Former Bay of Plenty man Jamie Milne froze at his nanny's funeral and couldn't find the words to share how much she meant to him. Now he's remembering her by dicing with death himself.

Since 2009, the ‘Many Miles For Mary' initiative has run close to 3000 km and raised $55,000 for charity. This Friday (November 13) marks the third attempt at the most treacherous journey yet – running solo around Tasmania in two weeks.

Jamie Milne is putting in the kilometers for his nanny. Photo: Supplied.

Now living in Warana, Australia and a World Record holder, Ultra Marathon runner, author and coach at his own training centre, Jamie trains royals and elite athletes alike.

Raised by his grandparents and a single father, his nanny Mary played a pivotal role for the Ngati Pikiao descendant in his upbringing.

'At the time of the service, as hard as I tried, I froze” admits Jamie.

'I really, really wanted to share how special she was and how much I loved her, but I struggled.”

Jamie describes her as a 'relentlessly warm and loving lady”, but Mary's health tragically declined over the ten years prior to her death with the onset of Alzheimer's.

Dementia is one of New Zealand's most significant and growing healthcare challenges, and according to research updated in 2012, the number of people with dementia in New Zealand is expected to triple to around 150,000 by 2050.

Understanding the tragedy of the debilitating disease first-hand, and unable to farewell Mary at her tangi, Jamie made a promise to always remember his nanny in his own special way.

‘Many Miles for Mary' is 'a dream, a grieving process and my way of giving back,” says Jamie.

'Each year I commit to great feats while raising money for charity.”

A man of his word, Jamie has run the length of New Zealand twice, England to Scotland and Cairns to Townsville and Port Douglas.

He and his business partner Leigh Stalker also hold a World Record for doing 22.5hrs of Burpees all in the name of Mary and fundraising.

With logistical issues and funding support falling through in previous years, Jamie will set out to finish what he started by running the circumference of Tasmania (1100 km).

Aiming to finish the daunting challenge in under two weeks, Jamie says: 'I'll need to complete two marathons a day, totalling 80km.”

With experience of training scores of clients from overweight people to endurance runners, and having long-distance running in his blood, Jamie's tenacity to complete the challenge is unwavering.

'There will come a day when my body can no longer do this, but that is not today,” he says.

His network has helped raise $2000 of his $10,000 target for his charity of choice – ‘Ronald McDonald House' in Hobart – to provide support and housing for seriously ill children and their families.

Aside from running almost every long road on the Sunshine Coast, Jamie says his other pre-run ritual is to have fish and chips the night before.

To donate to Jamie's cause, click here.