For those of you who have been to India, you’ll appreciate how chaotic the country’s sprawling, maze-like cities are. Amazing as they may be, each city takes on its own rules which can ben difficult to navigate.

David Grier set himself the challenge of navigating his way through India, while running a 4000km marathon – all in aid of helping children to smile.

David started his Indian odyssey at the country’s Northernmost temple in Srinagar and journeyed toward the Southernmost temple in Kanyakumari. On the way, David was faced with some of the most stunning scenery in the world and immersed himself in Indian life, ‘running in a pair of Indian shoes and living local’.

‘We set up tents and camp the whole way – there’s no money for hotel rooms… we lived the hard life in India’

On his journey, he had to keep his pace through the hustle and bustle of city life – ‘traffic, people and just the megacities enveloping and swallowing me up, eating every last ounce of energy’.

At one point, David had to cross the Namarda river, which was both the most memorable and most challenging experience.

‘Mentally it was the hardest journey I’ve made – not so much physically challenging, but mentally it was tough. It has really taken me to the limit’

David has been to ‘the limit’ on more than one occasion. In 2006 he ran the Great Wall of China; he jogged along the coastline of his native South Africa in 2008; and paddled from the African mainland to Madagascar in 2010.

Completing this latest challenge was the only option. David had started the run completing 40km each day, but by the final month he was running 50km a day!

He completed the journey in 93 days – a journey that raised money for the Cipla Miles for Smiles initiative, which helps organise operations for children born with a cleft lip or palate ‘that can change a life forever’. So far, Davis has raised money for 1000 children to have operations.

David does’t plan of resting for the rest of the year. He plans to run across the UK before London 2012 Olympic Games.