Tavistock Athletic Club's 'athlete of the month' is Jim Cole.

Jim had trained, ridden and raced horses and also played football for Lamerton for some time, but it was only when he won a pub fun run at Chillaton that he realised he had huge potential as a runner.

His first race was the Tavy 7 in 2005, when he finished sixth despite having done little training.

The following year, Jim joined TAC and his running steadily improved. He represented Devon and the South West many times, despite the fact that for half of each year his training is patchy, due to horse racing commitments. Arguably, his best result was winning the Plymouth Hoe 10 in 2009, setting a new club record and beating the best runners from both Devon and Cornwall. Later that year he was thrown from a horse, breaking a vertebra in his spine, which resulted in an 18-month break from running.

However, since May, Jim has been back with a vengeance and over the last few months of hard training in the club's Coe group under the leadership of Richard Drage, he has gone from strength to strength.

Amongst his recent successes are finishing 18th at Bristol Half Marathon gaining a personal best, winning the local race Six Moor Miles, finishing eight at Cardiff Half setting a new club record, and winning the club's own Tavy7 race last month.

Sheila Houghton, on behalf of the club, said: 'Jim is always willing to help and offer encouragement to slower runners and we all wish him well.'