When you look at an AFL player’s diary around October and November you are likely to see holiday plans and anything but a rigorous training schedule.

This year for Tadhg Kennelly and Jared Crouch, there will be no rest. Their diary reads training and preparation for the longest run of their life, the New York Marathon on the fourth of November.

Kennelly and Crouch are both aware of the devastation heart disease can cause and that is why they decided to join forces with the Heart Foundation, to raise money and awareness by running the marathon.

“The Heart Foundation means a lot to me as heart disease has affected my life in a big way,” Kennelly said on Tuesday at the SCG when he and Crouch announced their marathon intentions.

“I lost my grandfather about 18 years ago due to a heart attack but little was I to know the impact it was going to have on the rest of my life… my Dad also passed away from a heart attack eighteen months ago.

“My Dad actually ran the Dublin marathon about ten years ago so it is going to be a great challenge personally, and I just want to get the awareness out there of the Heart Foundation for my Dad.”

Crouch’s reason for supporting the Heart Foundation was just as heartfelt.

“Unfortunately heart disease has affected us all here at the Swans, with Tadhg’s father, trainer Wally Jackson, who was a great mate of mine and a real father figure when I was first at the Club and more recently Swans ambassador Billy Thorpe.

Kennelly and Crouch don’t underestimate the challenge that lies ahead, especially given neither can recall ever running more than 10km at once. They do, however, estimate they run between 15-20km per game and feel it should put them in good stead for the 42km assignment.

“The longest run I have done is about 10km during pre-season a couple of years ago. This marathon is playing with my mind, believe me, I struggled with that 10km run,” Kennelly said with a laugh.

"Seriously though, I think the fitness we've got with the games played, I know it's a different fitness because it is more power based, but we still have an aerobic capacity to run around for two hours.

"We are not going to be getting physically tackled or hit unless people are running from the crowd and jumping in on us. I'm sure we have the endurance capacity and we're both aerobically fit."

Crouch added, “The important thing to remember is we aren’t going out to set any world record times, we are all about raising awareness for charity and to raise as much money as we can.“We are competitive people, we’ll get to the course and grind it out, if it takes five hours or 10 hours it doesn’t really matter.”

How long will it take them to finish the famous run?

Crouch jokes a day and Kennelly, who would ordinarily be in Ireland throughout November, is hoping before the sun goes down.

The players said coach Paul Roos had given his blessing and dismissed any notion it could interfere with their pre-season campaign.

"I'm sure if anything it's going to help us at that time of the year," Kennelly said.

The fundraising objective is to raise a minimum of $10,000 each. Upon signing on they each set up a donation web-page through the Heart Foundation. Swans fans can click here to read more information on how to donate.

The first fundraising item is an opportunity for eight people to ascend Sydney’s Skywalk with Kennelly. Successful bidders receive a personally signed photo as a keepsake of the occasion. Click here for more information or to place a bid.

The New York Marathon draws more that 90,000 applicants and the race attracts two million cheering spectators along with 315 million worldwide television viewers.

These two Swans players have been on the Grand Final stage but one would suggest that on this occasion they will be out of their comfort zone, and crossing that finish line in Central Park will be a great accomplishment for an even greater cause.