It’s hard to believe that just a few hundred years ago, the only way to cross the United States was by foot. Before planes, buses, cars, or even railroads, horse-drawn buggies and settlers on foot journeyed to locations otherwise unreachable. Now, it’s hard to believe—let alone understand—why anyone would take a trip of thousands of miles by walking. That is, unless these long distance walking trips had a purpose beyond going from point A to point B. Consider people like Norma Bastidas, Joseph Liu, and Dean Karnazes. They have traveled not only across the United States—but through other countries as well—to raise awareness and funds for worthwhile causes.

Dean Karnazes, a world famous ultra marathon runner, ran across the United States in 2011. Before that, he did the nearly impossible—he completed 50 marathons in 50 states within 50 days. For his cross-country journey, Kamazes started his run at Disneyland in Anaheim, California and finished in New York City. To accomplish his run in 75 days, he had to run 40 to 50 miles per day. One of Karnazes’ main goals is to help raise awareness and funds to help fight child obesity. He’s even gone so far as to start his own charity group, Karno Kids. Organizations that Karno Kids supports include Girls on the Run, BAWSI, The Conservation Fund, Kids on Trails, and The New York Road Runners Foundation. You can visit his website for more information on how to donate, and learn about his upcoming runs.

Taking off his shoes for this expedition, Joseph Liu is an individual raising awareness and funds for educational charities. Not only is Liu traveling from Montreal to South America on foot, he’s doing it barefoot! This Canadian citizen who was raised in Mexico has a heart for both countries and says he wants to empower children globally through better education. Liu has teamed with non-profits in each country to help impact at-risk children across every border. Some of the charities he has promoted throughout his journey are Pathways to Education in Canada, Edible School Yard, NYC, and Edible School Yard NOLA in the United States and the Acortar Distancias. You can visit his website to learn more about his journey and see the new charities he is supporting across continents.

Norma Bastidas, an ultra-runner who completed seven ultra runs (which vary in length, but are longer than marathons) on seven continents in seven months, took on her biggest challenge to date earlier this year. She broke the Guinness World Record for the longest triathlon. Bastidas completed 70 miles of swimming, 2,100 miles of biking, and over 700 miles of running. Her journey started in Cancun, Mexico and concluded in Washington, D.C. While attempting her feat, not only was she focused on shattering a world record, she also worked hand-in-hand with IEmapathize, a non-profit helping to eradicate human trafficking. Every mile on her journey was dedicated to raise awareness about this ongoing tragedy. In order to complete her arduous journey, Bastidas worked with a film crew and support team that documented her experience. You can learn more about her incredible feat by visiting the documentary’s website, Be Relentless.

Want to know how you can help make a difference? Check out:

• The Ebola Outbreak: How You Can Make a Difference
• How Travelers Can Give Back on #GivingTuesday
• Learn More About Voluntourism Opportunities Worldwide
• How You Can Fight Breast Cancer While Traveling

By Darra Stone for PeterGreenberg.com