Get ready to lace up those running shoes for the 35th annual Mission 10 Race in San Juan Bautista right around the corner.
The event takes place January 27 and will feature vendors like Ohana Shave Ice, a pre-run yoga warm-up, themed teams eligible for trophies, and live music by local high school rock band Racing Time. The Rotary Club of Hollister has sponsored the race since its start back in 1982, despite the race being located in San Juan Bautista.
“People ask why the Rotary Club of San Juan Bautista doesn’t put on the race, it’s because we founded the race,” Hollister Rotary President Amalia Ellis said. “The Rotary Club of San Juan Bautista was chartered after we started the race. They send volunteers to help out at the event and some members participate as well.”
The Mission 10 Race serves up a USA Track and Field distance-certified half marathon through the Anzar Hills and by Anzar Lake, as well as a 10k (also certified), 5k and 1-mile fun run for kids. All races kick off in front of the Mission San Juan Bautista.
“If somebody in the 10-mile or half marathon does well and they’re looking to be a ranked runner on the national level, they’re able to report this race and their time,” said Race Director Bill Tiffany, who’s directed the event for over 20 years. “For the first number of years, it was strictly a 10-mile race. I would say the participants during those earlier years were pretty serious runners.”
All proceeds from the event benefit local scholarships for high school students, as well as charities. Ellis said the rotary club donates to 12 Days of Giving, Girls Inc., Small Steps, the Lights On Celebration, Footsteps 2 Brilliance, and the United Way Stuff the Bus program. Ellis said $21,000 in college scholarships went to local high school students last year.
The club also participates in international endeavors like the Ilorin Club of Ilorin, Nigeria. The club is building eight water wells in eight different villages, which will save thousands of lives.
“As you know, clean water and sanitation are important,” Ellis said. “Some of these villages don’t have access to clean water at the moment.”
Ellis said the Hollister chapter collaborates with other chapters to fund international service projects like the one in Nigeria, including the chapters in San Juan Bautista, Gilroy, Morgan Hill, and Almaden Valley.
Seven-hundred runners participated in last year’s Mission 10 Race and Tiffany said he looked forward to seeing some familiar faces.
“It’s one of those types of events that brings people to the local community and lets them hang out in San Juan, appreciate the area,” Tiffany said. “We’ve had a certain core group of event participants for years. It’s nice to see them year in and year out. It’s fun to see that dedication.”
Tickets for the 35th annual Mission 10 Race in San Juan Bautista on Saturday Jan. 27, 2018 are available at https://www.racemine.com/mission-10/events/2018/rotary-mission-ten-2018. Prices vary depending on the race. For more information, call (831) 637-0071 or visit the Mission 10 Race Facebook page.
