"And, as the father of a 3-year-old, I am also very keen to help children who are suffering — Kiwi kids should not be going to school with an empty tummy."
Using GPS technology to record his progress, as required to attain a Guinness World Record, Jacobs will go through four or five pairs of shoes during his quest, so it is just as well he is sponsored by ultra running shoe specialist Hoka OneOne.
He will also eat an enormous amount of food, as he must average 8000 to 10,000 calories every day to keep his energy levels up.
"Covering that sort of distance in that time, you just cannot eat enough." Following a mainly plant-based diet, Jacobs will need to eat every half hour, with his support crew providing him with lots of nutrient-rich foods such as avocados, smoothies, coconut oil and cream.
Running for hours each day is a way of life for Jacobs, who says for him ultra distance running is like an active meditation. "I get into the zone and it's like a metronome. I don't listen to music, I just run — you see and hear so many things when you are running."
Originally a Taranaki farmer, Jacobs started ultra distance running five years ago, after beating cancer.
"I felt that if I could beat cancer, I could beat this."
Now based in Cambridge, he has been running full-time for the past three years, as well as working in the field of sports recovery. He runs six days a week, covering an average of 250km to 300km, and recently competed in the Alps 2 Ocean event, finishing 13th.
Jacobs has run the length of the country several times before — once doing it as a holiday excursion with his dog.
People can follow Jacobs' progress on his Curly Runs New Zealand Facebook page.
