Pacific Coast 12K : Reina Proves He’s Worthy of Challenge

Unlike the proliferation of weekend road races that have hatched in Orange County recently, Sunday’s inaugural Pacific Coast 12K at the Irvine Hilton Jamboree Center was not just another race.

It was the finale for a challenge series, in which runners competed in 22 qualifying races around the country to reach Sunday’s finale, and it attracted an unusually high caliber field.

Randy Reina, a former University of Arkansas runner and Southwest Conference 10,000 meters champion, won the race in 36 minutes 26 seconds. Reina, who finished 13th at the 1988 Olympic trials in the 10,000 meters, outdueled Jeff Jacobs, 24, of Rockford, Ill., who finished second in 36:31.

“This race is better than most, because of the caliber of runners it attracted,” said Reina, 29, of San Antonio, Tex., who qualified for the race after winning a 10K at Edinburg, Tex., in 12-degree weather.

“It was a good cross section of runners and it brought out some talent,” Reina said. “In a race of this caliber, I knew I had a good chance of winning it, if things went well.”

Reina, Jacobs and Leopoldo Lopez, 25, of Chihuaha, Mexico, broke away from the field of more than 360 runners. The three ran closely until about a mile and a half remained when Lopez fell off the pace and Jacobs overtook him. Reina, however, had established a lead and never relinquished it.

Santa Ana resident Bill Davenport, 20, was the top Orange County men’s finisher in 40:30 and was second in his age bracket (19-24). He was 19th overall.

Mission Viejo resident Harolene Walters, 46, was the first Orange County woman to finish with a time of 47:34.

Walters, who in 1988 became the oldest woman to qualify for the Olympic trials in the marathon, finished first in her age division (45-49) and 47th overall, despite suffering hamstring problems.

Mary Lammi, 32, of Spencer, Mass., was the women’s overall winner with a time of 43:49.