OC Marathon Runners Experience Human Triumphs, Perseverance

NEWPORT BEACH, CA — Thousands of runners and their supporters descended upon Newport Beach for the 15th annual OC Marathon over the weekend. Of the 11,000 entered participants, the top four racers in the men's category finished the 26-mile 385-yard race in 2 hours, 39 minutes, 53 seconds (2:39:53) by Raul Arcos of Corona. He was 25 seconds ahead of Jose Lara of Yucaipa, who finished in 2 hours, 40 minutes, 18 seconds (2:40:18). In fourth place, Granada Hills resident Carlos Larios finished in 2 hours, 41 minutes, 39 seconds (2:41:39).

Shortly behind the men, San Diego resident Bonnie Keating, the women's winner, came in at 2 hours, 44 minutes, 38 seconds (2:44:38).

Runners in the half and full marathon, along with children's race and wheelchair races, beat feet over pavement from Newport Beach to Costa Mesa, according to event organizers. At the finish line, a festival atmosphere greeted runners and their supporters of the race.

A 65-year-old San Juan Capistrano resident, Fermin "Determined" Camarena, placed first in the wheelchair marathon race.

From personal victories to running for a cause, racers crossed the scenic course that wove from Newport Beach to Corona Del Mar, through Costa Mesa, Irvine, Fountain Valley and Santa Ana. They traveled from far and wide, ran alone or in groups, and no group was more lauded than the Skid Row Running Club.

The club was founded in 2012 by Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Craig Mitchell to provide a running program for the Skid Row community of Los Angeles and to involve the larger community in supporting its members in overcoming alcohol or drug abuse and achieving positive life goals.

A movie about their experiences played before the race began.

The club seeks to empower individuals seeking help by developing a dedicated running program to keep its participants focused on their health and the well-being of their fellow members; providing mentor relationships among its members; participating in local, national and international running events to provide participants with opportunities for personal growth by being exposed to new locales, cultures and people; and develop, within participants, a commitment to give back to others, Mitchell said.

The club is the subject of a documentary, "Skid Row Marathon."

The field also includes twins Sabrina and Regina Lopez of Alhambra, who have qualified for the 2020 U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials, and 86-year-old Bowoo Lee of Cerritos.

The race's charity partners include:

• Orange County United Way, which is seeking to increase Orange County's high school graduation rate among students from disadvantaged socio- economic backgrounds to 95% by 2024; cut the county's childhood obesity rate by one-third by 2024; reduce the number of homeless families in the county to "functional zero" by 2024; and reduce family financial instability in the county by 25% by 2024;
• World Vision, the Christian humanitarian organization, which is seeking to provide clean water to 20 million people by 2020; and
• Free Wheelchair Mission, a faith-based nonprofit humanitarian organization that manufactures low-cost, durable wheelchairs for people living with a disability in developing nations

The race has helped its charity partners raise more than $6 million, race publicist Erin Peacock said.

City News Service contributed to this report.