Redondo Beach Super Bowl 10K/5K draws over 7,000 competitors
Photos by Ray Vidal
by Garth Meyer
ERNT, ENRT, ERNT, came the loudspeaker sound from a motorcycle policeman.
“Turn left onto Knob Hill Avenue, this street is closed.”
Thousands of 10K runners soon filled Catalina Avenue. A few in classic Rams Eric Dickerson jerseys, a cheering woman of a certain age in a vintage Bengals Collinsworth jersey, a man in a no. 9 Rams Stafford jersey, another man in a Detroit Lions T-shirt.
In the buggy race, a runner pushed a stroller, written on the back of his white undershirt: “THIS IS MY BOOSTER.”
“Hey Hey!” called a father in the 5K to an eight-year-old passing in the other direction by the Elks Lodge. “First place. You’re 50 yards back. Don’t give up!”
A pack of RUHS cross country girls followed, a group of women in referee stripes, a troop of middle-aged men in salmon costumes.
At the rear was the last of the 10K runners.
“We’re almost there. Cruise mode now,” said one to another as they approached the finish.
More than 7,000 runners and walkers competed Sunday in the 44th Annual Redondo Beach Super Bowl 10K Run/5K Run Walk, Baby Buggy Run, and Kids Runs. The event was canceled last year due to the pandemic.
Corey Brunelle of Valley Village won the 2022 men’s 10K in a time of 32:31.04. Lindsey Young, of Long Beach, won the women’s 10K at 40:26.03. Austin Van Biezen of El Segundo took first in the Men’s 5K, in 16:14.03. Liz Guerrini won the Women’s 5K, in a time of 19:19.04.
Joe Ezkenazi, of Redondo, a 104-year-old WWII Veteran and Pearl Harbor Attack Survivor was a guest of honor.
In keeping with the City of Redondo’s emphasis on a healthy environment, the 10K pace car was the new Hyundai Ionic 5 SUV Electric. Memorial Care Miller Children’s & Women’s Hospital was the presenting sponsor.
The Redondo Beach Super Bowl 10K/5K was founded in 1979 as a fundraiser for the Redondo Beach Chamber of Commerce. Proposition 13 passed the preceding year greatly reducing municipal revenues, statewide.. Newly appointed Chamber manager Dennis McCarbery, Harbor and Pier marketing director Jim Graham, and events promoter Hans Albrecht organized the race. The fact that the race was held on Super Bowl Sunday was a accident, Graham said. But race was so popular in it first year, that the organizers decided to keep the race on Super Bowl Sunday. ER