La Jolla set the stage for the La Jolla Half Marathon this past weekend, Sunday, April 27, as one of America’s most picturesque and challenging runs.
Starting adjacent to the Del Mar Fair Grounds’ main entrance, the course follows a scenic route along the coast before reaching the challenging climb to the summit of Torrey Pines State Park, which reaches a height of 420 feet. After leaving the park, the course continues through the residential district of La Jolla Shores and finishes on the grass in the park at La Jolla Cove.
“The scenery is the thing I like most about this race,” said Erin LaCasella of Mira Mesa. “It’s a good, challenging run ” challenging and beautiful.”
Topping the leaderboard for the men was Brian Culley, 37, of San Diego, with a chip time of 1:21:01. Just a hair behind was Laguna Niguel resident David Giangrande, 35, with 1:21:02. Dan Mansfield (1:21:17), John Armour (1:22:01) and Kevin Kleinhenz (1:22:06) helped round out the top five men.
Three La Jolla residents came in the top 14. Coming in sixth place overall was 30-year-old Phil Livermore with 1:22:20 (chip time). Philippe Krebs, 30, showcased a chip time of 1:24:01, while Stephen Livermore, 27, boasted a 1:27:39.
For the second consecutive year, confusion reigned at the finish line. The race leader, wearing the bib of defending champion Sean Birrin, was later identified as Allen Wagner, who would have won the race last year but was disqualified for buying a race bib from another runner.
He was disqualified this year after his true identity was revealed.
The initial second-place runner was also disqualified for running without a bib. Jose Rocha said he had paid the entry fee but could not pick up his bib the night before the race because of a time conflict with his job. That left Culley as the winner.
Frontrunners for the women included 44-year-old Sherri Ellerby of San Clemente, the defending women’s champion, with a 1:28:48 chip time, 10 seconds faster than her winning time last year. Encinitas resident Sarah Hart, 31, came in second for the women with 1:30:22.
Christina Hennigan (1:30:56), Katya Meyers (1:32:13) and Janice Penrose (1:32:21) completed the top five females in the leaderboard.
The annual race brings in 5,500 runners, of which 4,815 finished, pulling participants from as far east as Miami, East Ellijay, Ga., Easton, Md., and Philadelphia.
“It’s a great getaway [bringing in a lot of tourists] half marathon,” LaCasella said. “It’s such a beautiful run, but it’s definitely a challenge.”
This year was the fourth La Jolla Half for LaCasella, 35, who has run a total of nine half marathons. The La Jolla is her favorite because, she says, “It’s the most challenging race, but somehow I keep getting better and improving my time.” LaCasella finished with a chip time of 2:22:14.
The La Jolla Shores 5K offered an alternative to the demanding Half Marathon, following the final section of the Half Marathon course. Starting above La Jolla Shores and overlooking the Pacific, the course ran through the La Jolla Shores residential district, along the ocean boardwalk and finished in the park at La Jolla Cove.
The noncompetitive WindanSea Five Mile Stride offered another alternative, a walk through one of La Jolla’s oceanfront residential districts. The Stride also conveniently finished in the park near the Half Marathon and 5K finish line.
Saturday, April 26 set weather records throughout San Diego, specifically Brown Field, and it was even hotter on Sunday. Forecast to reach 83 degrees on the coast, Lindbergh Field reported a high of 94. The clear skies did not allow for much protection from the blazing sun, even during the hours of 7:30 to 11 a.m. The hot temperatures led to multiple depleted water stations along the route as well as ambulance assistance for heat exhaustion.
The race culminated at La Jolla Cove with participants of all three races, highlighting a festival of food tents, retail vendors and giveaways.
The La Jolla Half is the second in the Half Marathon Triple Crown series, which kicked off with the Carlsbad Half Marathon in January and finishes with the America’s Finest City (AFC) on August 17. For more information on the AFC, log onto www.afchalf.com.