That’s what one dedicated young man achieved at last year’s Treadmill Challenge for Suicide Prevention.

The event, initiated five years ago, was hosted by Anytime Fitness clubs for the first time in 2017.

Border gym owner Jai Forster said the young man who blew everyone away last year was aiming for the same feat on Friday.

“We were in awe, he had a support team, some were sleeping in the gym while he kept going,” he said.

“Our gym raised just over $4600 last year.

“This area has a high prevalence of suicide, so it’s really important for us to do this.”

The idea behind that challenge is that each participant runs or walks for just 15 minutes, coinciding with a $15 donation. 

The nationwide fundraising target is $500,000.

North Albury, Wangaratta and Benalla Anytime Fitness clubs will run the fundraiser from 3pm on Friday to 3pm on Saturday.

Benalla gym manager Sherri McDonald said achieving grassroots suicide prevention was a difficult but important conversation to have with the community.

“We need to be asking ‘Are you OK?’, not just on one day of the year but every day,” she said.

“We need to have an open conversation about suicide.”

The issue is close to the heart of the Benalla community, with a suicide-prevention based trial underway.

Ms McDonald said following last year’s Treadmill Challenge her staff were involved in a workshop open to the community to help them identify people at risk.

“It will be a slow process; the hardest thing is actually asking someone the question (are you okay?)” she said.

Mr Forster said headspace Albury-Wodonga would open the event in Albury on Friday.

“This is an opportunity to do something with the support of headpsace – people can contribute to something they might not otherwise know how to,” he said.