Tributes paid to local running legend Jim Hussey who has died aged 85

The 'local legend' of the Telford Parkrun had been running ever since his air force days and in more recent years became a motivator and 'inspiration' for Shropshire runners.

Perched on a tree stump off to the side of the route's busiest junction, dressed in a high-vis jacket, a loud voice that never tired would bellow "Come on, young man/lady!" or "All the way!"

Today, organisers of the popular event have announced Jim's sad passing and paid tribute to 'a life well ran'.

The tribute on the Telford parkrun Facebook page reads: "It is with great sadness that Telford parkrun have received the news that Jim ‘Our Local Legend’ peacefully passed away on Monday, surrounded by his family.

"Our thoughts and condolences are with Jim’s family, and close friends. Floral tributes can be laid at 'Jim’s Junction' this Saturday.

"We hope to see as many as possible this weekend, to pay their respects to Jim, in his words ‘Come on you can do it.’

"Further information about donations and a permanent memorial will follow."

Kim Fawke, director of Telford parkrun, said: "I was a very good friend of Jim and we had been friends for almost 10 years – we met at the start of parkrun.

"His legacy will be absolutely massive. We know Saturday is going to be a very emotional parkrun and I have written some words I will be reading out at the start.

"He had such a huge impact. If he had seen the amount of shares of the post, he had 41 shares and I don't know how many comments, but that's the impact he had on people and he never understood it.

"But it's because he always encouraged people whether they were at the front or right at the back and he was just inspirational really and he will be sorely missed."

Oliver Stokes, Telford parkrunner, said: "Such sad news, Jim was a gent and a Telford parkrun legend. His encouragement as he ran and latterly cheered us all on will be missed by anyone who ever ran at Telford."

Kelly Mackay added: "Many of my early parkrun runs was with Jim. I loved listening to the amazing stories of his best running days (and he was an amazing runner).

"Sad to think I will never hear ‘come on young lady’ from his corner again."

Jim started running soon after parkrun came to Telford in 2013 and struck up a friendship with early pioneers of the weekend event.

In his early days, Jim had been a very good runner – not international standard he said – but better than an average runner.

After joining the military in October 1955, Jim was given the choice of playing football or cross country running, in which he chose the latter.

Jim said that the RAF gave him the opportunity to embrace his true passion of running, making full use of the force's running tracks wherever in the world he was posted.

He competed in every race going, and enjoyed testing himself against some of the force's top athletes.

Jim spoke of one Inter-service Championship in the Middle East between Navy, Army and Air Force runners in which he ran a 4:59 mile in bare feet on a sandy track in scorching heat – he came second in that race.

And it was while stationed at RAF Cosford between 1974 and 1981 that he and a band of other running servicemen challenged each other and kept each other honest.

Having spent time at RAF Cosford, Jim and his wife Teresa settled in Sutton Hill where they had seven children together.

Jim now leaves behind his children, 24 grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren. His wife Teresa passed away with dementia in 2011.

Speaking to the Star late last year, Jim said in his own words: "The parkrun is different - they don't have to do it start to finish, it's all ages and all abilities. Kids, seniors, oldies, now they all take part.

"It's a wonderful thing that has got so many people off their backsides. Depending on where they are from they can come down for 9am and be back in at 10am with the rest of the day.

"I have enjoyed it, I've encouraged, I've inspired and the amount of people that have come up to me in recent months to say I'm the only reason they are doing this...

"I've gone down there and done what I've done but anyone can do that."

Saturday's Telford parkrun will be dedicated to the life and legacy of Jim Hussey.

Floral tributes can be left at 'Jim's stump' where they will remain for a couple of weeks.

Telford parkrun is also looking at a permanent memorial for Jim on the route, either a tree or a bench, and donations will be raised in due course.