The 13th annual Mardi Gras 5k and 10k run returned on Sunday, bringing a masquerade-themed event for the whole family to enjoy.
The event this year was hosted by UCLA Health, Santa Clarita Track Club and Westfield Valencia Town Center, and featured a 1k race, a 5k race and a 10k race for ages ranging from 10 and under to 60 and over.
Kevin Sarkissian, event organizer, said the entire event was a team effort and that he couldn’t have done it without his crew and the people who volunteered their time to make the event happen.
“We have a committee of committed people that all have different functions and that’s what it takes to make this happen,” said Sarkissian. “You know, I’m the race director. But on race day, I totally turn the keys to the castle over to them. And my sole job is to make sure the course is safe and make sure our runners are safe on the course.”
The race started and ended in the parking lot of Westfield Valencia Town Center. The course ran from the parking lot onto the paseo bridge and along the South Fork Trail before transitioning back to the paseo system and along dirt roads and switchbacks.
Jimmy Calderon, a Santa Clarita Valley native and former Golden Valley High School track runner, who won first place overall for the men’s 5k race, said the race could be a challenge at times.
“This one I thought it’d be a lot easier, I thought it was flat,” said Calderon. “But the switchbacks and then going through the neighborhoods. It’s ups and downs and those are a little tough, but besides that, it was fun, I had fun.”
The event also once again served as a fundraiser for Students Off and Running (SOAR), which provides marathon training experience to high school-aged youth in the SCV.
Result highlights from the race included:
10k Men’s
1st – Caden Bazo
2nd – Antoine Padovani
3rd – Gerald Smith
10k Women’s
1st – Rebecca Cheever
2nd – Pamela Spinner
3rd – Kira Grossi
5k Men’s
1st – Jimmy Calderon
2st – Willy Harber
3rd – Vignesh Suresh
5k Women’s
1st – Kelsey Ludwig
2st – Emily Farrell
3rd – Amie Bonner
