Woman's Marathon Mission: 7 in 7 Days For Veterans 'Who Served' US

GLEN COVE, NY — For one week, Eva Casale will run a marathon a day across Long Island. This is an annual rite of passage for the ultramarathoner as a charity for veterans, troops and fallen heroes.

"Each day is 26.2 miles or more, depending upon the different points of honor we are reaching that day," Casale, a guest on Wednesday's Patch AM, said.

Casale said she's been running for years, her first long-distance run was the New York City Marathon when she was 18.

"Since then, I've run a combination of marathons and ultramarathons, over 150 of them," she said.

For Casale, using her athletic skills was a natural to give back to armed service members. She did some races for local veteran groups and got connected with Gold Star families.

"I had this gift to run long distance; maybe there's a way I could help to honor those that they lost and keep their memories alive, as well as all the veterans who have served our country." Casale said.

Her Team EVA (Every Veteran Appreciated) marathons started on Long Island in 2016, raising $40,000.

Casale said people can donate on their website, run alongside Casale for parts of the journey, or participate virtually.

The seven-day event starts on Sunday in Huntington and concludes on May 1 at Casale's hometown of Glen Cove.

(Watch the full interview below.)