News

2009 Southern California Ultra Runners Grand Prix Series

Series Director Gary Hilliard reports that as of December 2009, the Southern California Ultra Runners Grand Prix Series Membership is at 67 participants, with 15 runners registered as USATF members. The Southern California MUT chairs continue to promote USATF membership and look forward to being able to once again offer prize money to Series overall and age-group winners, who are USATF members at the Southern California Association 50K and 50-mile Championships.

Final Series statistics for 2009 show 17 runners ran more than 6 ultra events in 2009. Series runners ran 10,685 Series race miles in 2009. Rafael Covarrubias, of Long Beach, ran a total of 671 series miles and captured both the Men’s Overall Points and Men’s Mileage Championships. Michelle Barton, of Laguna Niguel, captured the Women’s Overall Championship, and USATF Representative Lorraine Gersitz, of Fullerton, won the Women’s Mileage Championship with 421 Series Miles. Tracy Moore, of El Cajon, and Lorraine Gersitz were the top USATF Male and Female Series Finishers in the Series points standings.

The Southern California Grand Prix Ultra Running Series Banquet/Picnic will be held at Mt. Wilson Trail Park in Sierra Madre. The “pot-luck” event is open to the public with all runners and anyone else interested welcome to attend. SCA Board members are invited! The traditional morning trail run will begin at 9:00 a.m. at approximately 5 – 7 miles in distance. The cooking begins at 11:00 a.m. with the lunch and awards beginning at 11:30 a.m. USATF and Series applications will be available and can be filled in by anyone interested in joining either or both for 2010.

Two Ultra Series races have taken place since the October 2009 MUT report:

Santa Barbara 9 Trails 35 Mile Endurance Run
(Due to fires, event held at)
Santa Barbara – RED ROCK 40 MILE TRAIL RUN
Los Padres National Forest Santa Barbara District
11/28/09

The Santa Barbara – RED ROCK 40 MILE TRAIL RUN is the replacement event for the Santa Barbara 9 Trails 35 Mile Endurance Run which has been moved because of fire damage and closed trails in the Santa Barbara area front country. This new Red Rock 40 includes much of the original 9 Trails course, all of the Cold Springs Trail and 12 miles of challenging back country trail and dirt road.

The run started at 6:10 a.m. on Saturday, November 28, 2009 at the Red Rock Day Use Area in the Santa Barbara Los Padres National Forest Back Country. The estimated distance was 40.68 miles and the total elevation gain was 11,729 feet. Fifty-eight runners started and fifty-three finished. The crisp, cool, autumn weather was ideal for running. Bright yellow Sycamore Trees and dark blue skies set the tone for the day.

Mike Swan of Santa Barbara was the first place finisher. His time was 6 hours and 55 minutes. Four minutes behind Mike was 27 year old, Eric Wickland of Canoga Park California. First female and forth over all finisher was 45 year old, Suzanna Bon of Sonoma California. Suzanna’s time was 7 hours and 45 minutes. Behind Suzanna was the female team of Kathy Higgins and Shatzi Sovich who finished together in a time of 9 hours and 19 minutes. The youngest finisher was Topher Norling, 18, of Santa Maria. The oldest finisher was Patricia Landis of Santa Barbara who is 68 years old.

Top three men and women:
40 Mile
MEN
1 Mike Swan, 6:55
2 Eric Wickland, 6:59
3 Dean Dobberteen, 7:22
WOMEN
1 Suzanna Bon, 7:45
2 Kathy Higgins, 9:19
3 Shatzi Sovich, 9:19

For complete results:
http://www.allwedoisrun.com/rr_results.htm

2009 OTHTC High Desert 50K Ultra and 30K
SCA 50K Trail Championship
Ridgecrest, CA
12/06/09

The OTHTC High Desert 50k ultra and 30k were run under cold and very windy conditions, but most of the runners still said they had a good time. Mountain views are plentiful—the southern Sierra Nevada range is obvious to the west, but everyone may also see a snowy Telescope Peak to the Northeast. Rattlesnakes are hiding for the winter, and temperatures are generally cool. Mother Nature always shows up to provide the runners with an added challenge!

