Kilmersdon runner, Jim Plunkett-Cole, creator of the Kx365 challenge, has come to the end of yet another staggering year of running, having completed a triathlon every day for the whole of 2015.

After deciding to run 10k every day for a whole year back in 2013 and fundraising at the same time, Jim continued into 2014 and beyond. Over the past few years, he has encouraged others to be a little bit active every single day, joining in with his challenges, fundraising for charities, taking on marathons and visiting local schools to talk about fitness and the importance of well-being and, as we first reported in November last year, is now planning to run across America emulating film character, Forrest Gump.

“Last year was the most stressful of my life,” Jim said. “Cramming in an average 750m swim, cycle a minimum of 20K and run a minimum of 10K every day for a year to try and complete a triathlon every day, as well as running a business, supporting the amazing Kx365ers through the year, trying to fundraise and have a life outside of these things. It was an incredibly stressful year – of my own making,

admittedly!”

During 2015 Jim swam 170 miles, cycled nearly 5,000 miles and ran 2,500 miles. He said: “Getting to pool slots, finding a pool open on Christmas Day, ten punctures, rain, wind, five bike crashes… These were just some of the problems!”

He finished the year with a 20K cycle at midnight, followed by two hours sleep before heading to Bristol to take part in a 46 mile, wet and muddy ultra marathon, stopping off at Keynsham Leisure Centre for a swim and then continuing to run another 33 miles to the finish line. Not only has Jim managed to complete all these achievements, but he also raised an extra £3,000 for Positive Action on Cancer in 2015.

As if that wasn’t enough, Jim has also been dedicating his time to a free and fun daily initiative called Kx365, a Facebook-driven community of people trying to do a little physical activity every day for a year. The idea came at the end of 2013, after Jim had finished his first year of running 10K every day. He said: “In its first year, 2014, 100 people registered for the challenge, in 2015, around 350 people registered and so far this year, more than 800 people have registered. Many local, but many from further afield, some even international! Participants inspire themselves, but also others, including their friends and family – some of them use the challenge to fundraise for their own causes.”

The Kx365 challenge is a simple one, all participants need to do is a pick a distance of 1K to 10K and either walk, run, cycle or swim that distance every day for the year. Those taking part can mix it up, changing their distance and their method of exercise and are encouraged to share stories and photos of their experience over the year using the Facebook page and the website. For details, visit: http://www.kx365.org/ or via Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/Kx365-336751896465655/

The website features anecdotes from participants about how their health and well-being has improved, as well as stories from people taking on the challenge as a fundraising initiative for their own causes.

Jim adds: “My ambition is that the initiative will grow in a similar way to parkrun and will be a fun and free way of tackling the growing problem of weight and obesity issues among adults in the UK.”

At the end of last year, Jim began a series of ‘Talk and Run’ events after being invited to Bishop Henderson School in Coleford, which has inspired him to do many more, with four planned already and the possibility of doing more whilst completing his Forrest Gump style challenge across America.

He said: “The children were amazing! They sat and listened intently and asked great questions and then we went for a run around the playground for a few laps. The feedback I had from the school and the parents was that the children had been very

inspired. As with Kx365, I hope to use these visits to try and tackle weight and obesity issues among children.”

His next Talk and Run session is likely to be at High Littleton Primary School, where he hopes to speak alongside two pupils, who sometimes joined their mum, whilst she took part in last year’s Kx365. He will then be moving on to schools in Bristol.

So what does 2016 hold for Jim? Well, just the tiny matter of planning to run 19,000 miles across America beginning in October this year. Plans are in place for him to begin this truly epic new challenge, named ‘JimGump’, following the route laid out by Forrest Gump in the famous film. He aims to complete the route over three years, running at least sixteen miles a day, adding cycling and swimming into the mix and speaking at schools along the way to encourage active lifestyles and looking for stateside publicity for the cause, already messaging Facebook co-founder, Mark Zuckerberg.

Many of Jim’s previous running challenges have also involved his dog, Alfredo, but due to the location, Alf will be sitting this one out.

The JimGump challenge will have some fundraising for good causes in both the US and UK, as well as being a very personal challenge.

“I have led a very insular life for a number of years, avoiding people by staying at home, working and doing my daily challenges from home. So I will also use the challenge to raise awareness about Asperger’s.

“I’m really chuffed to have finished and to get my life back,” he said, now that 2015 is over. “The most important and worthwhile thing to me personally, above all else though, is to get adults and children active a little more outside each day.”

To follow the JimGump challenge preparations, visit: https://www.facebook.com/JimGump-898616836901866