Tony Mangan vowed to run the world four years ago – and completed his epic task in the Dublin Marathon.

The Dubliner completed a remarkable journey when he ran the 26 miles of his native city’s marathon on Bank Holiday Monday.

His lifelong ambition was fulfilled when he crossed the line in a time of six hours, eight minutes and 30 seconds.

The Irish Independent reports that his ‘mind-boggling journey’ has seen him run almost 30,000 miles in the last four years.

His journey began at the finishing line of the 2010 SSE Airtricity Dublin Marathon.

The day after the 2010 Dublin Marathon Tony ran across Ireland, from Dublin to Dunquin near Dingle; the most westerly point in Ireland.

The report says he then set off to Jog the World on a trip that would take him across North America, South America, Australasia and Asia, before returning to run through Europe last June.

The 57-year-old Liberties native said at the start of his trek: “The World Jog is not something thought up overnight over a few pints. It has been incubating in my mind for 20 years and has grown into an absolute monster. I feel like I am a prisoner of this idea and ambition.”

Mangan had previously set off around the world on a bicycle at the age of 21.

He ran his first marathon in Dublin in 1986, finishing in 3:09 after just five weeks training.

The report says he got his marathon best time down to 2:38, but it was only after emigrating to Colorado in 1994 that he discovered ultra-running and realized that the longer the distance was, the more competitive he became.

The Irish Independent reports that he set world-best distances for 24 and 48-hour treadmill running at the 2003 Dublin Marathon and reached an ultra-running pinnacle four years later when breaking the world indoor 48-hour running record in the Czech city of Brno.

He completed 426.179 km in that race, running for 47 hours and walking just 750 meters.

Mangan is now running across Ireland on a solo run that is also a fundraiser for the AWARE charity.