Not long after entering Massachusetts, Aprylle Gilbert, 46, was seated at Emma Jean’s restaurant in Fairhaven, working her way through a pineapple and ham pizza, fried rice, pan-seared scallops and a virgin mudslide. With more than 3,000 miles of running behind her, she needs the calories.

For the past four months, Gilbert has been running across the country via U.S. Route 6. The U.S. Route 6 Tourist Association, the group sponsoring her trip, says no one has previously made this 3,652-mile journey.

Gilbert’s run is a personal challenge, but it’s also an attempt to raise money for Washington United Youth Center, an organization that provides support to disadvantaged children in her hometown of San Jose, California. She said the youth center is funded partially by the city and partially by Catholic Charities.

“But they only have the funding to staff the place two days a week,” said Gilbert. “I want to raise money for them, but also to raise awareness for this program that, I believe, the city should support. It should stay open five days a week.”

“I hope by doing this I’m setting an example that these kids are worth going the extra mile for,” she added.

Thus far, she has raised about $10,000 through her own charity website and through contributions people have made through the U.S. Route 6 Tourist Association.

Her trek began on May 11 in Long Beach, California, and will come to an end on Sept. 15 in Provincetown. According to Rodger Bratt, national program director for Route 6, Gilbert passed through several South Coast towns, including Dartmouth, Marion and Wareham on Sept. 13.

She said she averages about 30 miles a day and burns about 3,000 calories.

“I’m eating thousands of calories every day just to keep up,” said Gilbert. “The other day I ate two whole pizzas.”

Gilbert is relatively new to running, starting only three years ago as a way to cope with a divorce. As she pushed herself to run longer distances she discovered a fondness for pressing forward into a different town.

To prepare for her big trip, she put herself through extensive elevation training.

“We have this one place called Mission Peak in Fremont that’s 3,000 feet in three miles. That was my training mountain. I did that twice a week,” she said. “My long run was 50 miles. Campbell, California to Moss Landing includes almost 5,000 feet in elevation gain.”

Gilbert said she became obsessed with the idea of making it across the country and spent hours researching U.S. Route 6 online. She soon discovered she wouldn’t be able to make it on her own, largely for safety reasons.

One of her friends, also a runner, agreed to join her for the adventure. While she runs along her route, José Reyes, 32, drives ahead in a Honda Civic packed with camping gear, water and food.

“I make sure that she stays hydrated, that she has food throughout the day. I’m making sure she’s safe,” said Reyes. “The first few days, it was torturous. I was worried for her safety. She was running on roads where trucks were going 50 miles per hour.”

The U.S. Route 6 Tourist Association has helped the two find lodging and food along the way, much of it donated.

As she nears the end, she’s beginning to feel sharp pains in the heel of her left foot. She believes she's experiencing plantar fasciitis, a condition that occurs from overuse and from wearing shoes for too long.

Despite the wear and tear, Gilbert said her ankles and knees feel fine. Though, she admits that she’s feeling more emotional as she closes in on the finish line. She said she starts crying when she imagines what it’s going to be like to see her two daughters, Kayla, 19, and Mikenzie, 22, in Provincetown.

“I don’t even know if I’m going to have any tears left when I get there,” said Gilbert. “I can’t believe I’m here. I can’t believe I crossed into Massachusetts.”

On Sept. 15 at 3:50 p.m., Aprylle entered Provincetown, completing her trip across Route 6.

Donations to the Washington United Youth Center can be made through Gilbert’s Crowdrise site here: www.crowdrise.com/coasttocoastforkids