An Ocean County man is trying to get into the Guinness Book of World Records by completing 51 triathlons in 51 days.

“People say ‘why?’ I’m 60 years old. ‘Why are you doing it now?’” says Lou Murcardo, of Lavallette.

Murcardo says that he is doing it for children battling cancer and other physical deficiencies.

He says that he will complete 51 of these Olympic-distance triathlons all by himself in 51 days. A triathlon includes a 1-mile swim, 26-mile bike ride and 6-mile run.

“The hardest part of this whole project is the time management,” Murcardo says.

Murcardo, a father of two, manages a restaurant and owns a cleaning business. He says that he gets his grit from his Olympic background. He was an alternate on the 1984 U.S. weightlifting team.

"Weightlifting is much different than triathlons but the mental aspect, the mental toughness is the same,” he says.

Murcardo says that he will document his journey through a satellite watch and a witness. He also says that he is willing to take a lie-detector test to prove that he completed the challenge.

He says that he first had doubts about undertaking such a challenge until his 11-year-old son provided encouragement. Now he says that with the help of sponsors he is closing in on his goal.

“I can taste the finish,” he says. “It’s right there, I can feel it.”

Murcardo’s goal is to raise $100,000 for the cause. He has set up a GoFundMe page for donations.