Elite, Not-So-Elite Meet at Half Marathon

As usual, the Orange County Half Marathon will have an elite field for its 13.1-mile and 5K races Sunday in Irvine, but race organizers are aiming to please average runners as well.

“We’re going to try to give a medal to everyone crossing the finish line,” race director Bill Sumner said.

Sumner said he expects about 1,800 runners in the half marathon and 300 in the 5K, both run on flat courses in the Irvine Spectrum area.

The women’s half marathon should be quite competitive. San Diego’s Julieanne Empfield, who won in a course-record 1 hour 17 minutes 50 seconds last year, returns to defend her title. She should be challenged by Huntington Beach’s Kelly Flathers, who set the 5K course record of 16:55 last year, and Irvine’s Kathy Smith.

Riverside’s Wilhelm Gidabuday, the winner of the last two 5K races, is moving up to the men’s half marathon. He will be attempting to break his younger brother Julius’ course record of 1:05:17. He should be challenged by Los Alamitos’ Gus Quinonez, who won the 1996 and ’97 half marathons, and Oscar Gonzales of Irvine.

Late entries are being taken at the race site at Sand Canyon and Barranca from noon to 4 p.m. Saturday and from 6:30 a.m. on Sunday. For more information, call (949) 476-7076.

MOUNTAIN RIDE

The Fall Fat Tire Toad Festival, a 27.5-mile ride for intermediate and advanced mountain bikers, will be held Nov. 13 at O’Neill Regional Park.

The event, which includes more than 5,000 feet of elevation gain on the course in the Santa Ana Mountains, is limited to the first 100 entrants. The registration fee is $20. There is no day-of-race registration.

The ride is co-sponsored by the Warrior’s Society of the Santa Ana Mountains and the Share Mountain Bike Club.

Details: (714) 894-8211.

MOUNTAIN RUN

Jonathan Worswick of San Diego took the early lead and maintained it to win the Saddleback Mountain Trail Marathon Saturday.

Worswick, 36, won the 26.2-mile race in 3 hours 15 minutes 50 seconds. Rob McNair of Huntington Beach was second in 3:17:04, Tom Nielsen of San Diego third in 3:19:52 and Orange’s Scott McKenzie fourth in 3:22:08.

San Diego’s Suzanne Brana, winner of the Western States and Angeles Crest 100-milers this year, won the women’s race, finishing 17th overall in 4:13:16.

Seventy-nine runners started and 78 finished Saturday’s race.