JOSH LLEWELLYN-JONES OBE
ABOUT JOSH
Josh Llewellyn‑Jones OBE is a world‑record‑breaking ultra endurance athlete, gym owner and mentor who has lived his entire life with cystic fibrosis. Born with a 10% chance of surviving his first night and told he would not live past 30, he has turned exercise into both his medicine and his mission.
EARLY LIFE
Josh was born in 1987 with cystic fibrosis, a life‑limiting genetic condition that primarily affects the lungs and digestive system. Doctors initially gave him around a 10% chance of surviving his first night and warned his family he was unlikely to reach his 30th birthday.
At two years old, his parents took him to see a specialist in the United States who gave one simple piece of advice – keep him moving and let exercise become a daily habit. That message shaped Josh’s entire outlook: how hard he trains directly affects how long and how well he lives.
Growing up, Josh threw himself into sport, playing football, rugby and cross‑country at school, learning early that effort and discipline in training translated into better health and more freedom in everyday life.
At 17, he climbed Mount Kilimanjaro and even had a boxing match at the summit with former European Heavyweight champ Scott Welch, raising over £140,000 for cystic fibrosis causes long before he held any world records. It was a sign of what was to come: big, bold challenges with a clear purpose behind every step.
STRENGTH THROUGH SPORT
WORLD RECORD ENDURANCE
When Josh turned 30, the age he was told he would never reach, he celebrated by completing the brutal “World’s Fittest Man” style challenge, combining huge distances, heavy lifting and multiple disciplines in a single effort over 24 hours. It was his way of showing that cystic fibrosis does not get to write the final script.
In 2018, he set a world record by lifting 1,000,000 kg in less than 24 hours, averaging 755kg a minute for 22 hours and 11 minutes to raise money and awareness for cystic fibrosis. That effort alone helped inspire families around the world and proved just how much can be achieved with the right mindset, preparation and support.
Josh has continued to take on extreme endurance challenges, including a 3 Nations in 5 Days event where he swam 21 miles, cycled 200 miles where he was invited to St James's Palace to dine at King Charles' house and then ran 160 miles back to Cardiff with no rest. Each challenge is designed to turn heads, open conversations and drive fundraising.
Across his challenges, he has raised over £1m for cystic fibrosis awareness and children’s charities, using every mile, lift and stroke as a platform to talk about exercise, hope and what is possible even with a serious long‑term condition.
5DAYS4CF
RECOGNITION
In recognition of his fundraising and advocacy, at the age of 31 Josh was awarded an OBE for services to people with cystic fibrosis and charity, alongside honours such as Pride of Sport, Pride of Britain and extensive national media coverage. For him, these awards are less about titles and more about the platform they create.
The visibility allows him to reach more families, connect with more brands and support more research, including collaborations with universities exploring how exercise can transform the lives of people with cystic fibrosis.
Josh now splits his time between running a semi‑private functional gym in South Wales with his fiancé Angharad, coaching and mentoring clients, creating content and planning new challenges. In the gym and online, he helps people build strength, resilience and discipline through simple, sustainable habits.
Away from events and coaching, he loves surfing, road‑tripping in cars featured on his YouTube channel “Exhausted Wallet” and spending time with Angharad, his dad Adrian, mum Dawn and his friends. The message is consistent wherever you find him: use your body, value your breath and don’t waste the chances you have.
LIFE NOW
EXHAUSTED WALLET
Away from ultra challenges and the gym, Josh is a lifelong petrolhead who loves real‑world driving, classic and modern performance cars and the stories that come with them. From winter drives in a convertible to big road trips across Wales, cars are another way he explores freedom, resilience and joy in everyday life.
That passion led to the creation of the Exhausted Wallet YouTube channel, a cinematic but down‑to‑earth space where Josh tinkers with cars, talks honestly about ownership and shares the emotional side of driving rather than just headline numbers. Viewers tune in because the content feels like a conversation with a friend who genuinely loves the machines, not an advert.
WORK WITH JOSH
Josh’s story is not just about surviving cystic fibrosis, it's about using adversity as fuel for discipline, joy and impact. Whether through ultra‑endurance, CF Warriors, his gym or his car content, he is committed to helping people make the most out of life and live lives they are proud of.