Garvagh’s ‘Running Man’ Jim set to take on his 50th half marathon of the year

A 62-year-old Garvagh man is preparing to reach an incredible running milestone this Saturday, November 14, when he takes on his 50th half marathon of 2026.

Jim Bradley, affectionately known as ‘The Running Man’, will set off from Garvagh Forest car park at 9am, taking in the country roads surrounding the village as he edges closer to an extraordinary personal achievement.

Jim first took up running in 2017 after deciding he wanted to get fitter and healthier. What began as a bid to improve his fitness quickly developed into a passion, with him completing his first marathon just a year later in 2018.

“I just took a notion to get fitter and healthier. I began running and cycling and just got the bug for running. I loved cycling, but I really loved running,” he explained.

A member of Springwell Running Club in Garvagh, Jim trains with the club twice a week and has made running a huge part of his life.

His challenge for this year was to complete one half marathon every weekend throughout 2026, but he has gone several steps further than originally planned.

Having also completed a quadrathon in Donegal – four half marathons over four consecutive days – Jim is now well ahead of his target.

“I set myself a challenge to do one half marathon every weekend this year and then I did a quadrathon in Donegal. It was four half marathons in four days, so I am four up on myself.

“By the end of the year I should only have 52 half marathons completed, but by that time I'll have 56 done.”

It is not the first time Jim has set himself an ambitious running target.

Last year, he completed the '25-25-25' challenge, which involved running 25 half marathons by December 25, 2025.

He then decided to raise the bar for 2026 with a '26-26-26' challenge, aiming to complete 26 half marathons by the end of this year.

However, he reached that target on June 26 and decided to double up, setting himself the challenge of completing a half marathon every weekend for the remainder of the year.

Despite the demanding schedule, Jim says running has become second nature to him.

“When you're doing a half marathon every weekend it’s not really something I think about, I just go out and do it and it doesn't even faze me,” he said.

And there is little chance of him taking a break, with Jim admitting that he feels better when he keeps active.

“I don't rest. If I rest, I feel worse,” he laughed.

For Jim, however, it is about much more than the physical challenge. He enjoys the social side of running, the friendships formed along the way and the opportunity to give something back to the community.

“I enjoy it and I enjoy the social side of it and the company of my running friends. For my age, I feel great being able to do it.

“It's not easy to go out and do that every weekend from the 1st of January but rain, hail or snow, I go.”

Alongside his running achievements, Jim has also been involved in a number of fundraising efforts for worthwhile causes.

Earlier this year, he joined forces with fellow runners to raise money for Foyle Hospice, while he has also supported organisations including Guide Dogs, Diabetes UK, Marie Curie and the Air Ambulance.

Following a family tragedy a couple of years ago, Jim personally raised £12,000 for the Air Ambulance, demonstrating that his determination to make a difference extends well beyond running.

When he is not pounding the roads, Jim works for his brother Eamon at EJB Car Sales in Garvagh.

And there is little sign of him slowing down, with his running ambitions already stretching into 2027.

Next year, he has signed up for the Belfast Marathon and is also hoping to take part in Garvagh quadrathon, which would see participants complete four half marathons over four days.

But first comes Saturday's milestone, as Jim prepares to celebrate his 50th half marathon of the year on roads closer to home.

As Jim crosses the finish line tomorrow having run 655 miles this year, he will no doubt be proud of his achievement built on determination, consistency and a genuine love of running and one that has certainly earned Garvagh's 'Running Man' his nickname.