The family of a Lake Waccamaw legend will be holding an event to raise money for a scholarship at Southeastern Community College to be given in the gentleman’s name. Grant Egley passed away in January of this year due to COVID complications, but he left behind quite the legacy.
Egley took up jogging in 1968, and the love of pounding the pavement continued from there. In 2020, he estimated that he ran more than 68,000 miles, including 132 marathons and ultramarathons. He ran 48-hour runs, 24-hour runs, and 100-mile trail runs, and at age 88, he ran 635 miles in 104 days. In 1980, he wanted to test his mettle by running an ultra, but there were none within a day’s drive, so he created the Mississippi 50-Mile Run. Egley was also responsible for helping to establish the Take the Lake event in Lake Waccamaw in 2009. He also took up kayaking in 2012 at 80 years old.
“Self-discipline is remembering what you want,” was Egley’s motivation for training every day.
Stuart Rogers took the floor at the last Town Hall meeting to act as a volunteer liaison for the Egley family with their plans for the Grant Egley Memorial Run. Commissioners voted to approve Rogers’ request to hold the run at Elizabeth Brinkley Park on the morning of Saturday, June 24, at 7 a.m.
The race will start with a 10K with participants running or walking twice around the route originally set for the Take the Lake event, and the track will end back at the park. A 5K will follow at 8 a.m. Both the 5K and 10K can also be done virtually, and the cost of the virtual runs is $25. The fee for the in-person 10K is $35 and $25 for the 5K.
Another event has also been scheduled for the day of the race. Those who sign up to run in-person can also participate in the Grant Ultra Challenge for free. Runners have the option to see how many miles they can run in 24 hours after the 10 K and 5K are over. Anyone who would like to do only the challenge can do so for a fee of $25. Proceeds will support the Grant H. Egley Nursing Program Fund with the Southeastern Community College Foundation.
Those who wish to sign-up for the Grant Egley Memorial Run can do so by visiting https://runsignup.com/…/LetsGoGrantHEgleyMemorialRun. Elizabeth Brinkley Park is located at 90 Bald Cypress Circle in Lake Waccamaw.
