'Movement is medicine': A 71-year-old man with Parkinson’s is running 100 marathons in 100 days to raise $100 per mile

The New Jersey chiropractor, acupuncturist and former competitive triathlete is currently in the middle of an extraordinary challenge: running 100 marathons in 100 days from New Jersey to California — roughly 2,600 miles in total — while living with Parkinson’s disease.

But Grogin says this journey isn’t about proving he’s superhuman.

“I really wanted to do something that got people to look and listen,” he tells Moneywise. “The message is: ‘If that old guy with Parkinson’s can accomplish this, I can accomplish something I’ve been dreaming about.’”

Grogin was diagnosed with Parkinson’s seven years ago, a life-altering moment for someone whose identity had long revolved around movement. After four decades competing in triathlons and maintaining an intensely active lifestyle, he faced tremors, fatigue, coordination issues and unpredictable “off times” common with the progressive neurological disease.

Instead of retreating, however, he leaned further into exercise.

100 marathons in 100 days

“Movement is medicine,” Grogin says, echoing the philosophy of the Davis Phinney Foundation, the nonprofit partner behind his run.

“Exercise is more powerful than drugs or surgery or any other treatment,” he adds. “Any kind of exercise, just moving.”

The Davis Phinney Foundation aims to help people with Parkinson’s improve their quality of life, largely through exercise. That mission deeply resonated with Grogin, who believes consistent movement can help manage symptoms, maintain independence and even support neurological healing.

“We’re not looking for a cure; we’ll leave that to the Michael J. Foxes of the world and the Muhammad Alis,” he says with a smile. “Were thinking more about improving quality of life and helping people live their best lives despite the challenge of living with Parkinson’s.”

Grogin’s route spans coast to coast, ending in Calabasas, California, on July 2. Along the way, Grogin runs mostly solo, accompanied by a support vehicle donated by Honda of Mahwah, New Jersey.

The challenge is physically grueling even for elite athletes, but Parkinson’s adds another layer of unpredictability. Spatial awareness issues make activities like running or cycling in groups anxiety-inducing or even dangerous. There are stretches of exhaustion and moments when his body simply refuses to cooperate.

When symptoms flare, Grogin slows down instead of stopping entirely.

“It is a scary diagnosis, and I would be kidding you I didn’t tell you I have moments of terror, moments of fear, moments of doubt, moments of hopelessness,” Grogin says, adding that, during symptom flare-ups, it’s “not a pretty sight” to see him out on a run. “But then there’s the other side of the coin there. There’s the hope, and exercise is really the key.”

Training for something with no blueprint has required constant adaptation. Grogin relies on more than 45 years of endurance experience, mixing running with swimming, biking, pickleball and weight-training to stay conditioned.

“So much of the exercise that I’ve done has been to help other people, and it’s helped to take my mind off of me,” he says of what keeps him motivated through moments of doubt.

“Paul Newman [once said], ‘Make bad into good, and make the world a better place.’ And I find that [it helps me] when I focus on the people who are counting on me to do a good job.”

Raising money and hope for people with Parkinson’s

The financial mission behind Grogin’s run is equally ambitious. Grogin hopes to raise $100 for every mile he runs — totaling $260,000. At the time of his interview with Moneywise, he had already raised approximately $160,000.

The money will help fund programs through the Davis Phinney Foundation while also assisting people directly affected by Parkinson’s. Some of the raised funds will help provide transportation assistance, exercise equipment or wellness support for those struggling with day-to-day costs.

Grogin says the disease often creates financial devastation for families, especially for people who may lose the ability to drive or work.

“There are heartbreaking stories,” he says, adding that while he feels “lucky” to still be able to work part-time, the disease can be “catastrophic” for many families who feel “helpless.”

What has surprised Grogin most, however, is the overwhelming generosity of strangers.

“I have to speak to humanity,” he says of the feeling of “running on clouds,” when people — some of whom also have or love someone with Parkinson’s — stop Grogin in town to share their gratitude for his mission.