Palisades-News-July-8-2015

Palisades NewsPage 18 July 8, 2015Starting the Fourth with Will Rogers RunDrake Johnston and Grace Graham-Zamudio won the 5K. Tonny Okello and Susanne McNeil Eng won the 10K.By SUE PASCOEEditorPhotos by Shelby PascoeAbout 2,522 runners took a quickloop through the Huntington Palisades,and then 800 10K runnerscontinued onto the switchbacks at WillRogers State Park, for the 37th running ofthe Will Rogers 5/10K Run.“It was great!” Race Director Brian Sheasaid afterwards. “It’s a community eventand that’s the way it should be.”The Blue Eagles from March Air Forcebase (Staff Sergeants Steven Hernandez,David Adolfo, Jonathon Villavargas andTechnical Sergeant Oscar Lopez) presentedthe colors. Broadway star and PalisadianHelene York sang a perfect rendition of theNational Anthem.Race starter Marcel Loh, Providence SaintJohn’s chief executive, said “We’re proud tobe a title sponsor and proud to be yourcommunity hospital” and pulled the plug at8:15 a.m. Runners thundered down AlmaReal, following the pace car, driven by IndyCar driver and Palisadian Townsend Bell.A mere 15:56 later, Drake Johnston, aformer Palisades High School athletecrossed the finish line. The 20-year-old Villanovajunior runs for the Wildcats. “I’vebeen running easy this past month,” he said.Focused on the race ahead these young runners were among the 376 kids signed up torun the half-mile Kids’ Fun Run.“With this race, I just wanted to have fun.”Johnston, an environmental science andgeography major, was asked if he felt thiswas an easy race. “You never know who willwin. Charles is a good runner and Roberthas beaten me before.” Charles Shermantook second (16.20) and Robert Amadortook seventh (17:32).Six-time race winner Peter Gilmore, 39,finished fourth (16:56). “It hurt so much,”he said after the race. “I haven’t been runninga lot. But I like to come here becauseI see a bunch of old friends.”Grace Graham-Zamudio, 21, won thewomen’s 5K (18:34). A star runner at HartHigh School in Santa Clarita, she attendedLoyola Marymount University where sheran the 5/10K.“The time is good for my fitness levelright now,” said Graham-Zamudio, whoran this race for the first time. “It was prettytough, because I wasn’t expecting the hill.”It was a repeat for 10K runner TonnyOkello who ran 32:56—last year’s timewas 31:21. “I was slower this year,” saidOkello, 31. “I’m not in good shape.” Hestarted running in Uganda when he wasfifteen and then was recruited by the Universityof Alabama, where he ran 5/10K.After graduating with a degree in communicationshe moved to Los Angeles. Hecontinues to compete and said “Runningis my job right now.”It was a sweet finish for Susanne McNeilEng, who won the women’s 10K (40:33). “Itook second last year and it always seemslike I’m second or third, but this year I wonit—thank god, finally,” said Eng, who is amarathon runner, who competes in 10Ksfor the speed work.In the late 1990s she competed in tri ath -lons, but once her sons Eli, 9, and Asher, 5,were born, she switched to running. “I waspushing them a lot in strollers,” she said.She has competed in many marathons, includingChicago and Tokyo, and will competein Berlin this year. Her time is usuallyunder three hours.Promptly at 9:30, it was the start of theKids’ Fun Run. National anthem singerCampbell Ferrier, a Corpus Christi student,sang it perfectly.The pacer bikes for the Kids’ Fun Runwere ridden by Oliver, 14, Theo, 11, andfather Ron Mass. “We have to make surethe kids don’t go on Sunset,” said Oliver.His dad added, “We have to go fast enoughso they don’t pass us.” With the sound ofthe horn, 376 young runners sprinted offand the bikers had to pedal twice as fastto stay ahead on the half-mile course.Pacing is everything, and these runnerschecked the time as the race was ready to start.