231 runners started the ultra with 226 successfully completing the course. 121 ran the 30k with all runners going the full distance. Brad Seng from Boulder, CO was the winner of the 50k in a time of 3:27:37, and Carey Edge from Mission Viejo, CA was the female winner in a new age group record time of 4:03:33. Carey, who is 50 years old, was on the Irish Women’s Olympic Marathon Team in LA 1984 – the first ever Women’s Olympic Marathon! With a 2:28 marathon PR, it’s no wonder she set a course record! OTHTC was Carey’s first ultra but it won’t be her last. Donald Ball of Claremont, CA was the 30k winner in 2:22:10 with Beverly Buss of Camarillo, CA capturing the female crown in 2:38:19.

Top three men and women:
30K
MEN
1 Donald Ball, 39, 2:22:10
2 Mark Ford, 47, 2:29:47
3 Victor Carillo, 46, 2:32:05
WOMEN
1 Beverly Buss, 49, 2:38:19
2 Lucina Lara, 38, 2:41:28
3 Kelly Custer, 49, 2:42:49
50K
MEN
1 Brad Seng, 40, 3:27:37
2 Kris Brown, 20, 3:31:10
3 Brad Gillis, 21, 3:34:34
WOMEN
1 Carey Edge, 50, 4:03:33
2 Kate Pallardy, 24, 4:18:38
3 Sada Crawford, 43, 4:21:01

For complete results:
http://www.othtc.com/index.htm

2010 Upcoming Series Race
01/16/10 – Avalon Benefit 50 Mile: http://www.avalon50.com
01/17/10 – 50k Calico Trail Run: http://www.calicotrailrun.org/
02/20/10 – Orange Curtain 100k/50k: http://www.oc100k.com
03/06/10 – San Juan Trail 50k: http://www.bigbaztrailraces.com/
03/27/10 – Old Goats 50 Mile: http://www.oldgoatrunners.com

Gary Hilliard
SCA Open MUT Chair
[email protected]

Lorraine Gersitz
SCA Masters MUT Chair
[email protected]

SCA MUT: https://www.scausatf.org/mut/index.htm

www.scagrandprix.org

The 2010 Road Running Grand Prix kicks off with the Redondo Beach Super Bowl 10K race, on February 7, 2010, in Redondo Beach. An awards ceremony will be held after the 10K race to present medals and trophies to the Grand Prix winners. Medals are also awarded to all runners who competed in at least four Grand Prix races in 2009.

The Southern California Association USATF has announced the 2010 Road Running Grand Prix and Championships series. The 2010 series builds on the success of the inaugural 2009 series by adding more races, including a new USATF Road Mile. The 2010 series includes some of the most popular races Southern California, with around 45,000 runners in total participating in the races.

• 02/07/10: Super Bowl 10K
• 02/28/10: Brea 8K Classic
• 03/21/10: Los Angeles Marathon
• 05/16/10: Santa Monica Classic 5K
• 07/04/10: Semana Nautica 15K
• August 2010: SCA Road Mile
• 10/10/10: Santa Monica 5000
• 11/07/10: Santa Clarita Half Marathon
• 11/25/10: Dana Point Turkey Trot 10K

Redondo Beach 10K, February 7, Redondo Beach: The series kicks off with the 32nd annual Redondo Beach Super Bowl 10K. This race seems to sum up everything people love about road running in Southern California: a beautiful beachfront course, ocean breezes, and plenty of competition! The Super Bowl 10K is the 2010 Southern California Association 10K Championships race, with awards for both open and masters runners. After the run, it’s a big party, with free beer offered at the Asahi Beer Garden, while supplies last. In addition to race day awards, Championship awards and medals for the 2009 Grand Prix will also be presented at the USATF area, with a raffle and additional goodies for runners.

