The 15th annual Keep L.A. Running Charity 5K Run/Walk, 10K Run, Kids Dash, Coastal Bike Cruise and Mayor’s Mile is coming Sunday morning, July 13 at Dockweiler Beach in Playa Del Rey.
The event offers a fast, flat course overlooking the ocean, and an Expo and Beach BBQ along the ocean shore where Imperial Highway hits the beach in Playa Del Rey.
Mary Decker Slaney, America’s greatest middle distance runner ever, will be the honorary spokesperson and starter of this year’s Keep LA Running. Mary will also run the 5K at the event. The only athlete ever to hold every American record from 800 meters to 10,000 meters, Decker Slaney continues to own the U.S. women's records in the 1500 (3:57.12, set in 1983), mile (4:16.71 in 1985) and 3000 (8:25.83 in 1985.) Mary won the 1500 and 3000 meters at the inaugural World Championships, in 1983 in Helsinki, -- a feat that would become known as the "Decker Double" and that helped earn her the title of Sports Illustrated Sportsperson of the Year for 1983. A year earlier, she set 5 world records and won the AAU Sullivan Award as the top amateur athlete in the country.
Keep LA Running races are for everybody. They can be a fun running "happening" for the entire family, or an opportunity, for elite runners, to win cash prizes offered by Colonial Life, one of the event’s co-title sponsor. Also for the first time in the event’s 15-year history, special trophies will be awarded for team competition in the 5K and 10K Runs. A team can enter an unlimited number of runners (male and female), but only the highest 5 finishers for each team count for the team competition. Members of running clubs registering as a team get a $5 discount.
The entire family can participate in the 7:30 am 10/20-mile coastal bike cruise, which winds south from the start on the bike paths along the ocean, or walk / run in the Mayor’s Mile, also at 7:30 am. The 5K Run/Walk will begin at 8:00 a.m., with the 10K at 8:30 am. Or the kids can run in the Kids Dash, which will begin at 9:45 a.m. Go to www.keeplarunning.com or call (310) 546-1888 for race information or event registration.
As always, the Laker Girls will lead the aerobic warm-up and the ChivaGirls will have a booth and will be signing autographs and take pictures. Torrance Olympian and World War II hero Louie Zamperini will be the honorary host of the 10K Run, and KCBS / KCAL TV weatherman Josh Rubenstein will be the honorary starter. California State Controller John Chiang will be the honorary starter of the 5K Run. Other elected officials expected to attend are Mark Ridley-Thomas, state senator, 26th District; Assemblymember Anthony Portantino, 44th Assembly District; Carol Liu, former California Assemblymember; Oscar De La Torre, President, Santa Monica Malibu Unified School District; Kelly McDowell, Mayor of El Segundo, Richard Montgomery, Mayor of Manhattan Beach, and Jeffrey Prang, Mayor of West Hollywood.
Over the years Keep LA. Running has raised over $1,000,000 for its beneficiary charities. The event is organized by SEIU Local 721 Emergency Disaster Relief Fund, a 501 (c) (3) not for profit organization, and also benefits the Pediatric Oncology Service, Women’s and Children’s Hospital of LAC + USC Medical Center; the Harbor UCLA Medical Center Neonatal Ward, and the American Cancer Society.
Major sponsors of Keep L.A. Running include co-title sponsors, PacifiCare, Colonial Life, Kaiser Permanente and American Income Life; The Law Offices of Fensten & Gelber, Union Bank of California, Trustmark, Delta Dental, Benefit Vision, United Way, Aflac, Gordon, Edelstein, Krepack, Grant, Felton of Goldstein, Allstate, Southern California Ford Dealers, and Lewis, Marenstein Wicke & Sherwin. Charter Communications and Time Warner Cable are media partners of Keep L.A. Running.
Volunteers are needed for the event in the following areas: race registration, race pre-registration (the day before the race), event traffic control, water station monitors, mile timers, communications, stuffing the competitor goody bags, T-shirt distribution, assisting with race set-up, (Banners, information table, sponsor booths), awards presentation and press operations. Those interested to volunteer for Keep LA Running are asked to call race director Mike Ward at Village Runner, (310) 546-1888 or email villagerunner@earthlink.net, or call the race hotline at (626) 463-0483.