By Emilee Ray
Contributing Writer
Rachel Rosen
Executive Sports Editor
Junior Thomas Velvin and sophomore Julia Vazquez took their training to the beach, both winning first place in the Manhattan Beach Roundhouse Fun Run on May 11.
Velvin and Vazquez competed in the 7th Annual Roundhouse Fun Run for the Oceans 5K and placed first in the male and female categories, respectively. Velvin finished with a time of 18 minutes and 28 seconds, and Vazquez finished with a time of 23 minutes and 16 seconds.
The race was held to raise money to fund the Roundhouse Aquarium and to continue educating the community on marine science. Over 100 people participated in the race from ages 6 to 80 years old. Velvin placed first overall in the 15 to 29 age group race by a landslide with a time that was two minutes better than the second place finisher.
“I ran the Roundhouse Aquarium Fun Run because I like the race being on the ocean and I wanted to support the Roundhouse Aquarium,” Velvin said.
Velvin’s passion for running began while he was playing soccer and his coaches told him that he was a very fast player, Velvin said. He would run 5Ks for fun which eventually progressed into running competitively for Costa’s cross country team alongside Vazquez.
“The races are always fun because everyone is so competitive,” Velvin said. “Manhattan Beach is a very running friendly area so you always meet new people when going on a run.”
Her passion for running started during eighth grade run days, according to Vazquez. When she started high school, she joined the track and cross-country teams to pursue her passion.
“I was always really good at running when I was younger,” Vazquez said. “It relieved my stress and made me forget about everything else while I did it.”
The Roundhouse Race was different than most races because it was located on the beach. Having the race on the beach made it much more fun because most of races are located on dirt roads or in obscure locations, Velvin said.
“Running on the sand definitely made [the race] more challenging,” Velvin said. “The most difficult part of the race was the final mile because that is the part of the race when you start to feel tired and are just giving it everything you got.”
Velvin prepared for the race with a two mile warm up, drills, and stretches. His training typically consists of running 50 to 60 miles a week and includes long runs, strength workouts and easy days.
“I was very happy after I won the race because my training really showed,” Velvin said. “In this sport, dedication is always key, and I think that my dedication to running everyday really showed after winning the race.”
Vazquez did not train outside of her track and cross-country practices. She felt prepared enough with all the rigorous training she had been doing with Costa before the race, Vazquez said.
“Running has always been a stress-reliever for me,” Vazquez said. “I am not pursuing running in college, but I enjoy racing for fun in things like this Roundhouse Run.”
They both received a first place medal and gift cards from various stores and restaurants in the South Bay including Spyder Surfboards, Becker’s Bakery and the Manhattan Beach Creamery.
“It was an amazing feeling to win the race but it was also awesome helping fundraise money towards the Roundhouse Aquarium to educate people about the marine environment,” Velvin said.
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