Brea 8K, February 28, Brea: There are plenty of reasons to participate in the 19th annual running of the Brea 8K. The 8K distance offers respite from the typical 5K and 10K races that dominate road running, and the course has some moderate hills to keep your training honest. But the best part is what comes after you cross the finish line: Orange County’s Finest Finish Line, with food provided by Brea’s best restaurants. Far beyond bagels and orange slices, there is freshly prepared food, and plenty of it! As a Grand Prix Scoring Only race, the Brea 8K also offers a $5 discount to USATF runners who register early online. Get out there, run your heart out, because three weeks later will come the most talked-about race in Los Angeles history, the new Los Angeles Marathon!

Los Angeles Marathon, March 21, Los Angeles: The 25th annual running of the Los Angeles Marathon promises to be the running event that forever changes marathon racing in Southern California. The “Stadium to the Sea” course starts at historic Dodger Stadium and finishes by the Pacific Ocean. The course winds through the icons of Los Angeles, heading towards the fresh air and cool ocean breezes of Santa Monica. In fact, there is a slight downhill grade to the overall course. As the 2010 Southern California Association Marathon Championships race the LA Marathon is reinvigorating long distance running among the elite members of the SCA.

Santa Monica Classic 5K, May 16, Santa Monica: After running the marathon of a lifetime, SCA members get a six-week break before picking up the speed again at the Santa Monica Classic. This fast 5K benefiting Heal the Bay is a great change for runners with legs tired from long training runs. In addition, the 5K has a special youth emphasis, with additional medals awarded to the younger runners. And top runners will again be eligible for awards as the Classic race is the 2010 Southern California Association 5K Championships race.

Semana Nautica 15K, July 4, Goleta: The road running Grand Prix again returns to the Santa Barbara area with this wonderful 15K race. This is one of two races repeated from the 2009 schedule. Why? It is just about impossible to beat the scenic course, run riverside, and along the tree-canopied streets of Goleta. The 15K distance also challenges runners’ pacing, finding a perfect spot that is slower than a 10K pace, but faster than the half marathon. And, as a Grand Prix Scoring Only race, the Semana Nautica 15K also offers a $5 discount to USATF runners who register early online. The race also offers a “no T-shirt” option, taking an additional $5 off, making this one of the best deals in running!

USATF Road Mile, August: If the new LA Marathon is generating the most buzz in the greater running community, the new USATF Road Mile certainly has members of the SCA talking. There has long been a need for a competitive, fast road mile event in the Southland, and the 2010 Southern California Association Road Mile Championships will answer the needs of runners wanting to challenge themselves to run their best mile. In addition to being a Championships race, SCA USATF members will also be eligible for a $10 discount at registration. The details of the Road Mile are still being finalized, so expect further updates in future issues of California Track and Running News.

Santa Monica 5000, October 10, Santa Monica: If speed is what you need, run this 5K! The Santa Monica 5000 lays claim to being the fastest 5K in Santa Monica, and they have the course record to prove it: Phillip Reid (M-22), 13:59.5 and Belainesh Gebre (F-20) 15:47.1, from 2008. And in 2009, six men finished under 15:00, and four women finished under 17:00. As with other Grand Prix Scoring Only races, USATF runners get a $5 discount when registering online.

Santa Clarita Half Marathon, November 7, Santa Clarita: After some revisions, Santa Clarita offers a newly USATF-certified course. While Santa Clarita has always been regarded as a scenic course, the full and half marathon now takes advantage of newly open trails along the San Francisquito Creek. We are proud to have the USATF certified and sanctioned half marathon event as our 2010 Southern California Association Road Half Marathon Championships.

Dana Point Turkey Trot 10K, November 25, Dana Point: For the third year in a row, the race calendar closes with the super-popular Dana Point Turkey Trot 10K. With a field limited to 4,000 runners, this race sold out in 2008 and 2009. USATF members can save $5 off registration with this Grand Prix Scoring Only race, but be sure to register early! This will be the final opportunity for runners to add to their 2010 Grand Prix scores.

