Two runners, one dog, one huge challenge – to run at least 10km (6.21 miles) every single day for a year, without fail. And it's all for charity.

Local runners, Jim Plunkett-Cole, from Kilmersdon, and Neil Taylor, from Frome, began their epic fundraiser way back on New Year's Day, joined by Jim's Border Collie dog, Alfredo, or 'Alfie' as he's affectionately known. Jim and Neil are raising money for the Cystic Fibrosis Trust, the UK's only national charity focusing solely on the condition, the Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance, (which receives no Government funding and costs £1.5 million a year to operate, it literally saves lives every day), and Positive Action on Cancer, which offers a free, one-to-one counselling service for anyone affected by cancer or life-threatening illness. Chosen by his supporters, Alfie the dog is raising money for Happy Landings Animal Shelter, near Shepton Mallet, which cares for and rehomes animals that have been abandoned or mistreated, or have had to be taken into care. The charity works alongside Councils, dog wardens, vets, police and other sanctuaries to look after both domestic and farm animals. So far, Jim and Neil are on the way to raising £4,000 for their charities, with Alfie having raised over £500 for his cause, all by himself!

Both Jim and Neil have received huge support from local runners and running clubs and, of course, some of us mere mortals who are completely in awe of such a feat. If either of them were to suffer illness or injury and are unable to complete a 10km run on any day, the challenge will end for the individual.

All the runs are tracked using GPS to prove the 10k has been completed each day for each individual. Alfie even has his own tracking collar and people can track his progress and route live on a map on the internet!

Some of the 10k runs have been local and Jim and Neil have their own routes that they complete regularly. However, they have been popping up all over the place, as they invite anyone to sponsor them on a run – so readers can choose where they run (any terrain), what they wear, even what music they listen to! All the pair ask for is a minimum donation of £10 per 10k run. You can even choose what day they go, so anniversary and birthday runs have been popular so far. Last weekend, Jim and Alfie appeared at the Bristol International Balloon Fiesta for a 10k run where they were announced to thousands of people. Back in June, they found themselves running around the eleven-mile perimeter of Glastonbury Festival with headtorches, with the Rolling Stones playing their set in the background. Jim and Alfie tracked a 'heart-shaped' 10k on Valentine's Day from their home in Kilmersdon, a route which included the Colliers Way Cycle Path.

The trio are planning on a Somerset Coalfields 10k in tribute to local miners. If anyone can help with route-planning to help illustrate a story through the running, please get in touch. A 'Gromathon' is planned for 8th September, a full marathon route that will take in nearly all of the Gromit statues currently in Bristol, and Somerton and Frome MP, David Heath, has invited them to run around the Houses of Parliament, one they are particularly looking forward to!

Asking Jim if he is sick and tired of running yet, he said: "Not at all, it has the completely opposite effect – you find that hour to be the best one of the day. By the first month, we became conditioned to it, it's like a form of meditation and we really look forward to it. The running community have been amazing with their support.

"So far this year, we've run in ice, snow and blazing heat. Poor Alfie hasn't liked the heat too much - for him, it's like a human running in a gorilla suit! So, we take great care with him, running in the shade and along by the river a lot to keep him cool. Alfie loves swimming! Quite often we find our routes take us much further than 10k, but we don't mind this as we are having a lot of fun.

"We are really trying to involve the local community in this challenge and demonstrate that running every day won't hurt you – in fact, just walking every day brings great health benefits. Starting on 1st January 2014, we are even thinking about a global daily walking / running challenge. Watch this space!"

Over two hundred days into their fundraiser, The Journal will be following the trio's progress during the year. You can find out more, sponsor, suggest routes and read their online blog at: http://www.10Kx365.co.uk">www.10Kx365.co.uk visit Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/10Kx365">www.facebook.com/10Kx365 or via Twitter @10Kx365