A former cancer patient will run 21 marathons over six days in an attempt to break a 127-year-old Scottish record.

William Sichel, 55, an endurance athlete from Orkney, is to compete in the Athens International Ultramarathon Festival next month.

Sichel, who with his wife, Elizabeth, owns a mail-order Angora yarn and knitwear firm on Sanday, hopes to cover more than 567.2 miles, beating the record set by Scot George Cameron in New York in 1882 at the age of 28.

Cameron’s is Scotland’s longest-held athletics record. Sichel’s previous best performance over six days is 532 miles.

Competitors spend the duration of the event attempting to cover as much distance as possible on a circuit of the runway of the city’s former airport.

They eat and sleep when they want to. Sichel plans to sleep for two-and-a-half hours on the first day followed by up to five 20-minute power naps on subsequent days.

There is no prize money at stake, just the honour of finally breaking the record and becoming the world’s top endurance athlete.

“My ambition is to break the record which has stood for a long time,” Sichel said.

“I am in the best shape I have ever been and I am well-prepared. I have never been beaten in the three previous races I have done over six days.”

Sichel is the world number two for his age group for the event. Weighing 9st 2lbs, he expects to lose more than 8 lbs in the race.

His training has involved running 60 miles a week with 12lbs of added weight.

His diet has been supplemented by coconut oil which he pours over his food for the added energy it gives.

“It is a major discovery for me. In ultra-distance running you can’t get enough energy,” said Sichel. “It’s ideal for this event.”

Twelve years ago, Sichel, who began long-distance running in 1994, was diagnosed with testicular cancer.

Within a fortnight of having surgery he was back training, and a month later he was fully fit and selected for the Great Britain team for the World 100km Road Championships.

“I am just an example of somebody who has faced big problems and got over them and kept going,” he said.

Geoff Wightman, chief executive of Scottish Athletics, the governing body, has said Sichel is one of Scotland’s greatest athletes. “He is built on a different construction to the rest of us. His strength of mind and energy efficiency are amazing.”

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