Pavel Paloncý on the Pennine Way in West Yorkshire during his attempt. Photo: Bob Smith/grough

Czech ultrarunner Pavel Paloncý has begun his quest to beat the record time for running the full length of the Pennine Way.

The two-times winner of the brutal winter Spine Race is currently ahead of schedule as he heads north through Yorkshire.

Paloncý left Edale shortly after 5am on Saturday in his attempt to smash the speed record for the national trail, which runs for 268 miles (431km) from Edale in Derbyshire to Kirk Yetholm in the Scottish Borders.

His target is the current fastest known time of 2 days 17hrs 20mins 15secs set by Mike Hartley in July 1989.

The Czech runner is being supported in his record attempt, with pacers and other helpers en route.

To beat the record, he will need to reach Kirk Yetholm shortly after 10pm on Monday.

He won the Montane Spine Race in 2014 and 2015, but was beaten in this January’s race by Yorkshire anaesthetist Tom Hollins, who overtook Paloncý and Spanish runner Eugeni Roselló Solé in the closing stages of the event.

Paloncý’s progress can be tracked on the Montane Spine Fusion Race website. Runners in the Fusion race and its shorter Flare event left Edale three hours after the Czech departed.

The inaugural Montane Spine Fusion and Flare Races are summer versions of the Spine and Spine Challenger which take place during the height of winter.