Perry's on the road again

REFRESHED: Perry Newburn is back into endurance running a year after his world record run across the United States. PHOTO/ FILE

Perry Newburn is back.

The former Wanganui endurance runner, who last year set a world masters record for running across the United States, sets off next week on his first endurance run of the year.

On Monday Newburn will begin a 48-hour run around Manfeild in Feilding where he will attempt to cover 320 kilometres. The run will raise money to take South Street Vocational's (IDEA Services) clients on an end-of-year trip.

It will be Newburn's third multi-day Manfeild run. His first, in April 2013, set a New Zealand record for running without sleep. He covered 487km in just under 72 hours.

"Next week's run is in a sense a training run to get back into the long distance stuff," he said.

It is nearly a year since Newburn ran from New York to Los Angeles in 51 days, 16 hours and 40 minutes. The tail end of last year was about recovery for Newburn before he spent the first six months of this year battling a virus. But he continued training about 160km a week.

"People talk about the brick wall when they are running. I was hitting it every kilometre. It [fatigue from the virus] just stops you in your tracks but it didn't stop me running," he said.

Next week's run is a personal mission for Newburn, whose son Sean has an intellectual disability and is with IDEA Services in Feilding.

"I'm really looking forward to it. Again, it's running for a cause and doing what I love doing."

There will be a fundraising sausage sizzle and people can donate to join Newburn for some laps. He sets off at 8am.