A former Speyside High School pupil is helping in an attempt to run and cycle all 11,075 miles of the UK coastline in just 34 days.
David Nicol is a key part of the back-up team for fitness instructor Kris King, who passed through the region yesterday.
The bid – which involves Mr King running a marathon one day and cycling 100 miles the next – aims to raise the profile of a little-known medical condition that has claimed victims close to both men.
Mr Nicol’s mother Margaret Hunt, who lived in Rothes, died from Huntington’s Disease five years ago.
Shortly beforehand, he was also told he has the gene that will ultimately cause him to lose control of his body.
Speaking yesterday after cycling from Nairn to Fochabers while Mr King ran the whole way, the 39-year-old said: “It’s inevitable that I’m going to get the disease at some point and that it’s going to kill me.
“When that will happen I don’t know – there’s a 24-year woman joining up with us next week who’s already showing the symptoms.
“The effects of Huntington’s are horrific and there’s currently no cure for it.
“But you can either feel down about things, or you can try to lead your life as fully as possible.
“Someone really close to Kris died from Huntington’s just three weeks ago.
“I’d never met Kris before, but when I heard through the internet that he was taking on this bid, I knew I had to do something to help.
“Only one in 10 people have ever heard of Huntington’s. Hopefully, this will do something to change that.
“There are three of us who basically take it in turns to cycle beside Kris. So far, he’s bearing up really well, although he’s in a lot of pain a lot of the time.”
Mr King, who is 26 and from Sheffield, set off from Blackpool 11 days ago.
To support his bid, go to www.justgiving/teamawesome-hd