In the film, they said, “Run, Forrest, run.” That is exactly what University of Massachusetts student Brian Taylor wants to do.

Taylor, a senior kinesiology and economics double intends to run through all of the 48 continental states, with hopes of raising money for charity.

“I actually got this idea when I was freshman, but I kind of put it in the back of my mind,” said Taylor, a Somerset, Mass. native, whose family currently resides in Fall River.

“It seems like a good experience,” Taylor added of the endeavor. “I don’t know if anybody’s tried to do [such a run] before.”

Taylor said he has mapped out the beginning of a route he’d like to take and that he’s decided any money he raises will go to charities which either support cancer research or help to combat world hunger.

“I’ve always liked helping people,” Taylor said, noting that one of his primary motives for the trip is to try to help out the charitable organizations.

Rough estimates, Taylor said, indicated that the whole trip could take upwards of nine months. And although he initially wanted to commence the trip next semester, Taylor is now hoping to start things up soon after he graduates.

Taylor said he’s already mapped several locations in New England that he wants to run through during the trip. He said that after commencing the trip in Massachusetts, he plans on heading to locations in New Hampshire and Vermont before heading south.

Taylor also does not intend on taking too many breaks during the adventure.

“I’m going to try to [run] six days a week,” Taylor said. “But if that’s too much, I might want to do it for five [days] or take a week off every once in a while.”

And Taylor indicated that he isn’t too picky as to where he will stay during stops on the run. He suggested that he would like to contact people in the various towns on his route, but if he can’t find anywhere to stay, he wouldn’t have a problem sleeping outside — provided that the location is safe.

“I can sleep pretty much anywhere,” he said.

A member of the wrestling team, Taylor said he spent roughly 20 hours a week last semester training for the adventure. Additionally, he’s also participated in boxing, jujutsu and karate — which he credits as having helped him to build strength for the run.

“I’m in pretty good shape,” Taylor said, noting that he is in the proper physical condition for the run, which would prove to be rigorous, to say the least.

However, one thing Taylor is lacking — and something that he said his trip is entirely dependent upon — is sponsorship.

“I don’t have a lot of money myself,” Taylor said of the funding for the run. He said he’s sought out some organizations for money, and is hoping he will be able to get the word out to more.

Sponsorship, he added, is also the primary means through which he intends to fund the charitable organizations.

Additionally, Taylor contacted U.S. Sen. Scott Brown’s office a few weeks ago to see if the first term senator could help him with sponsorship. As of late last week, he was still waiting for a reply.

Taylor is also eager to gain sponsorship through a variety of other means. He said he would be inclined to wear temporary tattoos displaying advertisements from sponsors during the run.

“I was thinking I could do that,” Taylor said, “just like wear temporary tattoos all over myself, and just like run through places — pay for it that way.”

William Perkins can be reached at [email protected].