Henry is about to make your morning run look about as impressive as eating a bag of Doritos. On Wednesday, the 27-year-old departs at 9 a.m. on a 500-mile run from the east steps of the U.S. Capitol to Guelph, Ontario, with stops every 30 miles to bring attention to the plight of world hunger. Follow him at hunger500.org. What on earth are you thinking?

There’s a real connection between extreme hunger and poverty, and extreme ultra running. For me, the event taps into the same primal emotions as those who suffer from hunger and poverty. When I’m running that far every day, I can’t put on a facade about who I am. When you’re hungry, you can’t worry about the shoes on your feet or the roof over your head. For me, running emphasizes those emotions.