PORT TOWNSEND — On Saturday morning, Ray Grier, 65, completed his goal: walking one mile for every year he’s been alive.
Sixty-five miles, non-stop, from noon on Friday to about 10 a.m. Saturday, the Port Townsend man kept moving around the Blue Heron Middle School Track.
Grier was alone in his distance, but surrounded by hundreds as the hours added up.
Grier — who has walked non-stop during Relay for Life events for several years — walked the track with participants in the Relay for Life of Jefferson County — a fundraiser where local teams of individuals take turns waking the track for 24 hours, and organize games and events, to raise awareness and donations for the American Cancer Society.
Sandra Coca, chair of the relay organizers, said that more than 200 people took part in this year’s event, which encouarged community members to join in games such as potato golf and bingo laps.
The event began at 3 p.m. Friday and continued until noon Saturday.
By Saturday morning, more than $20,000 had been raised toward the group’s goal of $70,000.
“That’s an early number because fundraising isn’t finalized until the end of August,” she said. “So it is going pretty well.”
Coca said of the 200 walkers, 30 who took part were cancer survivors.
Wild weather
“It was a good event, even if the weather got a little wild,” she said. “It rained, but the wind really picked up.
“It knocked a few tents over, but we’re still here. We finished.”
The wind and rain had cleared up on Saturday. That was a good ending for a 65 mile walk, Grier said.
“I didn’t bring a coat, so last night I got pretty wet,” Grier said as he finished his 260th lap.
“I just kept going. After a while you don’t really notice it.”
Grier stopped a few times during the walk. He grabbed coffee, a piece of pizza, a cheeseburger, some cake.
“Gotta get enough carbs in you to keep going,” he said.
“The thing is to keep moving and space out the meals.”
For perspective on Grier’s march:
• A marathon is 26 miles.
• Port Townsend to Port Angeles is 48 miles.
• Port Townsend to Seattle is 56 miles.
• If he was swimming that distance, Grier could have completed the Port Townsend-Keystone ferry route almost 12 times.
So why does he do it?
‘It’s a challenge’
“Because it’s a challenge,” Grier said. “It also gives this event some publicity.
“People might not know my name or face, but they know that a guy down there is walking non-stop and hopefully they will want to get involved.”
Grier said the event also gives him a chance to remember friends and family who were diagnosed with cancer.
“I have a sister, a few friends and I know others who have gotten cancer or died from it,” he said.
“I take a break at night and light the luminaries for them and have that moment.
“Then I keep on walking.”
The event continues to take donations. For more information, phone 360-379-2127 or e-mail sandrac2@ptpc.com.
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Reporter Erik Hidle can be reached at 360-385-2335 or at erik.hidle@peninsuladailynews.com.
