A SELF-STYLED “average Joe” is three-quarters of the way through a year-long charity challenge.

Andy Knight, 35, from Great Wakering, has successfully run, jogged and cycled his way through nine out of the 12 challenges he set himself at the beginning of the year.

Andy’s chosen charity is the Springboard Opportunity Group, an independent charity which supports parents and cares for children with special needs through the first five years of their lives.

Andy said: “Everyone keeps asking which challenge has been the toughest, but each one has its own difficulties to overcome.

“Because of how close the challenges have been – usually around four to six weeks between each one – it keeps me motivated, because I need to start training for the next one.

“Each one has been different in its own way, with different distances and terrains, so I’ve had to tweak my training for each one.”

Andy has a personal connection with the charity because a close friend’s daughter, called Eva, was diagnosed with Down’s syndrome shortly after she was born.

He said: “The charity is a great motivation for me. It’s great to see Eva’s development through their support. She’s doing really well, which is fantastic to see.”

Andy is aiming for a target of £5,000 across the year and has raised about £2,500 so far.

Since January, he has completed a number of lengthy challenges, including a 50-mile-long ultra-marathon in February, and a 128-mile cycle ride in June.

An injury in July caused him to take five weeks off to recover, but, keen to make up for lost time, Andy crammed in three challenges in a month between August and September.

He said: “I got a virus for a week, which I’m pretty sure caused me to have a foot infection. It knocked me out completely and I couldn’t walk for almost the whole of July.

“By the time the challenge came around, which wasa126- mile cycle, I couldn’t fit my cycling shoes on. I only managed to squeeze in a few training rides ahead of the Coast to Coast cycle in August.”

With three challenges to go – a marathon in Snowdonia this month, the Winter 100 in November, and a rowing challenge in December – the end is in sight.

Andy said: “Children from the charity will be coming to support me for the last challenge, where I’ll be rowing the equivalent of the channel and back onarowing machine, which will be a really good way to round all the challenges off.”

To sponsor him, visit my donate.bt.com/fundraisers/ averagejoe