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If you’ve driven along U.S. Hwy. 27 through Oneida, chances are you’ve seen Trinity Smith. Neither the day nor the time matter; Smith has hit the streets in some part of town at virtually every hour of every day, doing what he does: Running. Some would call it a hobby, others an obsession. Smith calls it inspiration.

“The further I run, the happer I am,” says Smith. “This is what I love.”

At 28, Smith has spent most of his life running. Endurance running is his game, and charity is his purpose.

“I want to encourage people to do what they can to help others,” says Smith. He runs to raise awareness — and funds — for a number of causes, from individuals with illnesses to cancer research.

On April 25, Smith will complete a 40-mile run at Oneida City Park to benefit Cindy Wilson, a 29-year-old local woman who needs surgery (donations can be made at First National Bank to the Cindy Wilson Benefit Fund). The run will mark the second 40-mile effort undertaken by Smith. In 2007, he ran from Oneida to Lake City — a similar distance — to benefit the American Diabetes Association.

This summer, Smith will put his endurance to the test when he attempts a 101-mile run that will take more than 24 hours to complete. That run will benefit the efforts of Oneida businessman Jim Swann to feed children in Haiti. He approached Swann about the fundraiser after hearing about Swann’s aluminum can drives.

“I’m doing this to encourage others to do what they can to help the kids in Haiti,” Smith said. “Jim is feeding 400 kids three days a week right now, and his goal is to get to 1,000 kids five days a week. This is an opportunity to help.”

If he pulls off the 101-mile run, it will be a personal best. He attempted a similar feat at the 2006 Relay for Life, with his efforts landing him in an emergency room 60 miles into the try. But what some would call crazy, Smith calls determination. He cites ultramarathon runner Dean Karnazes as a major influence. Karnazes holds the record for distance running at 350 miles, a feat he accomplished in 2005. The two stay in touch via email, with Karnazes offering encouragement to Smith, who hopes to work his way up to a 200-mile run by next year.

“If I pass out (trying to complete 100 miles), wake me up and I’ll keep going,” Smith said.

From an early age, Smith knew he wanted to run.

“By the time he was three, he was constantly running; you just couldn’t keep up with him,” Teresa Smith says of her son. “As time went by, he just kept running. Then he got to where all he could talk about was running.”

But for all the time he puts into running, Smith says he isn’t interested in fame or accolades.

“When I was younger, the Olympics was my dream,” he said. “I was always chasing that. But I woke up one day and realized I wanted to help others.

“There are times I’m running and I’m hurting and wouldn’t be able to finish if it wasn’t for someone else,” he adds.

Four years ago, Smith organized the Sept. 11 memorial run, a daylong event in Oneida that included Michael Maney, another local runner, along with former Big South Fork NRRA ranger Kevin Moses and others. Runners continue to gather on Sept. 11 each year to carry an American flag through the streets of Oneida in remembrance of the victims of the terror attacks on New York City and Washington, D.C. in 2001.

At the age of 25, Smith earned “ultra runner” recognition by completing runs of 30, 40 and 50 miles in the same month. To date, he has completed 15 local runs and countless charity events in other areas.

“I would like to run several hundred miles to another town, just to have something to do,” Smith said. Recently, he did just that, running from Oneida to Whitley City before turning around and coming back home.

Smith cites Matthew 19:26, “With God, all things are possible.”

“Without God, I couldn’t do this,” he said. “I just couldn’t. I couldn’t get out there and run two miles without Him.”

When running for charity, Smith said he encourages people to give whatever they are able to donate. Some give small amounts and others give larger amounts. The running is simply an encouragement.

“It really makes a difference, I think,” he said. “I’ve not always lived like I should, but I want to help others.”

It’s a motto, he says, that isn’t limited by sneakers and open asphalt.

“Anybody can do something to help others,” he said, “even if it’s just to pray. You don’t have to run. You can make brownies or peanut butter candy.

“I’m not the best runner in the world, [but] as long as I can put one foot in front of the other to help others, I’m going to do it.”