A runner described as a real life Forrest Gump set off down the A9 yesterday morning on his world record-breaking bid to run for 355 miles without sleep.
Ex soldier Dave Moretta, of Blackburn in Lancashire, is hoping to smash the current record of 350 miles by completing the exhausting ultra marathon in aid of Poppyscotland and The Royal British Legion.
The 28-year-old will try to keep running for four days and nights without sleep to finish the gruelling challenge in Preston – the equivalent of completing 13 London marathons one after the other.
The challenge parallels the 90s hit movie, where the good-hearted Forrest Gump runs for days on end across America and has various life changing experiences along the way.
Mr Moretta is hoping to raise £10,000 with his mammoth challenge after the legion helped him when he left the Army in 2008. They gave him food vouchers and helped with payments for his car insurance after his courier firm collapsed.
The father of two raised £7,000 for the legion in November 2013 by running 18 marathons in 18 days across Lancashire in memory of 18 soldiers from the county who lost their lives in Afghanistan.
Training for his latest challenge involved running up to 125 miles a week and he hopes to beat the current record, which was set by American runner Dean Kanazes in 2005.
Inverness was chosen as the starting point because it is an area with a high serving and ex-service population.
Mr Moretta said: “This is a huge challenge – the biggest I will probably ever do in my life – but I am so focused on setting a new world record while also raising money for Poppyscotland and the Legion.
“My last challenge was fantastic. It felt great being able to give something back for all the help they gave me so I am pleased to do this for them and my fundraising will go towards helping other veterans like me.”
The rules for the challenge state that Mr Moretta can only stop for a toilet break every 15 hours.
A health and safety team will join Dave on the run and he also has support from local celebrity chef Nigel Haworth who will prepare Mr Moretta’s meals.
The former soldier will require 16,000 calories each day to give him enough sustenance to finish the run.
Anyone who wishes to donate should visit
http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/18marathons18days