J.K. is a man obsessed with the world's stupidest foot race, The Meredith Gift. The Meredith Gift began eleven years ago when a band was late to arrive at the Festival. The organisers being a resourceful bunch thought they’d encourage the festival crowd to entertain themselves with a nude footrace across the amphitheatre. Several years on and now a Festival icon, the Gift has turned into one man’s obsession.

J.K. is that man. After running second place four times, J.K. has been left nude and unfulfilled too many times. After some correspondence with the judges in 2002 (see below), J.K. was awarded the coveted Golden Jocks but followed this contentious win (he was first to grab the Golden Jocks after there was a false start in which a huge pack of runners broke, he came first in that pack) with a crushing defeat in 2003, coming a familiar second. After basking in his nude glory and scaling the dizzying heights of celebrity in 2002, it was a deflated J.K. in 2003.

After coming to terms with this loss, J.K. realised he needed continued mental preparation and physical training if he intended to raise the bar and defend his title, reclaiming victory at this years Gift. J.K. has been jogging several hours a day all year to keep his fitness up for that one-day-in-December.

And in order to make his quest one of spirited determination, J.K. has registered himself as attempting a World Record for Nude Distance Running and will commence his journey in Langwarrin in Victoria’s Southeast and run all the way to Meredith, arriving over 3 weeks later. This journey has him completing a total running time of 80 hours. We can’t quite believe it either.

In light of one man’s incredible journey, we hope you will give him a Hero’s Welcome when – if – he enters the Amphitheatre on the Sunday.

The Meredith elders wish J.K. all the very best with his journey and look forward to joining Meredith punters in giving J.K. a rousing hero’s welcome as he enters the Amphitheatre on Sunday 12th December. That is if he makes it. And should he indeed jog into the amphitheatre on Sunday, the Meredith Elders will happily bestow upon him the Keys to Meredith.

THE INCREDIBLE DRAMA OF 2002 – the year JK eventually won The Gift
There was drama in 2002, yes. Drama like never before. The judges and starter on the stage couldn’t see the start line, and didn’t realize the pack had broken – a false start – and ended up running the whole track and collecting the coveted Golden Jocks. After much debate, the Meredith elders decided to award J.K. the race. He became the official Meredith Gift Winner for 2002. In a touching piece of human interest, he has come second by a pube in his last three attempts. The Elders had originally decided to call it a No Race, and therefore J.K. was not an official Gift Winner. But then some heartfelt correspondence was entered into and so the judges decision was not final. In other words, J.K. sent us this email, and we thought it was fair enough:

Dear Aunty Meredith and the Meredith Elders,
You may know me as JK Red Cap, although I have previously been known as 'the guy in the blue cap' (Gift 2001), 'the guy behind Richo the plumber' (Gift 2000) or 'the guy that fell over at the start, then ended up in PICTURE magazine' (Gift 1999).
Re: My 'unofficial' win in the Meredith Gift 2002.
Since when has the Meredith Gift ever had strict starting rules? In my four attempts for the Golden Jocks I don't think there has been one 'true' start to the race. All the commentator needs to do is countdown then yell 'go!'. The other bloke who is at the starting line takes care of the rest. I thought that's how you guys always organised it? Extending the race to 'Gift' standard length of around 100 metres was a gem of an idea... Which reminds me. Love the new site!.. This gives all runners a better crack at the undies. My case for what what I believe is my 'win' at the 2002 Meredith Gift
is illustrated by the above points. This is compounded by the fact that not only did I win both starts, but I won them both by a decent length. (insert hearty Kelvin Cunnington-esque laugh here).
Previous Meredith Gifts have brought me nothing but heartache and the tag amongst my peers as 'the bridesmaid'. I'm the bride damn it. I AM THE BRIDE!
I had been gunning for the beer initially in 1999. Beer that in 2002 I shared with my fellow gift runners, all but 3, they were mine for the trip home. Then with the announcement in 2000 that a lifetime pass to the festival was on offer, I knew it was something I had to win. In 2002 I was determined to win, as I had gotten a little stoned the night before, fell asleep, then missed Jon Spencer Blues Explosion. But that's my fault I guess.
I have the golden jocks. I drank some beer from the slab that I held so high on-stage that dusty Sunday arvo, and I know in my heart that I won The Gift. But that ain't enough. There ain't no lifetime pass and I'm still referred to as 'the bridesmaid'.
I got my garter belt.
I ask you this.
Where's my wedding dress?
JK

You can watch this space for update on JK’s Nude Crusade, and there will be live updates from his journey on the screen on the stage during the event.

WATCH FOOTAGE OF JK IN ACTION (updated regularly)

JK – we salute you.

Photos by David Quick