THE YEAR IN REVIEW : A Look Ahead, Behind : Many Struggled Through ‘88, but Near Year Offers Hope : RUNNING/TRIATHLON

With apologies to David Letterman, we offer lists detailing what happened in 1988 and, in some cases, how 1988 will impact 1989 .

San Diego’s top seven running/triathlon events and achievements:

1. Carlsbad 5,000

For the second time in 3 years, the race produced two world bests. Fallbrook’s Steve Scott, who set the previous record in the inaugural 1986 race, ran 13:30.2 for the 5,000 meters, breaking his old mark of 13:31.9. Liz McColgan of Dundee, Scotland, ran 15:29.7, besting the 15:30.2 set by Patti Sue Plummer at Carlsbad in 1986. “I’m just thankful the race is in my back yard,” Scott said. “There were a lot of times that I really felt the crowd, and that final stretch was one of them. I think that had more to do with my winning than my ability.”

2. America’s Finest City Half Marathon

The top three women broke the course record of 1:14.31 set in 1983 by Nancy Ditz. Surprise late entry Sylvia Mosqueda of Santa Monica, who ran close to the leading men’s pack into the third mile, ran 1:11:31 despite a blister that bothered her for the last 6 miles. U.S. Olympic marathoner Cathy Schiro-O’Brien, 21, of Boston, using the event as a final tuneup for Seoul, was second in 1:13.10. Patti Gray of Pleasanton ran 1:14:05. Mexican Olympic marathoner Carlos Retiz held off countryman Jose Luis Chuela in the men’s race, winning in 1:03.40.

3. Triprix

Mike Pigg and Encinitas’ Paula Newby-Fraser were winners in the criterium-style triathlon, which was attractive to the competitors and the large gathering in Oceanside but had some organizational problems. The women ran a lap less than the required 6 because someone lost count. The biggest attraction was the men’s field, that included the triathlon “Big Four” of Scott Molina, Scott Tinley, Mark Allen and Dave Scott. After winning, Pigg, of Arcata, said he’d like to see the label changed to the “Big Five.”

4. International Marathon

Carlos Rivas of Mexico City left his competition behind to talk about him, pulling away at 10 miles and running out of sight. He completed the 26.2 miles in 2:12:08. “(Sam) Sitonik said, ‘He’ll slow down,’ ” said contender Walter Sargent of a conversation shortly after Rivas pulled away. “And he didn’t. People were shouting out how far behind we were, and I turned to him and said, ‘He’s not fading very fast.’ ” Chantal Best of Ann Arbor, Mich., won the women’s race in 2:42:22.

5. San Diego International Triathlon

Newby-Fraser, 26, who had raced the day before in Atlanta, surged away from a competitive field between the swim and the bike and pulled away to win in 1:37.15. Scott Tinley won the men’s race in 1:24.42.

6. U.S. Triathlon Series

Newby-Fraser continued her amazing season by sweeping past a strong field to win by nearly 3 minutes in 2:07. Mike Pigg won, as expected, for the sixth time in 8 races during the USTS circuit, pulling away early in the bike and finishing unchallenged in 1:51.38. The victory wrapped up his third consecutive national point title.

7. Ironman

Newby-Fraser spent the triathlon season focusing on the Hawaiian Ironman, and it paid off. She won the grueling 2.4-mile swim, 112-mile bike and 26.2-mile run in 9:01:01. Newby-Fraser, who earned $20,000, broke Erin Baker’s 1987 course record by more than 30 minutes.