Two dollars of each Super Bowl 10K/5K Run/Walk entry fee will be donated to the Jim Allen Fund. Last summer, Allen, a longtime Redondo Beach City employee and Harbor Facilities Manager was diagnosed with ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis or “Lou Gehrig’s disease”).
More than 9,000 people are expected to participate in the race, which will precede the defending champion Seattle Seahawks meeting the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XLIX.
ALS attacks the nerve cells that are used in voluntary muscle actions; actions that we can control such as those in the legs, face and arms. As ALS progresses, nerve cells degenerate and die, ceasing to send messages to muscles, which in turn causes them to weaken and waste away.
With no known cure for ALS, life for Allen, his wife and four children changed overnight. Although fighting through the effects of the disease, Allen is at work, continuing his 25-year career of public service, and taking things one day at a time.
Additional donations can be made at gofundme.com/jimallen.
The Sunday, February 1 race is hosted by the Redondo Beach Chamber of Commerce and sponsored by presented by Kaiser Permanente. It is in its 37th year and is considered Southern California’s largest Super Bowl celebration.
Online registration is available through Thursday, Jan. 29. Entry fees for the 10K, 5K and Baby Buggy 10K races are $37. A combo package is available for $62. On-site registration will be available at the two-day Health and Fitness Expo presented by Michelob Ultra, which will be held at Seaside Lagoon on Saturday, Jan. 31 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and on Sunday beginning at 6 a.m. Add $5 for individual races; $10 for the combo.
Free to the public, the Expo offers race enthusiasts and their families and friends the opportunity to see the latest in running and fitness accessories and a variety of sports and lifestyle exhibits.
The Super Bowl 10K/5K event begins with the popular Costume Contest presented by King Harbor Association at 7 a.m. After 27 consecutive years of running in costume, Maryann Guthrie and her King Harbor Association entourage took 2014 off but return this year with the theme “Bruno Mars – Uptown Funk.”
Brent, Craig and Sean Kuykendall are members of a group of about one dozen runners who have electrified the crowd for a decade with elaborate costumes ranging from Noah’s Ark Animals, Superheroes and Condiments.
“This year our group is called “Running for election,” Brent said. “We will be dressed up as presidents, Uncle Sam, Statue of Liberty, and anything else American. We keep coming back just because it is fun to see all of our friends. This is one of the few times a year this group gets together.”
The 5K race begins at 7:30 a.m. followed by the Baby Buggy 10K at 8:15 a.m. and the 10K at 8:30 a.m. Many participants and their supporters celebrate at the Michelob Ultra Post Race Hospitality Area while listening to live music.
Santa Clarita’s Alfredo Coronado is the defending 10K champion posting a time of 32 minutes, four seconds in 2014. Torrance’s Megan Burke won the women’s division with a time of 35:23.
Daniel Sorenson (16:07) and Jessica Nye (20:44) captured 5K titles last year and Michael Sevier won the Baby Buggy 10K with a time of 37:14.
All runners will receive a custom race shirt and custom awards will be presented to the top three male and female finishers in each category. The top three teams in each of the Baby Buggy 10K; Six-pack; and Centipede divisions will also receive a custom medal.
For more information, visit redondo10k.com.
