This weekend, ultra runner and veteran Paul Johnson is hoping to complete the mission he started. He's going to be running right through the Lehigh Valley on Friday.
"It's feeling good knowing that we're about to be done with this thing and, and getting excited for the finish here," Johnson said.
Paul — who's a Penn State alum — started running on the West Coast in California and has run almost all the way across the country. He filmed this video while he was making his way through Pennsylvania.
It's a transcontinental run in 51 days if he keeps going at this pace. That's about 65 miles a day, 3,000 miles in all.
"I didn't realize how big the United States was," he joked.
Completing the transcontinental run is a feat fewer than 400 people have completed.
"I was like, that'd be cool to do, but I don't think I can do it."
But his mindset shifted in 2022, and by the start of the new year, Johnson was running everyday, preparing to make his way across the United States.
"Last year total, I think I ran like 5,400 miles for the year."
His goal was to break the world record of 42 days, but a few hiccups early on derailed his attempt.
"We've hit hail. We've hit rain. We've hit 66-mile-per-hour sandstorms. We've hit snow. We've gone through six-inch thick mud," Brady Keegan, crew member and media lead, said.
So now, instead of running for a record, he's running for completion and cause.
Paul says he's running for veterans and to get us talking about mental health. He was in the Navy and — like so many other vets — really struggled when he got back from deployment.
He says he hopes that by putting himself out there and being vulnerable, he'll crush some of the stigma around getting help for your mental health.
"The real reason we're out here is to raise awareness for mental health and, and trying to fundraise that million dollars for Team Red, White and Blue."
You can run with Paul today, be there on the sidelines or otherwise support his run by visiting his website, PaulJohnson.run.