More Information: SCA Road Running Grand Prix & Championships

SCA-USATF CONTACT:
Wayne Joness
Chair, Open Athletics Long Distance Running Committee
Southern California Association/ USA Track & Field
Cell: (310) 600-5332
Email: [email protected]

www.scagrandprix.org

A total of 161 Southern California Association USATF runners participated in the inaugural 2009 Road Running Grand Prix, but leading in scoring was Lydia Salinas (F-49) with 3,363 points, and Perry Forrester (M-57) with 3,466 points. Both Salinas and Forrester win $200 in prize money, and a Championship trophy to be awarded on February 7, 2010.

In second place was Rosalva Bonilla (F-46) 3,354, and Eulogio Rodirguez (M-25) 3,360 points. Bonilla and Rodirguez each receive $100 in prize money. Third place winners are Vickie Ford (F-48) 2715 and John Araujo (M-51) 3318, each collecting $50 in prize money. Fourth place finishers are Tracy Cox (F-55) 2713 and Nicholas Lopez, 3266, receiving $30. And in fifth place is Phyllis Bradford (F-47) 2586 and Oliver Gallego, (M-47) 3239, receiving $20.

More Information: SCA Road Running Grand Prix & Championships

SCA-USATF CONTACT:
Wayne Joness
Chair, Open Athletics Long Distance Running Committee
Southern California Association/ USA Track & Field
Cell: (310) 600-5332
Email: [email protected]

SCA ROAD RUNNING CHAMPIONSHIPS
SCA 10K Championships
Dana Point Turkey Trot 10K
Friday – November 27, 2009

Results

• SCA Grand Prix Standings: www.scagrandprix.org
• SCA 10K Championships – Dana Point 10K Results (PDF)
• SCA 10K Championships – Press Release (PDF)
• 2009 Dana Point Turkey Trot 5K / 10K

Awards

Overall Open Winners

• Charlie Serrano 29:34 M
• Mary Akor 34:33 F

Overall Masters Winners

• Dave Parsel 34:51 M 50-54
• Sue Zihlmann 39:11 F 45-49

DANA POINT, CA—As the sun rose to reveal clear skies and perfect racing conditions, elite USATF runners were handed the few precious bib numbers still available early on the crisp, Southern California Thanksgiving morning. For the second year in a row, the Dana Point Turkey Trot 10K had sold out, and numbers were in very short supply. With more than 10,000 participating runners in 2009, Dana Point claims the title as the most popular Turkey Trot event in the United States!

As the top twenty bib numbers were distributed, Mary Akor, the 2008 Southern California Association Half Marathon Champion, was handed bid number one from Bob Seagren, CEO of International City Racing. “She’s a helluva runner!” Seagren remarked, recognizing Akor from her many wins at ICR events.

From the start of the race, it was clear that Akor was anything but intimidated by wearing bib “1” as she took a strong lead and held it for the entire race. By the time Akor crossed the finish line in 34:33, she was more than thirty seconds ahead of Carly Harris (35:04) and Kaitlin O’Sullivan (35:16). The close finish between ICR teammates Harris and O’Sullivan mirrored their first and second place finish less than two weeks earlier at the 2009 SCA Cross Country Open Championships on November 15, at Kenneth Hahn Park.

In the men’s division, the competition was closer, but Charlie Serrano, (ICR runner and 2009 SCA Cross Country Open Champion) won with a blistering finishing time of 29:34. Serrano left nothing on the road that day, finishing just three seconds ahead of Morocco’s Karim Elmabchour (29:37). Ben Bruce, of Oregon Track Club Elite rounded out the top three runners with a time of 29:50.

Dave Parcel (34:51) and Sue Zihlmann (39:11) win the 2009 Southern California Association USATF 10K Masters Championships

While International City Racing continues their domination of open events, A Snail’s Pace Track Club showed the depth and power of their team roster in the masters division, where Dave Parcel and Sue Zihlmann took home the top honors, finishing in 34:51 and 39:11 respectively.

Under the direction of Bob Morris, A Snail’s Pace Track Club fielded some of the best runners in the 2009 Road Running Championships, and the motivated club looks well positioned to lead in scoring in the 2010 Road Running Championships as well.

