Meet the Man Who Is Running Across the Country in Just 100 Days

Running across the country in 100 days is like running at least a marathon — 26.2 miles — each day. And that's exactly what Daren Wendell is doing.

On a typical day, Wendell told TheBlaze he drinks up to seven 9-ounce bottles of water. And water is what his mission is all about.

Daren Wendell knew he wanted to use his athletic abilities to serve a mission doing work in the name of Jesus, he told TheBlaze. He is currently running across the country to raise money for communities that need clean water in Ethiopia. (Image source: Run Daren Run/Facebook)

The 33-year-old who recently moved from Kalamazoo, Michigan, back to his hometown of Canton, Ohio, is running from Santa Monica, California, to New York City in order to raise money with Lifewater International and Active Water, a group he helped create, to help bring clean drinking water to remote villages in Ethiopia.

"I didn’t know there was a huge water crisis issue around the world," Wendell said, calling Monday evening from his route in Illinois and "ready to crash" for the day, his run of 29.4 miles complete.

Unlike people who choose to help a cause because of an already existing personal passion, for Wendell, it was something he learned with time.

This isn't the first time Wendell has crossed the country on foot. He's walked, hiked and cycled his way from coast to coast before. (Image source: Run Daren Run/Facebook)

Wendell said he was looking for "a ministry doing work in the name of Jesus" a few years ago. He ended up picking the first nonprofit that answered his phone call.

Wendell first walked across the country to raise money for clean water missions and on that journey, he said, people began to ask him questions he couldn't answer. It was then he started to learn about the water crisis going on in many countries around the world.

In addition to walking, hiking, cycling and now running across the country, Wendell has swam across Lake Michigan (a 30-hour-plus endeavor) and has participated in Iron Mans and other races.

"I believe everyone has gifts and passions. They’re given to you by God and used by you to give Him glory," Wendell said. "I feel called to use what I know. He’s given me athletic gifts ... when I’m out there, it’s actually worship for me."

Wendell officially started his mission on Jan. 1, but has been planning the cross-county trip for two years. As of Tuesday, he is on day 69 and is ready to retire his sixth pair of shoes.

Wendell goes through a pair of shoes every 10 days as he runs more than a marathon's distance every day. (Image source: Run Daren Run/Facebook)

"Once every 10 days I’m literally running through the soles," said the man who can down a whole foot-long sub and still keep running directly afterward.

"Things are getting really exciting now [with just] 32 days left," he said Monday. "It's almost over."

After it's all done, Wendell said he thinks a little hibernation sounds good.

As of the time of this posting, Wendell is less than $7,000 away from his $100,000 fundraising goal. Though, Wendell said the amount raised thus far doesn't even include the matching funds others have said they would contribute.

Of course monetary donations are accepted, but that's not all. Those who want to offer Wendell moral support as he finishes up his route can sign up to run with him.

Keep tabs on Wendell on his Facebook page and website.