By Ben Gibbons
Staff Writer
Manhattan Beach residents will run the Grand View Gator 5k Run on May 20 starting and finishing at Grand View Elementary School.
The run will begin at 8:00am at Grand View where participants will run to Vista Dr., back to 25th St., down to the end of Live Oak Park, up the Green Belt to Oak Ave., back to Sand Dune Park and finally back to the school.
“The Gator Run is a long standing community tradition at Grand View,” Grand View principal Nancy Doyle said. “Initially started as a school family event, it has grown into a large scale community event which has generously supported the Manhattan Beach Education Foundation.”
Click here for the results and times of participants.
Participants of all skill levels and ages are allowed to participate. All proceeds raised from the run will be donated to MBEF to benefit the schools within the Manhattan Beach Unified School District. Runners can register online and must pay a fee; adults $35, youth $30 family $100.
“I am excited for this year’s Gator 5k,” Mira Costa cross country and track team member Xavier Court said. “I think it’s a great way to encourage kids to run competitively and to stay fit.”
Video: Residents begin their Gator 5k Run at Grandview Elementary School on May 20th to raise money for MBEF. Runners of all ages ran to promote greater community wide fitness and raise money.
All children will receive a medal for completing the race and the first three male and female finishers will also receive a medal. After the event, there will be a surprise exposition at Grand View for participants.
“It’s great how they are very encouraging for all participants,” Court said. “Many children who participate in these kinds of events go on to run for Costa.”
Photos: Grand View Elementary School hosts the Gator 5k Run.
The event will be hosted by The Murad Family Foundation, a foundation created by a Grand View family that promotes inclusive health in education and action for children. Other notable sponsors include Fresh Brothers Pizza, Providence Medical Associates, Chevron and Grow.
“Our family hosts this event because my dad and uncle really love to help the community,” Costa junior Jack Murad said. “We hope to advance children’s health and well-being.”
Residents may also volunteer to help set up the event, hand out medals, and stuff goodie bags. Families can sign up as Family Teams and compete together with a Family Team Captain.
For more information on the event, click here.
“We want to benefit elementary students by inspiring them to stay healthy and active at a young age,” Murad said. “Inspiring fitness at a young age will promote good future habits.”
Grand View also has several other running and fitness programs such as their morning Run Club, a club where students can run before school to benefit others and total a marathon of combined runs, and weekly exercises and activities through their PE program which is funded by MBEF.
“This year a portion of the funds raised will be donated back to Grand View’s PTA to support students,” Doyle said.
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