Lawnchair Larry Half Marathon
You can do great things. You can run a half-marathon. You can help raise money for a cause.
“A man can’t just sit around.”— Larry Walters
The Route
From where Larry launched on his historic flight, to where he landed.
13.4 Miles
A Half-Marathon1633 W 7th St
San Pedro, CA · 7:00am432 E 45th St
@ whenever you finishGot Questions?
Larry Walters had a dream. He wanted to fly. When he was rejected from the Air Force due to poor eyesight, he didn’t let that stop him. Using weather balloons, he launched Inspiration I, a cluster balloon aircraft, flying up past 14,000 ft and over LA airspace. He shot out some of his balloons with a BB pellet gun, eventually dropping to land on some power lines in Long Beach.
Larry was an inspiration, going on Letterman and receiving his 15 minutes of fame, but tragically could never achieve all his ambitions. He ended his own life in 1993. This race commemorates that historic flight and raises money for mental health in order to show people that you can dare to dream and do ridiculous things.
Your ticket covers a t-shirt, balloon, race support and additional snacks, water and more during the run.
We have two vehicles offering race support and multiple stops for water, snacks and more.
Bring good running shoes, a small pack with water, sunscreen, a hat, and whatever you might need to be successful in your race.
The Legend
On July 2nd, 1982, a man named Larry Walters strapped 45 helium-filled weather balloons to a lawn chair in his girlfriend’s backyard in San Pedro, California. He packed a pellet gun, sandwiches, beer, and a CB radio — and launched himself into the sky.
He rose to 14,000 feet, drifting through LA’s controlled airspace, spotted by bewildered pilots who reported a man in a lawn chair to air traffic control. He eventually descended by shooting out balloons with his pellet gun, landing on power lines in Long Beach.
When asked by a reporter why he did it, Larry said: “A man can’t just sit around.”
This race runs the exact path Larry flew — 13.4 miles from launch to landing — and raises money for mental health awareness in his honor.