COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo.—On March 24, Jason Romero, a blind ultra-runner, started his cross country run from Los Angeles to Boston. With a plan to run 50 miles per day, 350 miles per week, Romero is planning to run the 3,246 miles across 14 states in a span of 60 days.

“I feel like I was called to do this. It wasn’t on my bucket list or something like that,” said Romero. “I became legally blind about two to three years ago, and it caught up to me in my personal life. I stopped driving, wasn’t working and I ended up depressed. I realized how blindness affects me and affects other people and decided that this run across America should be to raise awareness for the blind and show that blind people are capable of anything and everything.”

Diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa at age 14—an eye condition that gradually decreases peripheral and central sight, visual acuity and the ability to perceive light—Romero was told to forget about his dreams of becoming a doctor or a lawyer.

“It really didn’t impact me at 14-years-old, but my mom was there and it affected her. When they tell you your kid is going to be lights out blind in 15 years, it’s pretty shocking.”

Romero went on to become an honor student, attorney, business executive and CEO of a non-profit school for children with autism. He suffered from depression in 2009 following a divorce from his wife. That year, he connected with United States Association of Blind Athletes (USABA) (http://usaba.org/) and started running again.

With only 15 percent of his sight remaining, Romero currently holds world running records in the 50k, 50-mile, 100-mile, 24-hour, 48-hour and 72-hour race distances and times. In 2014, he was the USABA’s national marathon champion, finishing the California International March in less than three hours.

He is also a three-time Ironman athlete and in 2015, he represented Team USA with a 4th place finish at the International Paralympic Committee’s World Marathon Championships.

“Nothing surprises me about the abilities of people who are blind or vision impaired,” said Mark Lucas, executive director of the USABA, who will be running the first 17 miles with Romero. “You have people who are running 100 mile ultra runs. Jason runs across Puerto Rico. Erik Weihenmayer climbs to the top of Mount Everest. Blind people are capable of doing the same things sighted people are, just in a different way.”

“Anything and everything is possible if you refuse to quit and you refuse to make excuses,” Romero said. “I have made my internal excuses for not doing things, it’s not like I haven’t. But the other thing I have realized is when you don’t make excuses and just try, anything is possible.”

ssengwe@jobson.com