LONG distance runner Mark Allison has announced his biggest charity challenge to date: to run around the world.

The runner, better known by the nickname “Run Geordie Run”, has already raised more than £200,000 for charities including the Bobby Robson Foundation and The Children’s Foundation, with his long-distance runs across the UK, USA and Australia.

Now he plans to run around the globe by 2024, beginning with a staggering 3,580 miles from Lisbon to Istanbul in 100 days in 2016.

More runs will follow in Eastern Europe in 2018, China in 2020, Japan in 2022 and finally New Zealand in 2024, with the father-of-one breaking the challenge into segments due to work, family and financial restrictions.

At the announcement at Trinity House, Newcastle, Mr Allison said: “I’ve already begun detailed research on the European leg and my training started in September.

“There’s a massive amount of climbs on this route and I need to go into it as light and lean as possible.”

By the time he completes the epic challenge, the 43-year-old will have covered four continents, 23 countries and 20,000 miles in 608 days.

“Run Geordie Run” returned in January from his latest run in Australia, where he clocked 2,384 miles in scorching heat, despite briefly having to stop due to safety concerns.

He said: “Australia was the toughest thing I’ve ever done.

“I had no idea how hard it would be. It almost broke me.

“When I came home I needed time to recover, mentally and physically, and I began thinking about why I run, why it’s important to me and why I feel the need to continue.

“It was clearly all very much on my mind because I dreamt about this world challenge. I could see a map of the world with segments crossed off which I’ve already covered. It sounds daft but that’s really how I came up with this idea.”

Mr Allison, from Blyth, in Northumberland, began fundraising in 2007 when he ran from John O’Groats to Lands End, and he has continued to increase the intensity of his challenges ever since.

In 2011, he ran from California to New York in just 100 days, raising £105,233 for his late parents’ hospice, St Benedict’s and The Children’s Foundation.

Mr Allison added: “The beauty of this plan is that I’ve already ran three segments. Little did I know that when I was running from John O’Groats to Lands End, across the USA and then Australia that it would actually become part of a run around the world.”

The Newcastle United fan will be supporting the Bobby Robson Foundation and The Children’s Foundation, as he did in Australia last year, and it is expected he will break the £250,000 donation barrier before he starts.

He said: “As before, my fundraising target for this run is £50,000.

“If I can achieve that for The Children’s Foundation and the Sir Bobby Robson Foundation, then I’ll feel like all the hard work is worthwhile.”

Lady Elsie Robson, Sir Bobby’s widow, said: “Mark’s will to keep going and raise money for the two charities is unbelievable and we were stunned when he revealed his plans to run around the world for us.

“He had a terrible time in Australia and encountered a lot of issues he couldn’t have predicted

“We’re all so proud of Mark. The planning and effort which goes into this kind of challenge is just incredible.”

For more information, visit Mark’s blog at www.rungeordierun.com, or alternatively people can donate at uk.virginmoneygiving.com/rungeordierun