FROME has a new ‘running mayor’ who aims to encourage and inspire adults and children into being more active.
Jim Plunkett-Cole, also known as ‘Jim Gump’, is one of a new network of Running Mayors, from across the UK and beyond, who have been appointed by Runner’s World and the RunSome campaign.
Tasked with advocating for running as an antidote to some of 2021’s toughest challenges, like taking practical steps to improve their community’s mental health and reduce air pollution, the new Running Mayors provide a face and a voice to champion running in the place they live, know and care about.
Jim has quite a track record of running and using his active lifestyle to encourage and inspire adults and children into being more active. He recently completed the 25,000 mile equator distance with no day missed, at an average of over 9 miles per day, for more than 7 years. Along the way he visited some 50,000 children in primary schools across the US and UK with his unique and inspirational storytelling school visit.
In 2014 he set up the Kx365 daily active challenge for adults and families and in 2015 completed the amazing feat of completing a triathlon every day for the whole year. In Autumn 2021, Jim and his border collie, Flow, will begin ‘Jim & Flow’s Amazing Equator Adventure’ where they attempt to run the equator distance together with physical school visits to local schools and virtual visits to British international schools in 900 cities all around the world.
Throughout all Jim’s adventures he works full-time as a professional economist.
With respect to his role as Frome’s new Running Mayor Jim said, “Flow and I are really looking forward to championing running and being active in the local area. We are particularly keen on getting people away from the screen and running and being active in the great outdoors. You’ll often find us running on the cycle path or through Vallis, Great Elm and Mells. If you see us please say hi and stop for a chat about how we can help get Frome more active and outdoors.”
The world’s first Running Mayors will promote running as a form of active travel, positioning it as a viable alternative to jumping in the car for short errands and local trips, as well as running for leisure and sport. As individuals, and as a network, the Running Mayors will make the case to local leaders and mayors for why runners, too often invisible in discussions about how we live and move, need to feature in their planning and design of places and services, not least in terms of active travel.
The Running Mayors will also work with other local stakeholders to champion a range of topics that they care deeply about – for many that also includes improving safety and security for women when running, walking and cycling; be that through better lighting, upgrading routes and pavements or buddying up scheme.
High profile campaign supporters include five-time Olympian Jo Pavey and Scotland’s Cycling and Walking Commissioner Lee Craigie. Jo Pavey said, “I’m thrilled to be involved in the RunSome campaign and to support Running Mayors. Encouraging people to make some everyday trips in an active way is great for both health and wellbeing and the environment. During these difficult times for everyone, it is also even more important to promote the massive benefit that running can have on our mental health.”
Runner’s World UK, Editor-in-Chief and one of the judges, Andy Dixon said, “Runner’s World is proud to be part of the RunSome campaign and to get behind the world’s first Running Mayors. We’re passionate believers in the power of running to transform lives and by the seemingly simple act of running some short everyday trips more, we can make ourselves happier and healthier, benefit our towns and cities by reducing car use, and help the environment – everybody wins.”
The Running Mayors can be found on the RunSome website and prominent campaign supporters can also be found here.
