Sleeping rough, squaring up to badgers, and super gluing blisters together – it was all in a day’s work, or more specifically six days of work, for Man up-UK’s Fintan Godkin last month when he undertook the epic challenge of completing the 186-mile Pembrokeshire coastal path for charity.

Fintan had originally targeted finishing in three days, an ambition hindered by numerous obstacles, but he still described his feat as “the best thing he’d ever done,” raising around £1000 for the DPJ Foundation and police charity Safe Horizon in the process.

“I’d always wanted to do the Pembrokeshire coast path and also set something up as an event,” he told Telegraph Sport.

“Obviously with Man-up UK we’ve held the Ras Dewi Sant (a 26.2 mile coastal marathon) and last year we had the ultra-marathon, a 66-mile race that raised a lot of interest.

“But these days people want to keep pushing themselves. A few years ago the marathon was the ultimate achievement, and then Iron Man took over and now athletes want to go beyond that even, with things like double Iron Man and so on.”

And it’s because of this, that Fintan now has provisional plans in place for a challenge next summer, where entrants will aim to complete the whole path in 72 hours – but recently decided he wanted to try the course for himself first.

“Obviously it’s 186 miles and the overall elevation is 35,000 feet which is actually higher than Everest,” he said.

“Before I started I tried to find the quickest time it has even been done in but there are no records. Caz Phillips, who organises the ‘Beast’ run in the Preseli’s has done it in four days so I always take that as the quickest I know.”

Fintan himself ambitiously targeted a three day finish as he set off from St Dogmaels, and was joined by another local athlete in Helen Platel on the first day as the pair chalked off the first 50 miles.

“We were doing 14 minute miles to start as we switched between fast walking and light jogging,” he explained.

“But after 50 miles I had really bad blisters on my feet. The next day my feet were sore and the blisters really affected me, so only managed about 26 miles.”

The next 48 hours proved torturous, but he was supported by numerous friends and family when he passed through the St Davids peninsula, the area in which he lives, with people running alongside him and also providing food and drink.

His timing schedule became distorted, and he did the Little Haven to Freshwater West leg overnight, stopping sporadically for short sleeps on the path itself.

“It was really eerie,” he admitted.

“I had a head torch on and at one point I heard grunting and looked down, and came face to face with a badger.

“He was on my left and to my right was the cliff edge.”

Upon reaching Dale, Fintan took the sensible decision to sort is deteriorating feet out, and was picked up by friend Carwyn Richards, who found him sleeping on the roadside.

“I googled what to do about my blisters which probably wasn’t the best approach,” he laughed.

“And I read that if you cut them and super-glue them, they won’t grow back.

“I did that by myself as surprisingly no one volunteered to do it for me, and then later that night was dropped back off in Dale. From 11pm onwards it really was the final push – and I did the last 80 miles in about 48 hours, sleeping here and there on the path.”

He reached the finish in Amroth on day six – ironically a number that also represented the number of toe nails he lost along the way.

And he readily admits, it was often a case of mind over matter.

“I spoke to a group of people in Druidston who encouraged me to keep going. By that point I had come too far to quit and I knew this was a chance I may never get again.

“So I had to be a little pig headed and dig deep.

“I completed it for two reasons. Firstly, it was something I’ve always wanted to do, and secondly to test out the ‘Marathon De Coast’ route for next year.”

Indeed, in June 2018, Man-up UK will set a three day challenge for competitors to tackle either as individuals or teams of three – with the target to finish the 186 miles in three days, although there will be an unofficial fourth day for those who fall just short of the original challenge and yet still want to make the finish.

“If no one does it in three days then there is no winner,” said Fintan.

“The earliest people can go each day is 4am, and the cut-off point is midnight so they will get four hours to rest and sort out any problems.”

The event has already attracted high profile interest, with former Welsh rugby captain Ryan Jones stating his intention to compete, as has ex-Ospreys coach Sean Holley.

And Fintan is under no illusions as to what those unsure about taking it on should do.

“I’ve been lucky enough to do an Iron Man and run marathons – but this really was the best thing I’ve ever done,” he said.

“I’d encourage anyone to take it on or you may never get the chance again.”