SCA 10K Open and Masters Championships – Grand Prix
Dana Point Turkey Trot 10K
Thursday – November 26, 2009 
Print Press Release (PDF)

The 2009 Southern California Association USATF 10K Open and Masters Championships will be held on Thursday, November 26, the 32nd annual Dana Point Turkey Trot 10K.

One of the largest Thanksgiving Day races in America, more than 12,000 runners are expected to participate on Thanksgiving morning. The stunning course takes runners on a tour of one of the most scenic coastal running tracks in the nation. Participants will feel the pounding surf and cool ocean breezes as they wind through the Dana Point Marina, Doheny State beach, and over the Island Way Bridge, by the majestic cliffs and coves of Dana Point.

For runners participating in the inaugural 2009 Road Running Grand Prix Series, the Dana Point Turkey Trot 10K is the final race. In the men’s division, Eulogio Rodriguez, the 2009 Southern California Association Marathon Champion, holds a commanding 200-point lead. Rodriguez has completed the four-race minimum required for final awards and cash prizes. However, there are several competitors who have run only three races, including top masters runners Perry Forrester and John Araujo. Depending on the fortunes of the day, any of these runners could take the top prize in the 2009 Road Running Grand Prix Series.

In the women’s division, competition between Rosalva Bonilla and Lydia Salinas has been incredibly close for months now, and it is impossible to predict the outcome between these two determined runners. Bonilla held the lead in the Grand Prix series coming into October, when Salinas moved ahead by a razor thin margin of just 22 points following the Run Forrest Run 5K! After the results of the 2009 Southern California Half Marathon Championship race, the Santa Barbara News-Press Half Marathon, were totaled, Bonilla now leads 3304 to 3293! Only 11 points separates the two runners! There are seven races in the 2009 Grand Prix series, but only the four highest scores for each runner are used to determine the winners! So not only do both runners have a chance to raise their highest score at the Dana Point Turkey Trot 10K, but they can also drop their lowest scoring race.

In addition to the chance for Grand Prix runners to earn cash prizes at the end of the series, the Dana Point Turkey Trot 10K also offers a total of $3,500 in prize money on race day:

• 1st Place Male and Female: $1,000
• 2nd Place Male and Female: $500
• 3rd Place Male and Female: $250

For an Elite Runner Entry contact: [email protected].

To add more excitement to the Southern California Association USATF 10K Championships event, a handsome USATF Championship plaque will be presented to both the Open winners, and to the Masters winners. The Open winner will be the first USATF runner to cross the finish line, and the Masters winner will be the first runner over 40 to cross the finish line. Gold, silver, and bronze USATF championship medals will also be awarded to the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place finishers in 26 men’s and women’s 5-year age groups.

Awards will be presented on race day to USATF competitors, and age-graded scores from the 10K will be posted at www.scagrandprix.org. The Grand Prix also offers team scoring with a minimum of five runners from a USATF affiliated team needed for scoring. More than five runners per team can participate, but only the five highest scores will be used.

The Dana Point Turkey Trot 10K is a USATF certified and sanctioned event. The course map of the 10K certification is online at
http://www.usatf.org/events/courses/maps/showMap.asp?courseID=CA01050RS.

Online registration for the 2009 Dana Point Turkey Trot 10K is available through 5:00 pm, November 23! There is on-site registration available on November 25 and 26, however, the Dana Point Turkey Trot 10K sold out last year! The Dana Point Turkey Trot 10K limits registration to 4,000 runners. No race-day registration was available in 2008! Early, online registration is highly recommended!

