Norman Varga has begun a quest to run the length of 50 marathons in 50 days and arrive in London in time for the opening ceremonies of the London Olympics.

Varga is a 25-year-old former cage fighter who had his left arm reattached after being pushed under a tram at 16.

He will cover some 2,000 kilometers from Budapest to London to draw attention to the importance of supporting young people.

Varga runs a foundation in his native Budapest district of Csepel dedicated to helping youth develop a healthy lifestyle and support their goals in education, science and art.

Varga’s journey began yesterday. It will take him to Slovakia, Austria, Germany, France, Luxembourg, Belgium and the Netherlands before reaching London on 27 July.