Kenneth Anderlitch's 850 mile run across Texas

Kenneth Anderlitch, a 34-year-old ultrarunner from Austin, Texas, recently completed an incredible feat of endurance by running across the entire state of Texas. The journey, which began on November 25th, 2022 and ended on December 13th, 2022, covered a distance of 850 miles and took Anderlitch 19 days to complete.

Anderlitch, who had been training for the run for over a year, set out to raise awareness for mental health and to raise funds for a local charity that supports individuals and families affected by mental illness.

Anderlitch's journey was not an easy one. He had a turbulent childhood and began using drugs and alcohol at the age of 14. When he was 20, his mother, who had struggled with prescription drug addiction, died of an overdose. Anderlitch himself spent several years in prison and overdosed 10 times.

However, six years ago, Anderlitch turned his life around. He completed a rehabilitation program and moved into the sober living space at Pay It Forward. Since then, he has become an avid ultra endurance runner and has used his passion for running to give back to the organization that helped him get clean.

The run started from the easternmost point of Texas, Sabine Pass and ended at the westernmost point of Texas, El Paso. Kenneth ran an average of 45 miles per day, and faced many challenges including extreme heat, blisters, and sleep deprivation.

Despite the many obstacles he faced, Anderlitch never gave up and pushed through to the finish line. His determination and dedication inspired many people along the way, and his run raised over $50,000 for mental health charity.

"This run was one of the most challenging experiences of my life, but it was also one of the most rewarding," Anderlitch said. "I'm so grateful for the support of my family and friends, and for the outpouring of support from the community. I'm also proud to have raised awareness for mental health and to have raised funds for such a worthy cause."