A Lake District runner is closing in on a massive milestone next month as he prepares to complete his 100th consecutive monthly half-marathon — a four-year streak that’s taken him from the Lakes to some of the most remote corners of the world.
There’s no fixed date yet, with the weather calling the shots, but Joseph Cox, of Ambleside, expects the final run to land in late August.
The finish line will be familiar territory: his regular Ambleside to Windermere route, chosen simply because it’s home.
He’s raised £1,011 for Breakthrough T1D so far, aiming to push that past £1,500 by the time the 100th run is done.
Breakthrough T1D funds international research to cure, treat and prevent type 1 diabetes.
He said: “When I started this, I never imagined it would take me from running past glaciers in Patagonia to the tropical humidity on tiny Maldivian islands just to keep the streak alive.
“Bringing it back home to the Lakes for the 100th run feels incredibly right. I’m so grateful to everyone who has donated to Breakthrough T1D. A cause that means the world to me as my sister lives with Type 1 diabetes. What a wild journey it’s been!”
He will run the final half solo — keeping things exactly as they’ve been throughout the challenge — but his pregnant wife, due in early September, will be waiting at the finish line.
The streak has produced some standout moments: a pre-sunrise glacier run in El Chaltén with pumas in the hills, and two half-marathons on Maldivian islands so narrow he could see both coastlines as he ran in blistering heat.
Kenya, Slovenia, Italy and more have all played a part in keeping the monthly rhythm alive while working remotely and travelling.
