Thousands of runners will descend upon La Jolla for the Kiwanis Club of La Jolla’s 31st annual La Jolla Half Marathon on April 29. The 13-mile half marathon course — one of the most scenic, yet most grueling in the country — will take runners from the Del Mar Fairgrounds to Scripps Park at La Jolla Cove. Participants will enjoy unparalleled coastal vistas throughout the course — a reward for the challenging hills, including the harrowing trek up Torrey Pines State Park. For those seeking a less demanding Sunday morning, the La Jolla Shores 5K and Stride offers participants similarly picturesque vistas en route from La Jolla Shores Beach to Scripps Park. Medals will be awarded to the top five finishers in each age class, with championship trophies awarded to the first open-division male and female finishers overall in an awards ceremony at the finish line at Scripps Park at 10 a.m. To add to the celebratory atmosphere, a beer garden will also be open at 10 a.m. for guests and participants 21 and older. Although registration for the half marathon is closed, last-minute participants can still register for the 5K at the runner’s expo on April 28 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the La Jolla Recreation Center, located at 615 Prospect St. Immediately following the expo at 5 p.m., a pre-race carb-loading dinner will take place free for race participants. Guest tickets are available for $10. All proceeds from the event will benefit the La Jolla Kiwanis Foundation’s youth, senior and community programs. For more information, visit www.lajollahalfmarathon.com or call (858) 454-0777.
