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Wrigley River Run & Tadpole Trot

So. Cal’s Elite Runners Among the More Than 1,200 Running Long Beach’s Premier 5/10k event

June 6, 2015. Masa Kinoshita clinched first place in the 10k by over a minute with a time of 38:44 to second place finisher Alexander Garcia. In the 5k Alan Grant finished in a whopping 17:22 to beat Jonathon Tillman by 37 seconds. 

In the women’s division, Jessica Rinehart raced to victory, winning by a comfortable margin in the 10K with a time of 42:22. Emily Tillman clinched the women's 5k with a time of 21:16. 

The kids in the Tadpole Trot were the highlight of the event for most. Every one of the more than 500 under-ten Tadpole Trot competitors - from the winner, to those at the back of the pack who held hands with their parents the entire way up and down Pacific Avenue - received medals and enjoyed pre- and post-race fun in the bounce houses as well as pizza from Buono's.

The event’s organizing entity, the Long Beach Neighborhood Foundation (LBNF), reports that  approximately 2000 people participated in the events: The Ricky Park 5/10k's and the Tadpole Trot kids run presented by United Agencies Insurance. The event generated more than $40,000 (gross) in donations and registrations from the community. Net proceeds from the event will be used to support programs that benefit at-risk youth in Long Beach and college scholarships to local high school students.

In addition to our title sponsor the Park Family (who requested that we name the event in honor of the recently past Ricky Park), Toyota, and Buono’s (the official Pizza of the Wrigley River Run), many local businesses supported the race through monetary and product donations including, Altus Realty Solutions, AA Graphics, The Aquarium of the Pacific, AREC, DBL Logistics and Visiting Angels.

There was plenty of music with Wrigside playing at the finish line and the Cabrillo HS Jazz Band and Steel Drum Band, First Dirt, 20 lb Sledge, Cross Your Fingers, Ky and Rem J, HopeHop Family Ministry, DJ Jumbo, Urban Cats Blues keeping the runners moving on the course. LBNF President Gavin Mc Kiernan said, "As this event grows we are proud that top runners as well as casual athletes flock to our event but more than that we are happy to have been able to put on an event that involved so many diverse parts of our community. Several area schools participated in a significant way and many businesses responded affirmatively to our call for support for a family-friendly community event, showing that communities can and will come together outside of Downtown and Belmont Shore, where the overwhelming majority of events as well as media coverage in Long Beach currently take place."

The 5k and 10K race courses started and ended at Holy Innocents Parish School on Pacific Avenue, and inbetween toured the tree lined streets of the historic Wrigley neighborhood, as well as the LA river path. Gio from Ground Work Fitness warmed up the runners.  Musicians from Cabrillo HS saw the runners off with the national anthem prior to the 10k after the Cabrillo JROTC presented the colors. The participants enjoyed post-race food and drink donated by Buono’s, Clif Bar, El Paisano Supermarket, and The Bagelry.

Mc Kiernan recognized "our superb volunteer board of directors from all parts of Long Beach that are dedicated to putting on quality community building events in areas of the city where they traditionally have not had them. We also appreciate all the help we received from various city departments and groups, the West Division of the LBPD, LB Department of Special Events and Filming, and of course the support and guidance of our Advisory Board.

For full results of the event visit www.wrigleyriverrun.com. 

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