TO REGISTER ON-LINE:
http://www.active.com/page/Event_Details.htm?event_id=1729988

SCA-USATF CONTACT:
Wayne Joness
Chair, Open Athletics Long Distance Running Committee
Southern California Association/ USA Track & Field
Cell (310) 600-5332 Email: [email protected]

SCA Cross Country Championships 
November 15, 2009
Kenneth Hahn Park
Results | Video

SCA Half Marathon Championships
Santa Barbara News-Press Half Marathon
Saturday – November 7, 2009

• SCA Half Marathon Championships Results (PDF)
• Santa Barbara News-Press Half Marathon / 5K
• SCA Grand Prix Standings: www.scagrandprix.org

It was another spectacularly beautiful day for racing, as the Southern California Association USATF Road Running Grand Prix and Road Championships returned to Santa Barbara on Saturday, November 7, at the 33rd annual Santa Barbara News-Press Half Marathon. Taking first place in the men’s division was Aaron Sharp, with a time of 1:09:16, and in the women’s division Andrea McLarty wins her championship title with a time of 1:22:12.

At a previous USATF event, one runner described racing in Santa Barbara, as “Aaron Sharp, and then everyone else way behind him.” 2009 looked like a field to challenge Sharp’s domination. Joining Sharp at the start line was Robert Olivera of Ventura, winner in October of the Ojai Half Marathon with a time of 1:10:32, and Eli Rodriguez, of Whittier, the 2009 Southern California Association USATF Marathon Champion, who also had an October victory, winning the Long Beach International City Bank Marathon in 2:25:57.

A little more than an hour later, as the top runners neared the finish line, the race appeared to be “Aaron Sharp, and then everyone else way behind him.” Sharp, who is preparing for the 2009 California International Marathon in December, won a decisive victory, finishing three minutes ahead of Olivera’s 1:12:48, and six minutes faster than Eli Rodriguez’s 1:15:27. This was also Sharp’s third time running the Santa Barbara Half Marathon, and his best finish as well.

While Sharp held a decisive lead throughout the entire race, Andrea McLarty (Drea), had more of a challenge to keep her distance from challengers Sara Dillman and Chrystee Bradley. McLarty reported that while she felt strong for most of the race, the last 5K was a tremendous struggle. Despite having the worst “bonk” she could remember in a major race, McLarty held her focus and won convincingly in 1:22:12, followed by Dillman, 1:23:52, and Chrystee Bradley, 1:25:04.

After becoming a mother to two children, McLarty is returning to running with a real passion and fire. This was not McLarty’s first Santa Barbara Half Marathon; she also ran the course in 2007, finishing in 1:31:51. Two years older and two years wiser she cut nearly ten minutes off her previous time! Like Sharp, McLarty is preparing for a marathon, in her case the inaugural 2009 Santa Barbara International Marathon.

The Santa Barbara News-Press Half Marathon is also part of the 2009 Road Running Grand Prix, and competition in the 2009 Road Running Grand Prix for overall scoring is about as close as possible. In the women’s division, both Rosalva Bonilla and Lydia Salinas ran a great race. In October, Salinas took the overall lead from Bonilla by 22 points after the Run Forrest Run 5K in Long Beach. When the scores from the Half Marathon were in, Bonilla moved out in front of Salinas again, with a razor thin margin of 11 points. Bonilla has a score of 3304 compared to 3293 for Salinas. The final outcome between these top runners will not be known until after the final Grand Prix race, the Dana Point Turkey Trot 10K, on November 26, which is also the 2009 Southern California Association 10K Championship.

Several men have now run the four-race minimum for end-of-year cash prizes and awards in the Grand Prix, and the leader, not surprisingly, is Eli Rodriguez. Rodriguez holds a commanding 200-point lead over his nearest rival, David Kent. But Rodriguez has lots of potential competition by runners who have only run three races in the Grand Prix, including top masters runners Perry Forrester and John Araujo, and young Nicholas Lopez, the 2009 Southern California Association USATF 5K Champion.

In the team competition, a newly filled-out Santa Barbara Athletic Association trounced Track Club LA, 4001 to 3666. The Santa Barbara Athletic Association had no fewer than four runners scoring above 800, the mark for “nationally ranked” runners. Leading the SBAA was Maggie Mason, who also took top honors at the Semana Nautica 15K race in July.

The final Association Road Running Championship race will be the Dana Point Turkey Trot 10K, held on November 26, 2009. This race will give overall awards to USATF runners, as well as determine the final winners in the 2009 Road Running Grand Prix.

