Christmas Marathon Brings Community Together

Runners of all ages gathered for The Lopers Club 25th Annual Holiday Classic 1/2 Marathon and 5K Run/Walk on early Sunday morning near the Loma Linda Civic Center to participate in the annual race. At 7 a.m., Santa blew a horn to get the race started. Attendees running the 5K race or half marathon both began at the same starting line. The event also included an Elves Trot for children between the ages of 3 and 6, which took place at a different course to ensure the kids’ safety. Runners embraced the holiday spirit and wore Christmas inspired outfits. Some dressed up in elf, reindeer, and Santa Claus costumes. Volunteers took in the holiday spirit wearing fuzzy, red and white Santa hats as they rewarded every race finisher with their silver metals. While the participants ran, their family and friends waited at the finish line, enjoying the live guitar being played. One young adult, Noah played rock-infused holiday songs for the crowd to enjoy. The first to finish the 5K was 16-year-old male contestant Andrew Hindson, who finished with a time of 18:10. In the women’s division, Krissee Rodriguez finished in 18:33. The first place winners in the half marathon race were Tony Torres in the men’s division, finishing with a time of 1:17:43 and Teresa Castaneda finishing at 1:29:58. This annual race was sponsored The Lopers Club, who share that they strive to improve their members’ health, fitness and physical activity through walking, jogging or running. The event was also made possible by the San Bernardino-Loma Linda Crossroads Rotary Club who serve to enrich their members’ lives by providing friendship, personal fulfillment and diversified opportunities for service. After all of the running, finishers were able to refuel with a plate of fresh and free hot pancakes and bacon. A massaging booth was also made available for those runners who may have encountered a muscle strain. Ashdown College of Health Sciences of Redlands was present, providing their massage services. Community members of all ages participated in The Lopers Club’s 25th anniversary race. Many non-runners chose to volunteer for the event, while others cheered for the finishers. The race brought together community members from throughout the Inland Empire such as the cities of Colton, Grand Terrace, Redlands, and San Bernardino; one runner even traveled from Corona.