On Your Mark, Get Set, Go!

2006 PALISADES WILL-ROGERS RACE PREVIEW

The Palisades-Will Rogers 5/10K Run will kick off a day of fun in the Palisades next Tuesday, kicking off Fourth of July festivities for the 29th straight year. The race has evolved into a proud local tradition and is expected to attract between 2,500 and 3,000 runners this year. Next Tuesday’s race begins at 8:15 a.m. at the intersection of Alma Real and Toyopa Drives and will again be sponsored by Coldwell Banker, William E. Simon and Sons, and the Santa Monica Orthopedic and Sports Medicine Group. None of last year’s winners hailed from the Palisades, a rare occurrence in a race that has traditionally been dominated by local runners who are familiar with the course, which winds through Huntington Palisades streets and up the switchback trails at Will Rogers State Park before ending where it started at the entrance to the Palisades Recreation Center. Kevin Koeper of Arcadia won the men’s 10K last year, finishing the 6.2-mile course in 31:54 while Lucy Fitzgerald of Santa Monica won the women’s 10K for the second time in three years, finishing in 39:33. Eric Emilsson of UCLA won the men’s 5K in 15:06 and Therese Fricke of Santa Monica won the women’s race in 18:39. Lu Parker of KTLA’s Prime Time News, will be the official race starter for the second straight year along with Palisades’ current and past Honorary Mayors, Robert Sedway of Coldwell Banker and Bill Simon of William E. Simon & Sons. Will Rogers park ranger Mikal Sandoval will sing the Star-Spangled Banner. Parker came to KTLA in January 2005 from KENS-TV in San Antonio, Texas, where she had hosted the station’s daily live entertainment morning show ‘Great Day SA.’ She was Miss USA 1994 and fourth runner-up in the Miss Universe Pageant. She has been a guest on ‘Larry King Live’ on CNN and E! Entertainment and authored the book “Catching the Crown: The Source of Pageant Competition.” The 10K course record of 29:46 was set by Russell Edmonds of New Zealand in 1983 and no one has come within 40 seconds since. Five-time winner Katie Dunsmuir set the women’s record of 35:09 that same year. The 5K record belongs to seven-time winner Peter Gilmore, who set the record for his hometown race three years ago by blazing the 3.1-miles in 14:10. The women’s 5K mark of 16:29 was established in 1995 by Anetta Leuvano. A half-mile Kids’ Fun Run will follow the 5/10K races at 9:15 a.m. Proceeds will go to the Palisades Optimist Club to benefit local youth activities. Pre-registration packets can be picked up at Benton’s Sports Shop (1038 Swarthmore) from 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Sunday and Monday. The entry fee for the 5/10K is $30 and the fee for the Kids’ Run is $20. Race-day registration will be conducted at the Pali Rec Center from 6:30 to 8 a.m. at a cost of $40 for the 5/10K and $25 for the Fun Run. Medals will be awarded to first-, second- and third-place finishers in 28 age divisions (14 male and 14 female) in the 5/10K races. Male and female 5/10K winners are invited to ride in the Fourth of July parade that afternoon. Visit the official race Web site at www.palisades10k.com for more information.