USATF Contact:
Wayne Joness
Chair, Open Athletics Long Distance Running Committee
Southern California Association/ USA Track & Field
Cell (310) 600-5332 Email: [email protected]

SCA Cross Country Open
November 1, 2009
Kenneth Hahn Park
Results

LONG BEACH, CA—The 2009 Southern California Road Running Grand Prix recharged on Sunday, October 11, with the Run Forrest Run 5K, part of the massive running spectacle that was the 25th annual International City Bank Long Beach Marathon. The festive atmosphere on Shoreline Drive energized Southern California Association members, and with a nearly flat course, many runners set new personal records at the 5K race.

For the first time ever, both the full and half marathon events sold out, with the Run Forrest Run 5K also bringing in one of its largest fields of runners. The starting line for the 5K resembled a class reunion for many USATF runners who participated in earlier Grand Prix events. It had been several months since the last Grand Prix race, the Semana Nautica 15K on July 4th, and SCA runners showed the results of their summer training.

Crossing the finish line first was USATF member Luis Guevara, with a time of 15:09. Luis ran as a member of the International City Racing Track Club. This recently formed group, coached by Jason Bruton, has proven itself to be a dominant force, and Sunday was no exception. Luis’s ICR teammate Eli Rodriguez won the marathon event on Sunday. In May, Rodriguez also won the OC Marathon, taking the title of the 2009 Southern California Association Marathon Champion. And fellow ICR runner Jimmy Grabow won the half marathon, making a perfect sweep for International City Racing in all three events. In addition to his victory Sunday, Grabow was also the first SCA runner to cross the finish line in the elite Coaster 5K race this March!

In the women’s division, Cambria D’Amico handily won with a time of 17:20. D’Amico runs as a member of the Janes Elite Racing Team, a USATF elite development club. While the 5K was D’Amico’s first Grand Prix event, the Janes turned in an outstanding team performance in the 2009 Grand Prix, posting the highest single score by a team at the Brentwood 10K in June. D’Amico has been strong all year, also winning the Conquer the Bridge 5 mile Road Race held in San Pedro on Labor Day.

In the team competition, Track Club LA edged out Elite Health Track Club. This was a rematch for the two teams, who also traveled to Goleta in July to run in the Semana Nautica 15K. While Track Club LA is a large group of Westside Los Angeles runners, Elite Health Track Club is a smaller, close-knit group of determined runners coached by Wayne Douglas. Douglas has really encouraged his runners to participate in the Road Running Grand Prix, and as a result Elite Health Track Club is the only group to claim one hundred percent participation, with every one of Wayne’s runners showing up in at least one Grand Prix race!

With the age-graded scores calculated and posted online at www.scagrandprix.org, one thing is very clear: the race for the first place overall finisher in the women’s division is going to be very close. Rosalva Bonilla has consistently placed high in every race this year, scoring in the 800s except when fighting a cold at the Semana Nautica 15K. But close behind Bonilla has been Lydia Salinas. After her 798 score at the Semana Nautica 15K, Salinas was determined to break 800, and she easily did at the Run Forrest Run 5K, posting a score of 877! For the first time ever, Salinas has taken the lead in Grand Prix scoring by the narrow margin of 22 points, 3269 (Salinas) to 3247 (Bonilla). Bonilla did not post a time for the Run Forrest Run 5K, since she was on the marathon course, running the Long Beach Marathon in 3:06:56, and finishing first in her age group!

A Snail’s Pace Running Club also had a strong showing at the Run Forrest Run 5K, with Dale Campbell (M-56) turning in a spectacular 16:29 time, for an age-graded score of 941. Dale’s score is the highest of the 113 runners participating in the 2009 Grand Prix. Sue Zihlmann (F-45) ran 18:35, only one week after her 2:53:22 finish at the St. George Marathon. Club liaison Bob Morris indicated there would be more participation by ASPRC at 2010 USATF events, so Southern California runners are officially on notice to watch out for great performances by this motivated running club!

