The 32nd Annual Southland Credit Union Race on the Base drew its largest number of competitors this year on a cold Saturday morning at the Joint Forces Training Base.
The 32nd Annual Southland Credit Union Race on the Base drew its largest number of competitors this year on a cold Saturday morning at the Joint Forces Training Base.
There was also a large number of local competitors who placed high in their divisions or in certain events. Organizers were extremely pleased with the event and are already looking towards next year’s race.
“We had 4,151 participants, selling out as the greatest attended Race on the Base in the history of this event,” Los Alamitos Recreation & Community Services Director Corey Lakin said.
Despite the thousands of participants crowding into the base starting at 5 a.m., the crowds were moved in quickly as they parked and moved to the vendor expo and starting gate area. Among the highlights were the participation of Captain Mel Blixt, the commander of the Joint Forces Training Base when it was known as the Naval Air Station, from 1973-75. At 89 years of age, Blixt ran the 5K event.
Alsom Miss California 2012, Leah Cecil was on hand to sing the national anthem and take photos with participants at the starting line. The event required more than 600 volunteers to run and Lakin noted the importance of those volunteers and the sponsors of the event.
In addition to the 5K and 10K events there was a10K inline skate, a 10K handcycle/wheelchair and the reverse triathlon and junior reverse triathlon. There was also a 1K kids fun run.
Proceeds for the event benefit the USA Water Polo National Training Center at the Joint Forces Training Base as well as the Morale Welfare Recreation (MWR) at the JFTB. The 5K walk was co-hosted by the Cancer Support Foundation, which also received some of the proceeds for their organization.
