Youngsters Will Run Mini-Marathon

Standout marathon runners of the future might be on display at 9:30 a.m. Sunday at Pacific Square in Gardena when a local real estate company sponsors a half-kilometer fun run for children 4-12.

World champion-caliber marathoners didn’t start training by immediately running the 26 miles, 385 yards. The half-kilometer distance is realistic for young people wanting to get the feel of this type of road race. For those not yet familiar with the metric system, and who is except for math teachers, a half-kilometer is approximately a third of a mile. The children’s race will be run on Denker Avenue south of Pacific Square.

The stakes will be higher and the race longer for the older runners. A five-kilometer race with $2,000 in prize money divided among the first 10 male and first 10 female finishers will start at 8 a.m. Prize money includes $200 bonuses to the first man to run the course in under 13:46 and an equal amount to the first woman to finish under 16:00. Awards will also go to the first five finishers in each age division on a course described by the sponsoring Ken Nakaoka Realty Co. as “the fastest road 5-K in L.A. and Orange counties.”

Cost of entrance for the kids’ half-kilometer and the adult five kilometer is $10. Information: (213) 323-0163.

Dodgers “Egging Us On?”--Two of the newest Dodgers and a veteran coach will conduct a clinic, sponsored by the California Egg Commission, for youngsters at Wilson Park in Torrance on Saturday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Stan Javier, acquired by the Dodgers from the World Series champion Oakland Athletics earlier this season, will be joined by left-handed relief pitcher Pat Perry and bullpen coach Mark Cresse, who will offer baseball advice and sign autographs.

Javier, regarded as a premier defensive outfielder, has impressed the Dodgers with his hitting prowess. He is hitting .345 since getting a chance to become a regular in the lineup. He learned to play the game early in life, as he is the son of former St. Louis Cardinal Julian Javier, an infield standout in the 1960s. The Dodgers probably won’t allow Perry to throw too much at the clinic, since he is on the team’s disabled list, still recovering from the effects of off-season rotator cuff surgery.

Dirty Driving?--If you get down, you might get dirty at Ascot Park in Gardena on Saturday night at 8. That’s when Ascot plays host to the Valvoline Off-Road Mud Bog Nationals for four-wheel drive vehicles. Unlike the sprint-car races the park normally features, this one is made a bit shorter but tougher, as a 200-foot trench full of mud is placed over part of the race course. Drivers race against the clock through the trench.

If you’ve ever tried driving on Pacific Coast Highway heading toward Malibu after a heavy rainstorm, you might have an idea what awaits the event’s drivers. Expect the cars to spin and swerve quite a bit more than they would at Indianapolis. Some might not make it out of the mud without towing assistance. If you sit in the grandstands for a close view, you could take part of the course home with you on your clothes and in your hair. Off-road race fans find this type of event exciting, so it’s worth checking out.