With the 5K race behind them, runners relaxed and enjoyed the best finishing line feast ever, with lunch provided by Bubba Gump Shrimp, the title sponsor of the Run Forrest Run 5K. Runners were offered a selection of box lunches, including smoked salmon and shrimp! While the half and full marathon runners dined on traditional bagels and orange slices, every 5K runner felt like an elite athlete on Sunday morning, with the first class treatment offered by race organizers International City Racing. And in celebration of the silver anniversary of the International City Bank Long Beach Marathon, more than 25,000 cupcakes were distributed on Sunday!

The next race on the schedule is the Santa Barbara Half Marathon, on November 7. This race is also the 2009 Southern California Association Half Marathon Championship event, and turnout should be strong. The Grand Prix Series concludes with the Dana Point Turkey Trot 10K, the 2009 Southern California USATF 10K Road Championship race, on Thanksgiving Day, November 26.

For more information, please visit:
Road Championship Series: www.scaroadchampionship.org

For current Grand Prix Point Standings, please visit:
www.scagrandprix.org

CONTACT:
Wayne Joness
Chair, Open Athletics Long Distance Running Committee
Southern California Association/ USA Track & Field
Cell (310) 600-5332 Email: [email protected]

The 2009 Southern California USATF Half Marathon Championships will be held on Saturday, November 7, in conjunction with 33rd annual Santa Barbara News-Press Half-Marathon.

The Santa Barbara News-Press Half-Marathon offers a course that is both scenic and challenging to members of the Southern California Association. Much of the race is on Shoreline Drive, first running west up the coast past Shoreline Park, then turning around for a long stretch that heads back down the beach past the start/finish line. The course continues past Stearns Wharf, Cabrillo Pavilion, the Bird Refuge, with a bike path out-and-back turnaround, heading back to the finish line. Conditions should be perfect for a beautiful Saturday morning run. The Half-Marathon starts at 8:00 am, with average early morning Santa Barbara temperatures in the mid-fifties. Runners World magazine readers will recognize the Santa Barbara News-Press Half-Marathon as one of their prestigious “Half Marathon of the Month” selections.

As the Southern California USATF Half Marathon Championships race, the overall men’s and women’s winners receive a handsome USATF Championship plaque. Gold, silver, and bronze USATF championship medals will also be awarded to the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place finishers in 26 men’s and women’s 5-year age groups.

For runners in the 2009 Southern California USATF Road Running Grand Prix the Half-Marathon is the sixth race in the seven race series. Runners must complete four of the seven races to be eligible for end-of-year prize money and awards. Many runners will be competing in the Half-Marathon to complete the four race minimum requirement, or to better their overall score in the inaugural year of this series. Age-graded scores from the half-marathon will be posted at www.scagrandprix.org The Grand Prix scoring also has a team component, with a minimum of five runners required for team scoring.

Online registration closes midnight, November 1! USATF discount only available with online registration!

The current registration fee for the Half-Marathon is $55. There is a $5 discount for Southern California USATF members who register online by midnight, November 1. Runners simply need to indicate they are USATF members, and enter their 2009 membership number when registering online. A $5 discount is automatically applied. Online registration closes after November 1, and the price increases to $65. After November 1, runners must register in person, either at the Santa Barbara Running Store, 110 Anacapa St. Santa Barbara, CA 93101, on November 5 and 6, or on race day, November 7, between 6:30 am and 7:45 am. There is no USATF discount available after November 1!

TO REGISTER ON-LINE:
http://www.active.com/page/Event_Details.htm?event_id=1725965

USATF Southern California Road Racing Grand Prix Information
For more information on the 2009 Southern California Association USATF Road Running Grand Prix Series and to see the current Grand Prix rankings, please visit: www.scagrandprix.org

To receive regularly updated news about the 2009 Road Running Grand Prix series, we invite you to send an email to: [email protected]

USATF Contact:
Wayne Joness
Chair, Open Athletics Road Running Committee
Southern California Association/ USA Track & Field
Cell (310) 600-5332 Email: [email protected]