COSTA MESA, Oct. 04, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Lone Pine California, the location of over a dozen John Wayne movies, including the famous How the West Was Won, not to mention hundreds of other Westerns -- will be the setting for a different kind of adventure on Saturday, Oct. 16, 2021, when the John Wayne Grit Series Half Marathon and 10K trail runs take place. The runs raises money for the John Wayne Cancer Foundation (JWCF) so it can continue to fund novel and innovative programs that improve cancer patients’ outcomes and save lives through research, education, awareness, and support. Future runs will take place elsewhere in California, Texas and Arizona.
Two looped courses will be available, both starting and finishing alongside Movie Road. They will be chip-timed for those who want to race, or participants can go at their own pace. Both feature aid and water stations, not to mention spectacular views of Mt. Whitney, that tallest peak in the continental U.S.A., and the iconic Sierra Nevada Range, along with the famous geologic formations in the Alabama Hills, which have been designated a National Scenic Area. The elevation of Lone Pine is 3,700 feet. The elevation gain for the 10K trail run course is 300 feet and the elevation gain for the half marathon trail run course is 900 feet. Both courses are rated for beginners as the terrain is rolling, with no long sustained climbs.
“Even if you don’t think you’ve ever seen the Alabama Hills, you have,” said Ethan Wayne, the JWCF’s director and John Wayne’s son. “That’s how famous they are. While my dad’s How the West Was Won is perhaps the best known, he starred in a number of other films made here in Lone Pine, including 3 Godfathers and North to Alaska. This is the Eastern Sierras we all grew up watching on TV and in the theaters. Our upcoming locations in California and Texas are equally impressive!”
People can take part for free by raising a minimum of $500 for the Half Marathon or $250 for the 10K or pay the registration fee. All participants receive a John Wayne Grit Series Patagonia running shirt and a finisher mug. Fundraising rewards range from John Wayne Grit Series trucker hats to Patagonia Nano puff jackets and being able to name a JWCF grant in honor or memory of a friend or family member. Registration is open at https://johnwayne.org/pages/gs-lone-pine-2021.
All fundraising efforts support the JWCF’s initiatives, including pioneering cancer research programs and Block the Blaze, a premier program that educates youth about sun safety and skin cancer prevention. John Wayne passed away at 72 from stomach cancer. Fifteen years before, he had surgery for lung cancer. According to Variety magazine, he “enjoyed probably the longest and most successful career of any actor in film history,” and just prior to his passing, he said, “They may find a cure for cancer even without your help, but if I were you, I wouldn’t bet my life on it.”
ABOUT THE JOHN WAYNE GRIT SERIES
Show your grit in the fight against cancer by running through iconic John Wayne movie locations and rugged Western landscapes. The John Wayne Grit Series events benefit the John Wayne Cancer Foundation. Locations and dates for the series are: a half marathon and 10K run in Lone Pine, Calif., Oct. 16, 2021; a 5K run in Fort Worth, Texas, Nov. 13, 2021; a half marathon and 10K run in Pioneertown, Calif., May 7, 2022; and 5K and 25K runs in Newport Coast, Calif., June 4, 2022. For more information, visit https://johnwayne.org/pages/grit-series-general.
ABOUT THE JOHN WAYNE CANCER FOUNDATION
The John Wayne Cancer Foundation’s (JWCF) mission is to bring courage, strength, and grit to the fight against cancer. JWCF funds novel and innovative programs that improve cancer patients’ outcomes and save lives through research, education, awareness, and support. The JWCF is a 501(C)(3) public charity. For more information, visit johnwayne.org.
MEDIA CONTACTS
Orca Communications
Wendy Roberts
wendy@orcapr.com
Martin Stein
martin.stein@orcapr.com
