Runners, Weather or Not

A Pacific storm didn’t dampen the spirits of organizers and nearly 10,000 runners at the first Orange County Marathon on Sunday.

Han Ngo used gloves, a hat and plastic poncho to try to keep her teeth from chattering in the cold. But the 15-year-old Lawndale resident said she was happy that she and several Leuzinger High School friends finished the half-marathon.

“We’re very cold,” Han said. “It’s hard trying to get warm. But we did it.”

As the rain became steadier minutes before the starter’s pistol was to go off, Ngo’s friend Cham Hoang, 17, raced toward a plastic trash bag, fashioned it into rain gear and got back into place before the pistol popped.

“I wanted to finish in two hours, 10 minutes, and that’s what I did,” Cham said.

Before Han, Cham and other runners arrived at the starting line, organizers who arrived at 6 a.m. saw sunny skies darken, then unleash rain.

The cold, wet weather slowed runners’ times and also rattled organizers, whose hopes of a picture-perfect day for the races that began and ended in Newport Beach were washed away.

“This is the most horrible weather that you could have for a race,” said a volunteer.

Officials tried to remain upbeat despite complaints from participants about lack of parking, long waits for portable restrooms and standing in the rain for buses to shuttle runners to parking lots after their races.

Many runners thought that too many people were on the course at the same time. Half-marathoners were told to make room as elite runners came through, while others had to move aside during children’s contests. There were also 5K runs and walks.

“We know of the logistic problems, like not enough parking and not enough Porta-Potties,” said James A. Frey, president of Cypress-based PacifiCare, the main sponsor. “But we’ll deal with these to make the race better next year.”

Fixing problems with the inaugural marathon are a big concern with organizers who envision the Orange County event joining the same league as marathons in Boston, New York and Los Angeles.

Marathons have been run in the county in years past, but they failed to become regular events.

The Goodyear Orange County Marathon was run in 1992, with the winners receiving BMWs. But it ended that first year with a string of unpaid bills.

Three years later, Disneyland held a marathon that finished on the park’s Main Street. But the park charged spectators to see the end of the race.

In Huntington Beach, the Pacific Shoreline Marathon attracts relatively few runners.

What makes the Orange County Marathon different is that unlike for-profit marathons such as in Los Angeles, proceeds go to charities. The Los Angeles Marathon was recently sold for more than $15 million.

By contrast, Orange County’s race has raised an estimated $300,000 to $500,000 from entrance fees, which will be divided among 10 children’s charities. It’s that charitable theme that could make, rather than break, the marathon, Frey said.

“A year ago, our goal was to attract 5,000 runners. To be here 12 months later and see that has doubled is great,” he said.

PacifiCare has agreed to provide $250,000 for each of the next two years.

Most of the elite marathoners finished in little more than two hours, 20 minutes, a sign that race coordinators are on the right track with course development, said Kenya’s Simon Sielei.

Sielei, 36, who has run two sub-2:20 marathons in Italy, placed third in 2:28. He wants to return and race the same course in better weather.

“There were no hills here, but it had a lot of gentle slopes,” Sielei said. “With good weather, people can race here under 2:20.”

The fastest men’s winner was Andrew Musuva, 40, a Kenyan, who finished the race in 2:23.

In the women’s race, Cheryl Smith, 24, of Aliso Viejo was first in 2:50.

Musuva and Smith each won $1,500.

The steady rain didn’t dampen the optimism among volunteers like Jim Chapman, 54, a marathon and Iron Man competitor, who helped provide water, first aid and encouragement.

“My hands are freezing,” he said.

But as a pack of soggy joggers came up on him, he yelled: “C’mon, let’s go! Yeah! That’s it. You’re looking great!”