Current Wainwrights record-holder Steve Birkinshaw was amongst those who ran this morning’s first section with South Lakes athlete, Paul Tierney. 

Mr Tierney, from Windermere, has set off today in a bid to run all of Alfred Wainwright's 214 peaks as quickly as possible.  

The Ambleside runner and Inov-8 ambassador, is hoping to beat the record time set in 2014 by Steve Birkinshaw, who completed the challenge in six days and 13 hours.

Mr Birkinshaw had beaten Joss Naylor’s 28-year-old record in the process who ran it in seven days, one hour and 25 minutes.

“My advice to Paul was to focus on small, achievable goals; be that getting up the next climb or pushing on through to the next rest stop. If you think too far ahead it becomes too daunting," said Mr Birkinshaw.

Originally from Cork, Irish international trail runner Mr Tierney, 36, said he was doing the epic challenge to raise money for the mental health charity MIND, in memory of his close friend and fellow athlete Chris Stirling.

The course, which started in Keswick, covers 320 miles with 118,000ft of climbing.

“I have thought about doing it ever since I followed Steve’s progress on his attempt,” said Mr Tierney.

“It wasn’t something I thought I’d be capable of at the time but I’ve gained some more experience in the meantime and would just like to give it my best shot and see what happens.

“I want to honour the memory of Chris, who overcame so much in his short life and epitomised all that is great about endurance sport. He was an inspiration to me, in how he went from knowing nothing about triathlon to winning the world’s toughest, the Celtman, in just a few years."

You can follow his progress live click here

And to donate click here

“I’m lucky to have a fantastic support team and be part of a fell running community that has really got behind me," added Mr Tierney

The Ambleside Athletics Club member will eat on the move and sleep in a van at road crossings. He will be supported throughout by family and friends, with groups of runners taking it in turns to pace and navigate him over different sections of the route.

Lee Procter, inov-8 Global Communications & Ambassadors Manager, added: “This is a monumental challenge Paul is undertaking in our Lake District back yard.

"To put it into perspective, he is attempting to run 12 back-to-back marathons and do the equivalent height gain of four times up and down Mount Everest. We will be backing him every step of the way."