'Chris'-crossing the country

NORWALK — His starting block was in San Francisco, and his finish line lies in New York City. In between, the runner passed through many local communities — like Fremont, Clyde, Bellevue and Norwalk — on Tuesday. For Nels Matson, his goal is to set a new world record for the fastest run across America. Chris Campbell, left, and his sister, Cindy. Photos provided by Wounded Warrior Project But Matson's not running for himself: He's doing it to honor a fallen Navy SEAL and raise money for soldiers injured in the line of duty. Matson is an ultra-endurance runner from Bradenton, Florida, who started his cross-country run on Sept. 5. It's being done in honor of Chris Campbell, a U.S. Navy SEAL who died in Afghanistan in 2011 in a helicopter crash, according to a release from the Wounded Warrior Project. Campbell, in his will, made a request that 100,000 people donate to the Wounded Warrior Project in his name. That goal has already been exceeded, but Matson and his nonprofit, the Tri 4 Number 1 Foundation — which makes its mission telling stories of heroes through sport — took on the transcontinental trek as a way to pay heed to Campbell's legacy and raise money for the Wounded Warrior Project. Matson is making his journey under the name "Project Campbell's Call." "I feel like my gift is to do endurance events," Matson said in an interview recorded before the start of his run. "By doing those endurance events, we meet people and they get to identify with the causes we're highlighting through those endurance events. "Think of me as an old-fashioned messenger," he continued. "I get to help tell the mission of Chris Campbell and Project Campbell's Call." Journey passes through area Matson's run is being tracked via GPS and can be viewed live online at share.garmin.com/pccrun. This screenshot shows the route Matson took in his journey through the north-central Ohio area. Register screenshot GPS data shows he covered quite the distance on Tuesday. At about 7 a.m., he was just southeast of Bowling Green. By 2 p.m., he was in Fremont where he stopped by the Rutherford B. Hayes Library and Museums site and took of photo of Campbell's boots placed at the site's front entrance. He ran southeast on a route parallel with U.S. 20, passing through Clyde and Bellevue before making it to the center of Norwalk around 10:20 p.m. Bowling Green to Norwalk is about a 60-mile journey, according to Google Maps. As of about 2 p.m. Wednesday afternoon, tracking data shows Matson in East Townsend in Huron County. Matson's record-breaking goal is to reach New York City by about 4:30 p.m. this Sunday. People can learn more about Matson's journey and donate to his organization and the Wounded Warrior Project by visiting t4n1.org.