Jim Fixx died in 1984 (ironically his arteries were plugged with too much cholesterol). He left a legacy of thousands of joggers and runners that he introduced to the pleasures and benefits of jogging and the sport of running. His book, The Complete Book of Running, became a best seller among running books.
When Jim first took up running in the 1960's, he weighed 220 lbs. By the time his book was published, he had trimmed down to 159 lbs, and was an accomplished runner. A New Yorker, Mr. Fixx was a graduate of Oberlin College.