PALISADES-WILL ROGERS 5/10K

Four Runners Win Race for First Time

It seemed fitting that in the same year the annual Palisades-Will Rogers Race entered its fourth decade, it produced four first-time winners. Purely a coincidence, right? Maybe. Or maybe it’s a subtle reminder that while a runner’s prime is short, the race is far from reaching its peak. On the contrary, it weaves itself more tightly into the patriotic fabric of the community every Fourth of July and is now one of Pacific Palisades’ oldest holiday traditions. The 31st chapter began shortly after 8:15 on the morning of July 4 when Fire Station 69 paramedics Ed Strange and Dayne Coyle were introduced as this year’s official starters. As a sea of humanity flooded the intersection at Alma Real and Toyopa, the gun was fired and runners began their trek through the Huntington, inspired by the Rocky theme song “Gonna Fly Now” and cheered on by their families, friends and neighbors lining the race route. “This is always one of the best days in the Palisades,” said Strange, who is retiring July 29 after 35 years as a paramedic, the last 15 at Fire Station 69. “The only time I missed this race was last year when I had knee surgery. It’s a thrill for me. I have so many fond memories.” The 10K race was founded in 1978 by Palisades Ridgerunners Brian Shea, Chris Carlson and Bill Klein and the 5K was added in 1986. The day’s first winner was 31-year-old Brian Duff of West Los Angeles, who completed the 5K course in 16:49. Running the race for the eighth time, Duff said he didn’t train for it and wasn’t expecting to win despite finishing second last year. “It all depends on who shows up,” said Duff, who ran track and cross country at Loyola High in Los Angeles, then ran the 800 meters at Georgetown University. “It was a little warm but not nearly as bad as last year.” A slow pace ensured that the 5K record of 14:10, set in 2003 by Palisades’ own Peter Gilmore, would not be threatened. Duff’s best time ever was 15:40 in 2002. The men’s 10K winner was another Will Rogers Race veteran, 32-year-old Mar Vista resident Kevin Purcell, who runs for the “Fluffy Bunnies,” a Santa Monica-based track club sponsored by Nike. “I’ve run this race 15 times or so and this is the first time I’ve won,” said Purcell, who started pulling away from the pack just before the four-mile mark and finished in 34:10. “I’m usually in the top five but I guess this was just my year to come out on top.” Purcell was challenged on the grueling switchbacks of Will Rogers State Park by two-time winner and “Bunnies” teammate Tyson Sacco, who finished third–almost a full minute behind the winner. “It’s a great race, though,” Sacco said. “This is the 12th year in a row that I’ve run it.” The men’s 10K standard of 29:46 was established by Russell Edmonds of New Zealand in 1983–the same year that Palisades High standout Katie Dunsmuir set the women’s 10K record of 35:09. If knowing the lay of the land proved advantageous for the men’s winners, unfamiliarity with the course mattered little to Cal State Los Angeles track and cross country teammates Vivien Wadeck and Shawna Burger. Each won in her very first attempt. Encouraged to try the race by Golden Eagles Coach Gretchen Corrales, Wadeck took the 5K lead at the mile mark and never relinquished it, breaking the tape in 17:15 and winning by 40 seconds in the fastest women’s time since 2004. The women’s 5K mark of 16:29 was set by Annetta Luevano in 1995. “This was a flat, fast course and I generally don’t like that but this was really well organized and a lot of fun,” said Wadeck, a 29-year-old junior from Studio City who decided to run the night before the race. “I was visiting my family in Sierra Vista [Arizona] and didn’t get back until Wednesday evening.” After taking a few moments to catch her breath, Wadeck hovered near the 10K chute in anticipation of her friend’s arrival. She didn’t have to wait long. Burger won the race in 37:56–more than three and a half minutes ahead of the second-place finisher. In truth, her primary competition was herself. “It was challenging, but the harder the course the better I do,” said Burger, a 23-year-old senior who earned All-American honors after finishing first on her team at the cross country nationals in Joplin, Missouri in November. “I love the 10K and I enjoy the Fourth of July so this is my ideal vacation.” Having just returned from Jamaica, where he defended his Muay Thai super welterweight title, kickboxer Baxter Humby enjoyed another triumph by finishing first in his age group, sixth among men and eighth overall in the 5K. Running his hometown race for the sixth time, the “One-Armed Bandit” covered the 3.1 miles in 18:21–his fastest yet. “My goals were to win my age group and place Top 10 overall, so I did what I set out to do,” said Humby, who lives in Tahitian Terrace. “Normally I take a break after a fight but this year I kept right on training to prepare for this.” Replacing Coldwell Banker as this year’s title sponsor was Pacific Palisades Bank. William E. Simon and Sons again served as corporate sponsor. The field consisted of 2,537 runners: 1,569 in the 5K and 968 in the 10K. For complete online results, visit the official race Web site at www.palisades10K.com or log on to the Race Central site at www.runraceresults.com.