Children with Cancer UK, an organisation funding childhood cancer research, supporting families and raising awareness to improve childhood cancer outcomes.

John’s incredible feat will also be helping to contribute a huge number of steps to Mauve’s #JourneyTo30 campaign – an ongoing company step initiative to celebrate Mauve’s 30^th birthday this year.

Mauve’s global family are aiming to collectively walk 30 million steps across 10 virtual destinations connected to Mauve’s 30-year heritage – from Llansannen, Wales, where the first invoice was posted, all the way to Nairobi, Kenya, the site of our newest staffed office.

Along the way, we are fundraising for Worldwide Cancer Research, a vital global charity directly funding cancer research discovery projects. Every location we get to along the way “unlocks” a new donation, and we are fundraising within our wider community too. If you would like to support our efforts and push us to our next destination, please donate via our JustGiving page, and leave a message of support for the team!

Sporting success at Mauve

John is one of many very active members of the Mauve community. Global Payroll Administrator at Mauve, Sophia Mutio, last year climbed Kilimanjaro to celebrate 10 years of her charity Umoja Boys, a charity supporting boys living on the streets of Kenya. During our Journey to 30 challenge, Sophia has also completed a Hyrox.

In 2024, Commercial Director Annette took the Mauve flag with her on the Yorkshire Three Peak challenge – an impressive climb involving summitting Pen y Ghent, Whernside and Ingleborough, as well as walking between the three. Annette began with an aim of completing the challenge in under 12 hours and completed it just eight!

In 2026, International Contracts Administrator, Paula Corsten, along with her niece, completed a 26 mile walk from Dorset to Hampshire, raising an amazing £3,300 for Oakhaven Hospice, in memory of Paula’s mother, Ju.

Also this year, Marketing Campaign Specialist, Harry McEvoy, ran his first ever half marathon, with an impressive time of 1.57.11!

How Mauve supports the sporting sector

At Mauve, our active community is one of the reasons we’re proud to support sports organisations like Commonwealth Sport with services and solutions, too.

Mauve has a long-standing connection with the sporting sector, helping organisations to navigate the complexities of employing staff and contractors across borders while remaining compliant with local employment legislation. Mauve was a proud sponsor of Team Wales at this year’s Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games, a partnership which highlights our ability to support high-profile sporting organisations with workforce solutions that enable them to focus on performance and delivery.

“They’re a small, passionate company, they’re all in, it’s fantastic they [...] will be there, cheering on the athletes. That really matters to us.”

- Martin Reynolds, Deputy CEO at Commonwealth Sport - speaking at the Mauve Group × Team Wales event at the UK House of Lords, February 2026.

We have also contributed to industry discussions around the challenges of global hiring in sport, sharing insights on international workforce compliance, talent mobility and employment regulations in publications including The Hollywood Reporter. By combining global employment expertise with a deep understanding of cross-border workforce challenges, Mauve helps sporting organisations engage the people they need, wherever opportunities arise.

As we wish John the very best of luck on his 111th marathon, he leaves us with these words of wisdom - applicable to both running marathons and nurturing a business over many years...

"Run at a pace that allows you to take in and remember the course. Look for interesting or enjoyable things around you. They help take your mind off the distance. Focus on anything distinctive along the route: a coloured sign, a big junction ahead, different designs of lamp posts, interesting trees, buildings or anything else you can count or aim for. These small targets help keep you moving. Just take it as it comes."

For more information on how Mauve supports global sporting organisations, read how our testimonial from Commonwealth Sport here.