Redondo Beach runner Chris Foster upheld the local honor Sunday by winning the 34th Annual Super Bowl Sunday 10K, defeating last year’s winner Louis Ibarra of Montelbello by a comfortable 25 seconds. Cool, clear conditions made for a fast paced race, with Foster finishing in 30:34. Foster is also a two-time winner of the Redondo Beach Triathalon.
Gabriel Hernandez of Riverside was third in 32:10 and Owen Kiely, of Redondo, was fourth in 33:00.
In the women’s 10K, Mary Akor of Hawthorne finished first in 34:16, followed by Erika Aflufi, of Santa Monica in 35:56. Chanel Leaf, of Manhattan Beach, was third in 36:18, and Natalie Higley, of Redondo Beach, was fourth in 36:58.
Over 7,000 runners, almost evenly divided between the 10K and 5K, competed Sunday. Another 194 competed in the baby buggy race, including Ernie Chalekson , 66, of Manhattan Beach, who pushed his pug Buck. The duo finished 18th in the respectable time of 49:13.
The Redondo Beach Super Bowl Sunday 10K/5K Run/Walk and Health and Fitness Expo is presented each year by the Redondo Beach Chamber of Commerce and Visitor’s Bureau and is sponsored by Kaiser Permanente. Michelob Ultra hosted the beer garden following the race, and the Health Expo on Saturday and Sunday in the Seaside Lagoon. Redondo Beach councilman Steve Aspel emceed the crowd pleasing costume contest.
For complete results visit Redondo 10K.com
Hermosa Beach’s answer to a steeplechase takes place Sunday at the Hermosa Beach pier with the running of the 58th Annual John Hales and Strand 2.5-mile and 5-mile races.
The Sand and Strand starts and finishes on the sand, at the surf, at the Hermosa Beach Pier. This year, there are five races and six competitions: the long-time favorite 2.5-mile run (one loop of the course, which runs about half on the sand, half on the Strand); the challenging 5-mile run (2 laps of the 2.5 mile course), and three shorter sand dashes for kids under 10 years of age; a 50-meter sand run for those 5 and under; a 100-meter sand run for those 6-8; and a 200-meter sand run for 9-10 year olds.
For the really motivated runners, there is also a Sand King/Sand Queen competition, which requires runners to compete in both the 2.5 and the 5-mile runs (with standings determined by adding up each runner’s 2.5 and 5-mile finish places).
Race fees are $30 for the 2.5 and 5-mile runs, $45 for the combined Sand King/Sand Queen competition, and $15 for the kids’ races (race day fees go up by $5). Event registration is available on-line at Active.com, with mail-in race forms available page 6 of the Easy Reader, at Village Runner, the Hermosa Beach Community Center, and several local stores, or by emailing ed@clubedrunning.com. ER
