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Double-Amputee Retired Marine Finishes 31 Marathons in 31 Days on National Mall

"If you do something greater than yourself, it'll bring out the best of you," Rob Jones says

Rob Jones lost both of his legs after an explosion in Afghanistan, but that hasn't stopped him from running marathons.

On Friday, he ran his 30th marathon in 30 days. To celebrate Veterans Day on Saturday, Jones ran his 31st marathon on the National Mall.

Jones grew up in Lovettsville, Virginia, and attended Loudoun Valley High School and Virginia Tech before joining the Marine Corps. He went to Iraq in 2008, and he was deployed to Afghanistan two years later, he said on his website.

Jones was tasked with clearing an area of explosive devices as his unit pushed into Taliban territory. A landmine detonated near Jones, and doctors had to amputate parts of his left and right leg.

He recovered at National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda and then Walter Reed Army Medical Center. By the next year, he was training as a rower and Paralympian, he said.

In 2013, Jones set out on his own to bike from Maine to California. Over 181 days and thousands of miles, his ride raised over $126,000 for charities that help wounded veterans.

His most recent journey began in London on Oct. 12. Since then, he's run 26.2 miles everyday, throughout the U.S.

Jones said his runs have been going really well and has seen improvement. 

"I've been getting a littler faster with my runs," he said in October. "I'm getting more in shape." 

However, running such long distances does not come without challenges. 

"It's tough to get out of bed every morning and do the exact same thing," he said. 

Jones headed home to finish his mission. On Friday, he ran in Baltimore, and on Saturday, Jones ran at the National Mall and invited the public to join him for his 812th mile.

Before the D.C. run, he called the support he's received so far "awesome" and said anyone could join him at any time.

Jones takes on these physical challenges to raise awareness and money for veterans causes.

"My purpose is to help out my brother veterans," he said. "If you do something greater than yourself, it'll bring out the best of you." 

If you would like to donate, check out his website.

NBC's Teddy Grant contributed to this story

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