WICHITA, Kan. (KWCH) – You can probably find him in a city near you. He’s the strange guy running on the side of the road.

Paul Johnson is an active-duty Navy Lieutenant who is running 3,000 miles across the country to raise money and awareness for mental health. Newton, Kansas, is just past the halfway point for Johnson’s transcontinental run across the lower 48 states. His journey began nearly a month ago in Los Angeles, and he still has another month left of pounding the pavement before he reaches his final destination in New York City. Johnson is averaging around 400 miles every week.

“I don’t even think about Time Square; I just think about dinner at the end of the day,” said Johnson.

His favorite snack while running is mini-donuts. He says he eats about three bags of the sugar bombs every day. A cargo van full of supplies follows behind Johnson as he crosses state after state. He says Kansas is his favorite state so far.

“Never did I think I would run through Hutchinson, Kansas,” said Johnson. “The sun’s going down, and all of a sudden, ten people show up because they want to run with me into the dark.”

The 28-year-old has undergone mental health issues of his own. He says running is a form of meditation for him, and it’s become an addiction.

“I can see a broken leg, and I accept that,” Johnson said. “If you see someone struggling, you can’t see it, you don’t understand it, and you don’t want to talk about it. That’s what we’re trying to raise awareness for.”

Johnson is running for a health and wellness community for veterans called Team Red, White, and Blue. His goal is to raise one million dollars for the Georgia-based organization. If you would like to donate, click here.

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