NEWARK, N.J. — Larry Grogin celebrated his 71st birthday by beginning a run across the country.

What’s even more remarkable is that he’s running a marathon a day for 100 days.

Grogin also suffers from Parkinson’s disease.

“I define my life by way of exercise and overcoming and muscling through things,” Grogin said.

That definition was slightly modified for 71-year-old Dr. Larry Grogin after his Parkinson’s diagnosis in 2019.

“That dialogue has changed to not muscling through things but learning to live with it and learning how to live your best life with it,” he said.

That means still lacing up and exercising after a lifetime of Ironman competitions and marathons.

‘We ran to the Boston Marathon and then ran the marathon,” Grogin said.

In recent years, Grogin has been running for causes and childhood illnesses.

This time, he’s running 100 marathons in 100 days to fund Parkinson’s research and exercise classes for Parkinson’s patients.

His message is to keep moving.

“I kind of equate it with an old door that gets stuck, and if you move it and lubricate it and use it, it flourishes. And Parkinson’s doesn’t have to have the last word. I’m on a mission to encourage people to get up and move and live their best life,” Grogin said.

One hundred marathons will take him to many states.

All along the way, his loving cohort, Linda, will drive the team car, chart the course and keep Grogin up to snuff.