Cross Country Run Starts in Huntington Beach

Cross Country Runner leaves HB

Patrick McGlade, 21, of Aquia Harbour in Stafford County, has calculated that distance at 2,531.1 miles from Huntington Beach to the East Coast.

On Jan. 2, after flying to San Diego and being driven north by his Aunt Victoria to Huntington Beach, just south of Los Angeles, he will turn his back on the Pacific Ocean and start to run toward the sunrise.

He expects to arrive at Tybee Island, east of Savannah, 106 days and five pairs of running shoes later.

"You get 500 miles out of a pair of shoes," he said.

He will average nearly 24 miles a day, just shy of a marathon distance of 26 miles 385 yards.

His longest single day's run will be 40 miles on the 97th day, in Georgia.

The shortest, 14.5 miles, will be on Day 23, while crossing the desert scrub of Gila County in eastern Arizona.

McGlade is doing this because he loves it. He has been a long-distance runner for three years, since graduating from Brooke Point High School, and has finished in the van of nearly every significant competitive event in this region, including--in a random selection--the Bear Creek State Park 50K, the 100-mile-plus Adventure Trail Run in Prince William Forest Park and the Marine Corps Marathon (twice).

He is also doing this trans-continental run in support of the Arthritis Foundation. His goal is to raise $50,000.

Already, as word of his projected effort has spread, he has raised $6,326. Patrick gets nothing out of this but the exhilaration of doing it. However, he does mention that he would welcome such donations as food cards ("I will burn about 6,000 calories a day," he says on his Web site) or jars of peanut butter ("I'll eat about 16 jars of it during the crossing"). Peanut-butter-and-jelly is his favorite snack.1 2 Next Page

Patrick McGlade will keep in touch with his parents through his Iphone, which also gives him a computer link home.

A daily call will pinpoint his location by a red dot on the computer screen. Following are landmarks on McGlade's planned schedule:

Jan. 2, leaves Huntington Beach, Calif., and crosses into Arizona at Parker 10 days later.

Jan. 19, runs through Phoenix. Jan. 29, enters New Mexico at Red Hill.

Feb. 5, goes through the valleys of Capitan Wilderness Area, the highest mountain range of the run at 10,000 feet.

Feb. 8, reaches Roswell, N.M., passes 1,000-mile mark.

Feb. 11, enters Texas at Plains.

March 7, enters Arkansas at Texarkana.

March 16, enters Mississippi near Arcola, crossing the Mississippi River.

March 25, enters Alabama at Aliceville, passes 2,000-mile mark.

April 2, passes through Tuskegee.

April 4, enters Georgia at Columbus, 167 miles to go.

April 16, passes through Savannah, arrives at Tybee Island, on the Atlantic Ocean.

Total distance: 2,531.1 miles.

All money contributed in recognition of Patrick McGlade's run goes to the Arthritis Foundation.

Make checks payable to "Patrick's Run 4 Arthritis" and send them to: Patrick's Run 4 Arthritis, Box 834, Garrisonville, Va. 22463.

To learn more about Patrick's venture, go to his Web site at: way.to/patricksrun4arthritis.

This calendar does not guarantee accuracy of information as events are subject to change.