Meet the Sussex man running a marathon EVERY DAY in 2024
James Cooper from West Sussex is embarking on an epic challenge to raise money and awareness for Samaritans
Last updated 20th May 2024
A West Sussex man is running a marathon every single day in 2024 to raise awareness of mental health and raise money for Samaritans.
James Cooper from East Grinstead is running 26.2 miles every morning on disused rail-lines between his home and Crawley.
He began his epic challenge on January 1st, and he intends to run every day up to 31st December.
What's more - he's doing the challenge on a leap year, so he had to run an extra marathon on February 29th.
Running a marathon every day in 2024
James is doing it to raise awareness of mental health, and the raise money for Samaritans.
Speaking to the Mental Health Monday Podcast, James explained how he'd struggled with his own mental health during a difficult time in 2014 and 2015.
He then lost an uncle to suicide in 2017.
Exploring his own thoughts and feelings about his experiences in the last 10 years, James set up the Smilinggg project to help others find tips and advice to help improve their mood during difficult times.
He tells us the extra 'g's represent the need for generosity, gratitude and growth in people's every day lives.
And he says he hopes the 366-day challenge is a representation of the work he's done on his journey so far, as well as a great opportunity to raise money for Samaritans
Inspired to run 26.2 miles each morning
On how he copes hitting the road each day he said: "It's up to you to find the beauty in what many would say was the same route.
"As long as you're paying attention there's a lot more varying aspects to it that bring a richness to the experience.
"It's the meaning, it's the purpose, it's the knowing I have to get up every day to do this, it's the benefit its bringing to others.
"When I'm in challenges such as this my mental health is probably the best it can be."
Finding hope during difficult times
James told us losing his uncle, and the impact it had on his family, inspires him to keep going each day: "It's an opportunity to find some meaning in the suffering that I, and my family continue to feel today.
"That void doesn't go away and that pain moves on to those left behind.
"I just want to do all I can to give some meaning to the sadness, really."
Listen to the full conversation, and get the link to James' fundraising page on the Mental Health Monday Podcast.