San Juan Bautista
– The Mission 10 race attracts some serious athletes, and the
presence of a professional timer at the 24th annual run this
weekend may give them the motivation for that final burst of
speed.
San Juan Bautista – The Mission 10 race attracts some serious athletes, and the presence of a professional timer at the 24th annual run this weekend may give them the motivation for that final burst of speed.
Jess Morales, a coach with the Tri-County Running Club, said the timer’s presence should make the race more exciting. Morales hopes some of his club’s runners will be snatching the lowest times.
“We usually win most of the age groups,” he said.
Local lawyer Bill Tiffany, who’s been organizing the event for the last 10 years, said people are still welcome even if they’re not in tip-top shape. The 10-mile race, he said, is for more serious runners, but walkers are welcome on the five-kilometer course.
Morales said his club, which accepts all age groups but is particularly focused on young runners, has sent members to such prestigious races as the Boston Marathon. He expects to have 20 runners in the Mission 10, which he called “a nice run.”
Like Tiffany, Morales thinks one of the race’s highlights is the fact that different courses allow people of different skill levels to compete.
“The 10-mile is more of a gutsy race,” Morales said.
The race routes start and end at Mission San Juan Bautista, and they take participants through farmland and into the Anzar hills. Last year, 385 runners competed in either the 10-mile or the five-kilometer race. Segments of Old San Juan Highway, Anzar Road, San Justo Road and Prescott Road will be closed for the event.
There will also be a one-mile “fun run” for children.
“We’ve had people from all over,” Tiffany said, adding, “We would like to have as many local participants as possible.”
Tiffany is a runner himself, but he said it’s been a long time since he competed in the race.
“I’m usually too busy doing the organization,” he said.
The events’ proceeds will go to the Hollister Rotary Club. Tiffany said the club traditionally uses the money to fund scholarships, as well as donating money to other community groups such as the Cub Scouts. Rotary Club President David Baumgartner said the event is especially important for the club this year, since it did not receive the funds it normally does from the annual Independence Day motorcycle rally.
In addition to contributing to a good a cause and staying in shape, participants in the Mission 10 will have a chance to win other goodies. Gift certificates to local stores and restaurants will be given away as door prizes, and the fastest runners will receive footwear from Brooks Shoes.
Anthony Ha covers local government for the Free Lance. Reach him at 831-637-5566 ext. 330 or [email protected].
