John Wayne Grit Series runners proved their mettle Saturday at Crystal Cove State Park

Runners dashed through one of three courses on Saturday, each to prove their mettle in the local leg of the 2023 John Wayne Grit Series.

Originally scheduled to occur in April, race organizers delayed the Newport Beach run until last Saturday, as the spring storms caused substantial damage to the trails that would have made running unsafe for participants.

Saturday’s event was the second of the annual series, which runs through several other filming locations, including Ridgway, Colo. and Lone Pine, Calif., where actor John Wayne shot many of his films.

Runners say the Pledge of Allegiance before the start of the race at the 2023 John Wayne Grit Series in Newport Coast on Saturday.

(Rhodri Lumba)

“My father loved Newport Beach. For 50 years, he spent much of his free time there and lived there for 14 years before his death,” said Ethan Wayne, director of the John Wayne Cancer Foundation in a statement. “The scenery on the John Wayne Grit Series Newport Coast course can’t be beat, and we’re proud to use it as a backdrop for raising funds for cancer research.”

Newport Beach has a day in honor of the actor, along with a park and nearby airport. Wayne called the city his home from the mid-1960s until his death in 1979 from stomach cancer.

Participants ran in one of three courses, which included a 5K, a 25K and a 50K — 3.1 miles to about 31 miles at Crystal Cove State Park. This is the fourth year that Newport Beach has been included in the series. The next race, which is expected to take place in Ridgway, is in September.

Ethan and Marisa Wayne join in the race for the 2023 John Wayne Grit Series at Crystal Cove State Park on Saturday.

(Rhodri Lumba)