The John Wayne Grit Series Pioneertown Half Marathon and 10K, a fundraiser for the John Wayne Cancer Foundation, is coming to Pioneertown, near Joshua Tree National Park, on March 22. The run-walk event starts in Pioneertown, at the Wild West movie set town on Mane Street, which was a backdrop for Western movies in the 1940s. Participants will traverse the Pioneertown Mountain Preserve single-track trails, going through the Sawtooth Mountains, rocky canyons and dusty trails. “The John Wayne Grit Series isn’t just about conquering trails, it’s about giving people the opportunity to fight back against cancer,” Ethan Wayne, director of the John Wayne Cancer Foundation, said in a news release. “Through events like the John Wayne Grit Series, we’re honoring my father’s legacy by raising funds for pioneering cancer programs that prevent, detect and heal cancer.” There are two ways to register for the event. Participants may either pay for registration or commit to fundraise for free registration. All registered participants receive a John Wayne Grit Series shirt and finisher mug, and all can raise funds to earn rewards and prizes donated by Nathan, YETI, Hooey and Path Projects. For information and to register, go to johnwayne.org/pages/pioneertown. After John Wayne died of cancer in 1979, his family created the John Wayne Cancer Foundation, which funds novel and innovative programs to improve cancer patients’ outcomes through research, education, awareness and support. For information, go to johnwayne.org. ...read more read less