Patrick Stow and Mark Hore might be a couple of decades apart in age and met only a few weeks ago but they have already formed a friendship that will run for a life time.

The two men are donning a moustache this November to raise money and awareness for men's health - something close to both their hearts.

And come Sunday they will also share more than just a love of running, they will have both completed the New York City Marathon.

Patrick will run the 42.2 kilometres along with more than 50,000 people in New York and will have a few tips in the back of his mind from Mark, who completed the run in 2016.

"He just said to enjoy it and take it all in," Patrick said.

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"I always wanted to do a marathon and do something for men's health so this just seemed right to do it for Movember at one of the biggest in the world.

"Mark and I haven't known each other long but we sat down for a couple of hours and had a great chat.

"The running community on the Border is something I didn't know existed."

Mark was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2012 and said it "changed his life".

The now 53-year-old said he could have "sat in the corner feeling sorry" for himself, but "something clicked".

"I saw an ad with a training program to run five kilometres and thought this was my chance to look after my health and from there it changed my life," Mark said.

He has gone from not running at all and a cancer diagnosis to doing 10 marathons and multiple half-marathons.

"I did an ultra-marathon just a few weeks ago which I included in my Movember efforts," Mark said.

"My focus on my health just fuelled my love of running and it went from there.

"I just built up my distance and did the five kilometres and then 10 and it just went from there.

"I did the New York Marathon in 2016 for Movember and it was just the best experience. The atmosphere with all those people is really inspiring."

Since doing the NYC marathon Mark has done the Point to Pinnacle in Tasmania.

"It is the toughest half-marathon in the world and I think if you aren't doing something extreme to raise money and awareness people won't pay that much attention." Mark said.

"It is pretty important to me for blokes to take the time to look after their health, whether that is their prostate checks or looking after their mental health which Patrick is more focused on.

"The Point to Pinnacle is very inspiring - a lot of blokes have stories about their health and I think if 20 people read my story and just one bloke gets a health check that is a win.

"That is what it is all about, looking after men's health."

Patrick said he hoped his first full marathon would "get people talking".

"Having had close mates go through tough times both emotionally and physically, and experiencing some difficult times myself, the focus and awareness that the Movember Foundation brings in changing the face of men's health really strikes home to me," he said.

"If we can ask the blokes in our life if they are OK and encourage them to get their health checked it will really help.

"I think men are more likely to talk with other men and that's what I hope to encourage through my run."

Both men have seen a change in their health from running. For Mark it was setting a goal and achieving it after his cancer diagnosis.

Patrick started running after some football injuries and saw a change in his mood, along with the kinds of conversations he was having with his mates.

"When you're young there's a lot of banter and conversations that don't have a lot of substance," he said.

"Since I've been telling people that I'm running for Movember, my conversations have changed.

"Now there's a few deeper conversations in the mix. Being a set of ears for someone to talk to is so important."

To donate visit movember.com