Each runner had their own pace, their own stride and their own reasons for hitting the pavement.
Thousands of runners joined the OC Marathon, some showing up at dawn to do the full 26.2 miles, others opting for the shorter half marathon.
And while each had their own goals, for a few hours on Sunday, May 4, they were all part of a collective group who would cross the same finish line at OC Fair & Event Center, fatigued but accomplished, for the event marking its 21st year.
Lake Forest’s Xavier Smith and Stephanie Mundt, of Tempe, Arizona, were the overall winners in the men’s and women’s divisions of the marathon. The half-marathon winners were Ellie Stevens of Las Vegas and Kristoffer Mugrage of Alamosa, Colorado.
Race director Gary Kutscher said the largest number of runners participated, with an estimated 3,600 runners in the marathon and 10,000 in the half marathon.
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The previous evening, an estimated 4,000 runners participated in Southern California’s largest nighttime race for the Hoag OC 5k and 6,500 youngsters were registered for the “Kids Run The OC” race.
The marathon entrants came from 47 states and 27 countries for the scenic race, which at times offered ocean views, some of the course weaving through the quaint streets of Corona del Mar.
The weekend’s festivities started on Friday with The OC Lifestyle and Fitness Expo, featuring 60 vendor booths and exhibits for racers to check out.
There’s been a surge in running clubs that have sprouted up since the coronavirus pandemic, Kutscher said, in part the reason participation numbers have been up in recent years.
He’s seen the resurgence in running interests come and go through the years, but this latest wave of running enthusiasts is stronger than ever, he said. More than 150 clubs joined the run.
There’s not only the social aspect of getting together with like-minded people, but there are countless stories of people with fitness goals, doing runs in the name of loved ones, or because they have overcome their own health obstacles, he noted.
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Others use the run as a fundraiser, a chance to raise money for nonprofits they are passionate about, with 30 official charities joining as this year’s beneficiaries.
Since its inception, more than $9.5 million has been raised through the event for a wide range of charities and nonprofit organizations.
“It really runs the gamut of why people do this,” he said. “The fact that it’s a daunting distance — for many people, it changes their life, for the rest of their life.”
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