Franklin Lakes Man Running 1,100 Miles To Help Women And Kids

FRANKLIN LAKES, NJ — Nothing can stop Larry Grogin. Not heat, not rain, not even Parkinson's disease.

Grogin, a Franklin Lakes resident, will run more than 1,100 for his annual Strides for Humanity fundraiser. He will run for a few days at a time to places like Boston and Chicago and then come home. He was diagnosed with the Parkinson's disease last year.

"If anything, I'm motivated to inspire people and Parkinson's patients to get out and move because that is the best thing you could do for it," Grogin said. "I hope for the best and prepare for the worst."

Grogin will run 1,100 miles for his annual Strides for Humanity fundraiser. Last year, he ran hundreds of miles for Strides for Humanity. It was originally slated to a 2,800-mile journey, but it was scaled back because of Grogin's Parkinson's diagnosis.

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All the money donated through the endeavor will be given to Oasis, a nonprofit residency program for women and children. His journey this year starts July 19.

Grogin was 50 feet from the finish line when the Boston Marathon was bombed in 2013. In 2014, he ran 250 miles from North Jersey, about 32 miles a day, back to the marathon. Grogin is used to running long distances. He has competed in 32 Ironman Triathlons and hundreds of marathons since he started running in 1983.

Grogin has invited people who live on the route he will run to join him on his trek to California, the same way they did when he ran to the Boston Marathon.

"We really wanted to make the journey about all the people we are going to meet with across the country," Grogin said. "We get to hang out in the backyard of America."

Email: daniel.hubbard@patch.com