Greenway resident Dave Parkes will be running nearly two marathons in two days to raise money for mental health charity Menslink.
The organisation's education support officer will be running four miles every four hours for two days around Lake Tuggeranong from Wednesday 4pm.
By the end of his 48 hours, he will have run 48 miles (77.2km).
He hopes to raise $10,000 for Menslink.
The 27-year-old first got involved with Menslink four years ago as a mentor and started working there in 2019.
Menslink offers mentoring, counselling and education programs to support good mental health in males aged 10-25.
Mr Parkes said boys needed positive male role models.
"I think it's important for boys to have boys to learn off and talk to," he said.
Mr Parkes said the charity helped two young children after their mother took her life last year.
"Myself and their mentor were kind of the first support they got, and the only support they had through that time. They didn't have any other family and they only had a small selection of friends," he said.
Mentors catch up with mentees once a fortnight for a few hours, with additional group outings once a month, giving the kids an opportunity to blow off steam.
"A lot of these kids go through pretty hard times, they have to grow up pretty quickly," Mr Parkes said.
He said being involved with the program taught him the power of volunteering.
"It's not only turned the young fellas' lives around but really turned mine around, and made me a better person," he said.
Menslink chief executive Martin Fisk said Mr Parkes' challenge was all about resilience and building up physical and mental stamina.
Mr Fisk had even agreed to run part of the way. "It's such a fantastic idea and it just shows how the staff of Menslink don't just do their job but really live the heart and soul of it," he said.
To donate, head to GoFundMe and search 'Menslink'.
