Riviera Village 5K returns on Saturday
Shae Anderson will be among the Olympians honored at Saturday’s 5 k, prior to her departure for the Tokyo Olympics. The UCLA runner will compete in the 4x400m relay.
The annual Riviera Village Independence Day 5K returns to its post virtual, pre pandemic level this weekend. Except that it will not be held on Independence Day. It will be held Saturday, July 3. The reason for the break in tradition, race director Mike Ward explained, is to avoid conflicting with the Village’s pre fireworks festival.
Over 2,500 runners are expected to compete on the out and back course, which starts in Riviera Village and goes out along the Esplanade, overlooking the ocean.
Honorees this year will be a half dozen Southern California Olympians, including Steve Lewis, winner of two gold medals in the 1988 Seoul Olympics, and a gold and a silver at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics.
The race has raised over $200,000 over the past 28 years for local charities, including the Redondo Beach Education Foundation.
The Red, White and Blue costume contest starts at 7:30 a.m., followed by the 5 K. at 8 a.m., and the Firecracker Kids Dash for the Gold at 9:30 a.m. (ages 4 to 9).
Late registration on Race Day, July 3, along with the Health & Fitness Expo, opens at 6:30 a.m. ER