Irvine to Host O.C. Half Marathon Sunday

Riverside’s Gray Mavhera and Wilhelm Gidabuday will be among the top runners at Sunday’s 13th Orange County Half Marathon in Irvine.

Mavhera, who is originally from Kenya, and Gidabuday, from Tanzania, are former world-class cross-country competitors who have been highly successful in local races ranging from 5,000 meters to the half marathon.

Gidabuday, a former Riverside College standout, won the City Challenge 10K and the Harbor Heritage 5K on consecutive days last weekend, the coed 5K at the Orange County Race for the Cure on Sept. 24 and the Girls at Risk 5K on Sept. 23.

The half marathon begins at 7:30 a.m. near the corner of Sand Canyon Avenue and Barranca Parkway. A 5-kilometer walk/run will start at 8 a.m. and a half-mile race for ages 12 and under will begin at 10.