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June 22 (UPI) -- Jim Plunkett-Cole runs more than 140 miles every week, but his latest stunt was a nod to the Golden State Warriors' NBA title. Plunkett-Cole used the running app Strava last week to run all over the city of San Francisco, spelling out the words: "Warriors 2017 NBA Champs." The run covered more than 50 miles and took 14 hours (including a walk from the start and finish).
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"A 50-mile run of 12 hours (spread over 2 days) over the streets of San Francisco as a JimGump tribute to the Golden State Warriors...this week crowned NBA 2017 Champions," Plunkett-Cole wrote on a Facebook post.
The 48-year-old Englishman runs at least 17 miles daily and has done so for three years. He began his challenge, to celebrate the Warriors' second NBA championship in two years, the day after Game 5. That day he scouted the route. Two days later he started his trek. He completed the A and B in "NBA," before writing "Champs." By that point, he was already 18 miles into his run. He decided to go back to his hotel, before finishing the words "Warriors" and "2017" the next day. He ran 19 miles on day one and 36 miles on day two. He clocked 12 to 15 minute miles.
"The B and A were the most challenging as they were in busy downtown," Plunkett-Cole told UPI Thursday. "I ran at a slow pace as I am following a map held in my hands."
Plunkett-Cole's social media alias "JimGump" is an obvious nod to the 1994 film Forrest Gump. In that movie, Forrest, played by Tom Hanks, runs for more than three years, covering more than 15,000 miles.
Plunkett-Cole plans to run 20,000 across America, "doing Forrest Gump's 1,172 days of continuous running, with 'Talk & Run' visits along the way to Elementary School children to inspire activity and ambition," according to his Facebook page.
"The JimGump educational challenge adventure of a 30,000 mile run across the UK and US for more than 7 years without a single day of rest (i.e. averaging 12 miles a day for 2,500 days)," the Facebook page explains. "Including a triathlon every day for a year."
"Visiting schools along the way with an inspiring 'Talk & Run Visit' and associated 'Kx365 Daily Active School/Family Challenge' to inspire activity and ambition amongst our children from an early age and for life. In doing so, helping to tackle weight and obesity issues amongst children and adults, particularly in the US and UK."
Advertisement"The Talk & Run visit is a unique visit, comprising a half hour talk to the school assembly, showing pictures and telling stories of the wonderful things I have seen and experienced on the journey so far. I explain about the importance and rewards of doing something active every day, and about the importance and rewards of seeing the outdoors every day."
"Following the talk we go on an exciting fun run around the playground or field for ten minutes, and finish with a cheery group photo. Following on from the Talk & Run visit, schools (and their families) are invited to participate in the Kx365 Daily Active School/Family Challenge initiative."
"The Talk & Run visit has now reached more than 10,000 children in the UK and US."
Plunkett-Cole is 14,000 miles into his run, according to his website. He hasn't missed a day of running since January of 2013. He doesn't plan on stopping his run until 2020.
He has traveled through Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas, Colorado and California. He has also been in Texas, Illinois, New York, Massachusetts, Washington, D.C., North Carolina and Florida to inspire students to be ambitious.
The endurance athlete plans to run and trace out large logos for corporations to help his cause.
"I plan to do logos to get these corporations to help me to get children and their families physically active and thus prevent weight and obesity and mental health issues associated with sedentary lifestyles," he told UPI Thursday.
Plunkett-Cole averages 21 miles daily.
"I am not allowed a day of rest for another 2.5 years," he said. "Of the 200 days of running in the US about 50 have been marathon distances and 50 20 miles or more and about 15 30 miles or more."
"Running across America and the U.K. and visiting schools and the Kx365 (kids active for 365 day challenge) will take me forever. But after I have finished my work tackling children's wellness issues (or at least got things moving so that other people are helping with this) I would like to run across America photographing and telling the stories of the homeless such as to raise awareness and find solutions."
"I find that running helps me to research and understand things and helps me to develop practical solutions to problems. I have Aspergers Syndrome, and have found that this focus is quite useful in my work."
