They’ll be running, walking and wheelchair racing...

They’ll be running, walking and wheelchair racing in Torrance today to benefit blind children and their families. Some 10,000 people are expected to turn out for the 13th annual Mobil Tom Sullivan 10-K Run/Dash/Stride and 1991 Wheelchair National Championship, which begins at 8 a.m. in the Del Amo Fashion Center parking lot near Montgomery Ward.

The run and its cash prizes attract some of the world’s top competitive distance runners, along with avocational runners who want a hearty workout for a good cause. “A lot of people do this every year. It’s a fun event,” said Suzy Broeg, a spokeswoman for Vistas for Blind Children, a South Bay philanthropic group formed by writer, singer and actor Tom Sullivan and his wife, Patty.

Proceeds from the run go to the Institute for Families of Blind Children, which works in association with Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles. The institute assists families with blind or partially sighted children.

Broeg said the run is considered one of the fastest on the West Coast because it covers a flat course encircling the Mobil Oil Corp. refinery. In addition to the speed run, there will be a walk led by Torrance Mayor Katy Geissert, a dash for elementary school children and a special run for people over the age of 40.

Joining the runners will be wheelchair racers from around the country. This is the second year the National Wheelchair Federation’s championship has been held in conjunction with the Tom Sullivan run.

And because today is St. Patrick’s Day, entertainment with an Irish touch follows the race.