If you love John Wayne and spending your days out on some of the best trails in nature, there’s a pretty ideal event taking place in a couple of months.
The John Wayne Grit Series is a series of trail runs that will give proceeds to the John Wayne Cancer Foundation.
A recent Instagram post from the official The Duke account gives a little more detail on the upcoming trail runs.
There are three more in-person events before the end of this year. As the slogan of the event says, “Stay Dusty,” implying that the Grit Series takes place in some desert-like locations. The locations are either John Wayne movie locations or beautiful Western landscapes.
On September 4, there will be a trail run in Flagstaff, Arizona. Then on October 16 Lone Pine, California will also host the cancer awareness event. Finally, on November 13, Forth Worth, Texas will be the last in-person trail run.
There have been several of these events that have already passed as well. This includes runs in Pioneertown, California and Newport Coast, California.
For those strictly against having to run miles and miles in desert temperatures, you can walk. The money is going toward the John Wayne Cancer Foundation, which works to pioneer research and programs related to cancer awareness.
If you’re interested in any of the upcoming events click, here. Then select which location you want to go to and the site will prompt you to register for the run or walk. So far the Flagstaff, Arizona trail run has raised $4,400.
There are also two options when it comes to signing up. The first option is you can pay $100 to participate. This fee includes a spot in the event, a John Wayne Grit Series Patagonia running shirt, and a finisher’s mug.
The second option is to fundraise and then have free registration. This would mean raising $500 or more for the cause.
The John Wayne Cancer Foundation
The John Wayne Cancer Foundation was created to honor the late iconic Western actor. Wayne beat lung cancer in 1964, however, he then died 15 days later after struggling with cancer in his stomach.
The foundation’s goal is to “bring courage, strength, and grit to the fight against cancer.” So far, there have been 160 doctors that graduated from the JCWI Surgical Oncology Fellowship Program.
The Block the Blaze Program has also educated half a million young kids on the importance of skin cancer prevention. Last month was actually Skin Cancer Awareness month. The foundation partnered with TropicSport, a reef-friendly sunscreen and skincare line.
“We understand that it’s not realistic to ask youth to avoid outdoor activities during peak hours of exposure, which is why it’s so important to teach sun safety and encourage them to take precautions while enjoying time outside,” Ethan Wayne, John Wayne’s son and the chairman of the foundation said in a press release, according to Newport Beach Independent. by Madison Miller
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