The Bathurst couple are taking part in a virtual running of the London Marathon but their choice of location has cranked up the difficulty level to the extreme.

With the Mount Panorama Punish not able to go ahead this year due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic Jackson and Arnold have decided to not let the amazing venue go without use for a running event this year.

So they're going to run around it seven times.

They've been training hard around to Mount over the past few months in order to accomplish such a feat, preparing to run their race around the same time as the on-location edition of the London Marathon this weekend.

Jackson said a trip to England several years ago helped pave the way for this Sunday's endeavour.

"Two years ago Jenn and I were competing at the World Triathlon Championships and we went via the UK. Simon King, who has been here to Bathurst to do friendship work between Cirencester - the ancestral home of Bathurst - and here, became good friends with us," he said.

"When we arrived there, Lord and Lady Bathurst invited us to stay at the Bathurst. Then when the virtual London Marathon popped up as an event they got in touch with us about a month ago to say 'We've got two spots. Why don't you two run it?'.

"We said 'Of course' because since we were over there doing a world championship event they assumed we would be fine," he laughed.

Since this year's Mount Panorama Punish a no-go Jackson said the location became a marathon target.

While it certainly won't lead to a scorching marathon time it will definitely make for an impressive endurance achievement.

"We had to work out how to make it iconic for Bathurst at this end, hence we picked Mount Panorama. Lord and Lady Bathurst pointed out that since we cancelled the punish that we could do penance by doing laps of Mount Panorama," Jackson said.

"From Sunday around 1pm, since we have to line up with UK time, we'll be trying to line our last lap up with when they will start their first lap as the Cirencester teams start their first lap at the Bathurst estate.

"We'll be doing live crosses and some chats as well. It won't be our fastest marathon by any stretch of the imagination but the important thing is putting Bathurst on the map."

Jackson said the challenge will especially worth it knowing that there's charities involved on the day.

"We've both run a number of marathons so we're both confident of getting through it, it's just that the seventh time up through The Cutting might be hard work," he said.

"We'll probably finish somewhere after five to six hours of running. We'll be raising money for the Cirencester home for young people and also Veritas House here as well. The London Marathon is known for its charity work so we're contributing to that as well."

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