Run Seal Beach recently announced registration is open for the 44th annual 5K, 10K and Kid’s 1K Fun Run. This coming year’s race along the scenic oceanfront course in Old Town Seal Beach will take place on March 24, 2018.
Although registration for the event has just opened, more than 100 runners have already signed up and registrations will continue to pour in between now and Feb. 23, which is the final day of the early bird special, offering $10 off the regular registration fee.
Registration includes a commemorative 2018 Run Seal Beach T-shirt, finish medals, refreshments, bottled water and giveaways and massages at the Finish Festival. Those wishing to take advantage of this special pricing can do so at www.runsealbeach.com.
Many kids (3 – 10 years old) have already signed up for the Kid’s 1K Fun Run and Fun Zone as well. The Kid’s Fun Zone is a great place for children to be entertained while their parents complete the 5K/10K race.
At the end of the 1K, children are escorted into the fenced area full of games, crafts and fun volunteers. Kids receive special Fun Run t-shirts and a wrist band/bib system to help keep them safe. The Kids 1K Fun Run is capped at 400 runners in order to ensure a quality experience in the Kids Fun Zone throughout the duration of the race. If you want to have your child in the run, be sure to register now and save.
Team registrations have already begun to come in as well. The deadline to add a new team is Feb. 14, 2018. This year, Run Seal Beach will provide space for the two teams with the largest number of runners for a team EZ-up. The competition is heating up, so go to www.runsealbeach.com/teams to add or join a team today.
Also getting an early start this year are the sponsors whose generous donations help make the event a huge success. Last year’s sponsors included the Bernadett Family at the Platinum level, Fresh Cut Creative, Scan and Clean Energy at the Gold level and AES and Farmers & Merchants Bank at the Silver level as well as many generous Bronze level sponsors.
Run Seal Beach takes a year of planning from the all-volunteer board of directors, an operational race day team, and more than 500 volunteers on race day.
“Our mission is to promote health and fitness in a family friendly event, while supporting non-profit groups providing recreation, fitness and leisure in our local community,” said Greg Phillips, race director.
Run Seal Beach is one of the largest grant giving organizations in the region. Funds go to a variety of non-profits, particularly in the sports and recreation sector. The entire Los Alamitos Unified School District is the major beneficiary with over 48 percent of the total funds raised over the last 15 years.
Other major recipients include the city of Seal Beach recreation department, police, lifeguards and other Seal Beach and Los Alamitos based non-profits. In general, grant recipients range in awards from $500 to just over $7,500. Uses are usually for direct equipment costs or improvements to programs for the recipients. For many groups, like the Los Alamitos booster clubs, the Run provides vital funding to support many of the player’s direct costs.
Run Seal Beach is a non-profit organization whose charter is to raise funds and awareness for recreation or fitness programs or services to benefit the greater Seal Beach Community including Rossmoor and Los Alamitos. Since 2003, RSB has given back $1,573,064 to the local community, representing more than 114 organizations through the years, touching thousands of residents, students, servicemen and those who are served by the community.
Run Seal Beach® is planned, managed and executed 100 percent by volunteers, with no salaries drawn for any administration so that 100 percent of available proceeds are given back to the community each year. For more information visit: www.RunSealBeach.com.
Deb Machen is a Seal Beach resident and District One planning commissioner.
