FITNESS enthusiast Richard Hume is an Englishman on a mission.

The 42-year-old Warranulla resident plans to run a phenomenal 30 marathons in 30 days in northern Queensland during the month of June to raise much needed funds for the Miracle Babies Foundation.

Richard draws inspiration each day from his seven-year-old daughter Ella, who was born premature at 29 weeks and four days back in 2017.

She has since developed into a healthy young girl and adoring sister for four-year-old Maddison, with both siblings “a ray of sunshine” for Richard and wife Elizabeth, who operate the local Challenge Chaser Retreat.

“We know about the difficulties that can arise from premature births and aim to raise $10,000 for the Miracle Babies Foundation which is a charity that helps support families that have preterm babies,” a determined Hume told News Of The Area.

“Each year more than 48,000 babies require specialised care and hopefully we can raise some funds to support premature and sick newborns, their families and the hospitals that care for them” quipped the devoted father of two.

Richard, who emigrated from London in 2012, is always up for an endurance based challenge.

He once rowed unsupported across the Atlantic Ocean from Africa to the Caribbean in 72 days and back in 2008 completed a triple iron triathlon in Virginia USA that comprised of an 11.6km swim; 540 km bike ride and 126.6km run in 44 hours 20 minutes – one of the fastest top ten times recorded in the world that year.

For his latest challenge, Richard aims to run a marathon each day from Saturday June 1 to Sunday June 30 along The Strand’s spectacular and world-class beachfront promenade in Townsville.

In preparation for the event, the durable dad has clocked up to 150km each week in endurance training as well as testing his stamina with long distance running at various locations in Newcastle, Port Stephens, Tea Gardens, Forster and Bulahdelah.

Richard described his quest as “a war of attrition”.

“The first week of running should go smoothly before entering an extremely tough period from day eight to fifteen which is quite uncomfortable and excruciating,” he confessed.

“Once you overcome that difficult section of the challenge you can get a new lease of life in the final stages of your quest,” Hume revealed.

Richard’s Instagram for the event is #rthperformance.

By Chris KARAS