Rekers Takes the Long Way to Victory in Bastille Race

It may end up as the pinnacle of Ryan Rekers’ road racing career.

His victory in the 5K at the Bastille Day Celebration Saturday in Newport Beach was a big surprise to many, including Rekers, who crossed the finish line in a modest 16 minutes 9 seconds.

“Yeah, it was my first victory at that distance,” Rekers said. “But that’s understandable, considering it was the first time I raced that far.”

Rekers prefers a much shorter route to the finish line, something closer to the 1,500 meters he usually runs for Georgetown, where he will be senior this fall. The graduate of Corona del Mar High tried the 5,000-meter race for training purposes, never expecting to finish first.

“After about a mile there were a couple guys behind me and I thought they would challenge me for the lead,” Rekers said. “But then I made a move and they didn’t come with me.”

Rekers, who finished 10th at the Huntington Beach Fourth of July 5K, plans to compete in one other local race before heading back to Georgetown shortly after his 21st birthday on Aug. 28.

“I might run another 5K in San Clemente early next month, but that’s going to be it for a while,” he said.

Rekers, an international economics major, hopes to begin law school shortly after graduating from Georgetown.

“I was originally a political science major, but after a two-year summer internship with a local congressman here, that changed my plans,” he said.

Rekers hopes to improve on his personal-best time of 3:55 in the 1,500, which he achieved two years ago. A foot ailment slowed him last season at Georgetown, but he hasn’t lost hope of qualifying for the Olympic trials in the event next July.

“I think it will take something in the range of 3:43,” he said.

Beyond that, Rekers expects to slowly blend in with the thousands of other working-class runners who find a way to squeeze in a few miles during the lunch hour.

“I expect it to be a hobby for me,” he said, “just like most everyone else.”

WHARF TO WHARF

Irvine’s Kathy Smith, who was the third woman overall in the more competitive 8K at the Bastille Day Celebration, leads a strong contingent of local runners in Sunday’s Wharf to Wharf Race in Santa Cruz.

Each year, on the fourth Sunday in July, thousands of runners from around the world converge on Santa Cruz for the annual six-mile race to Capitola-by-the-Sea. The race was originally run by a handful of locals in 1973, but it’s now known worldwide.

The course is a favorite because of its scenic, seaside setting, ideal weather, and a festive beach party atmosphere. The race is limited to 14,000 runners on a first-come first-served basis and its field sells out months in advance. The top five finishers from last year’s race were from Kenya. Santa Margarita’s Danny Gonzalez was seventh overall.

Other local runners scheduled to compete include Grey Mahvera, Eric Kobrine, Bill Sumner and Wilhelm Gidabuday, whose four victories this year include the Fujitsu 10K in San Jose on June 19.

SRI CHINMOY UPDATE

After losing the lead on July 5, Huntington Beach’s Edward Kelley regained it six days ago in the 3,100-mile Sri Chinmoy marathon in Jamaica, N.Y., which is the longest certified footrace in the world. Runners must average 60.7 miles per day to finish within the 51-day limit. The race began on June 20 with five runners entered, but has since been paired down to four.

Kelley, 41, surpassed 2,000 miles for the eighth time in his running career Wednesday after completing 63.66 miles on the the 32nd day of competition in the grueling event. Kelley, who won the inaugural race in 1997, leads Suprabha Beckjord of Washington D.C. by 23 miles on the half-mile course. Beckjord is the only female in the race.

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For daily updates on the race, visit https://www.scmtny.org