Andrew Kelly is a man on a mission. The Clarkstown police officer will lace up his shoes this weekend in a grueling test of endurance to help rehabilitate soldiers.

Kelly, of New City, will run in the Vermont 100 Endurance Race, a 24-hour run. The 100-mile trail winds through the mountains of Windsor County.

The two-time Ironman Triathlon winner is up for the challenge. "I've always liked to run. I've always been a runner. I like to stay fit, but I started training for this about a year ago," he says.

Kelly hopes to raise money and increase awareness for the nonprofit group Wounded Warrior Project.

"Doing the 100 miles will be a struggle for me, but it symbolizes a minute fraction of the struggles and the rigors associated with what our severely wounded vets returning home from Iraq and Afghanistan go through every day," he says. "Every day is their 100-mile run."

Kelly is a former Marine who says he feels a bond of brotherhood with all those who've made military sacrifices for the United States.

To see the full interview with Kelly, go to Channel 612 on your iO digital cable box and select iO Extra.

Wounded Warrior Project