Man runs 534 miles in tribute

Torrey AndersonSchoepe

Matt Palocsay’s tribute to his mother and grandmother, a 534-mile run

from San Francisco to Laguna Hills over 11 days, helped raise money

and awareness about cancer and Healing Odyssey, the company that

helped his two loved ones fight cancer.

He carried enough water on his back to last the trek -- one gallon

was just enough for every 25 miles.

Making stops all over the California coast, Palocsay stopped in

Laguna Beach on Tuesday with only eight miles left to the finish

line.

He started from his home in San Francisco and he ended at the

Healing Odyssey office in Laguna Hills.

Having previously run other marathons including the John Muir

Trail (220 miles in eight days) a race from Badwater to Mount

Whitney, and four 100-mile races, this 534-mile trek has been the

toughest run he has ever done.

Palocsay started planning this run in January, and he drove the

course a few weeks ago to plan his stops and to make hotel

reservations.

He ran solo most of the way, but he had support from his friends

and girlfriend.

“My friend Mona Gutirrez ran with me for two days from San Luis

Obispo down to Lompoc,” Palocsay said. “And my girlfriend, Melissa

Landeros, came out with my car to support me from Santa Barbara till

today.

“This is over twice as far as I have ever run in one stretch

before,” said Palocsay “It’s definitely the hardest one by far.”

He arrived in Laguna Beach injured but still motivated to get to

the finish line. Two miles into the stretch from Lompoc to Santa

Barbara, he pulled his Achilles tendon in his left heel, but this

just made him more determined to finish.

“I couldn’t run the stretch from Santa Monica to Huntington

Beach,” Palocsay said. “The pain really is excruciating. In normal

circumstances, I don’t think I would even be walking at this point.”

Changing his shoes three times, listening to music while he ran,

and always staying hydrated helped him push through the long

stretches.

“This is my third pair of shoes,” Palocsay said, “I had to cut

holes in them to relieve the pressure.”

He had three main goals for the run.

He wants to powerfully honor his mother, Sue Adams Palocsay, who

died of breast cancer in 2000, and his grandmother, Clarisse Adams,

who died of lung cancer in April.

His second goal is to raise funds for Healing Odyssey, the

organization that he says enabled his mother to live with dignity,

humor, and strength as she fought her aggressive form of breast

cancer.

And his last goal is to bring awareness -- to women cancer

survivors and their families -- of the program offered by Healing

Odyssey.

Palocsay plans to write a journal on his experience and post it on

the Internet.