Meet the Montrealer running 4,500 km on the path of the monarch butterfly

Over the next few months, Montreal runner Anthony Battah will run about 4,500 kilometres along the migration path of the monarch butterfly.

He has dubbed the journey the Ultra-Trail Monarch, and runs around 50 kilometres a day to meet his goal. Battah left Montreal on July 29 and said he plans to finish on Nov. 1.

Battah, who spoke with CBC Radio's afternoon Drive on Monday, is set to cross the Ambassador Bridge on the Windsor-Detroit border on Wednesday afternoon.

He said he hopes to raise one dollar for every metre he runs, and the money will go toward organizations that protect monarch butterflies and biodiversity. 

The following interview with Battah has been edited for length and clarity.

How do you even begin to think, and prepare and train for something like this?

Just to start thinking about the whole project as a whole just gets me dizzy, but when you break it down into half days or days or little chunks like that, it is totally possible. That's the mindset.

Physically, you need definitely need training. I've been running for a number of years, probably 10, and during the past 12 months I've been preparing very specifically for this endeavour. 

Right now, I'm taking it one day at a time. I certainly do not want to wave my hands in victory already. We're just starting.

When you've been running all day and you're almost at 50 kilometres for the day, how do you kind of keep your head in the game?

I have been working with a sports psychologist. He definitely has lots of interesting tools for me, without getting too technical, staying in the present moment is key. I'm just trying to focus as possible on that present moment.

I usually break midday at around 30 kilometres, so psychologically I am more than halfway