Jenna Brodkin
Staff Writer
The annual Manhattan Beach 10K race took place at the Manhattan Beach Pier on Oct. 1 from 7:30 a.m. to 10 a.m. and was hosted by residents of the South Bay community, kicking off the Hometown Fair.
The Manhattan Beach 10K is a nice tour of North West Manhattan Beach. It starts on the greenbelt, continues through the tree and sand sections, then ends at the Manhattan Beach pier.
“I have taken part in the race for two years and love it,” said sophomore Bianca Bottene. “I love the running part and being able to put in earbuds and run through Manhattan Beach.”
The Mira Costa Choir was very involved in the 10K. The choir sang the National Anthem and provided water throughout the course. This is part of tradition and according to sophomore Samantha Probst, the Costa Choir has performed at the race in previous years.
“My favorite part of performing the National Anthem was getting to hear our voices blend together through all the harmonies,” said Probst. “I loved having the opportunity to support the runners and represent Mira Costa.”
According to sophomore Jaxon Strokye, the Costa choir loves being a part of the 10K because they get to represent Costa with their voices. Not only did they sing but they also helped keep runners hydrated and clean up. They also enjoy doing this because it can act as a bonding experience for the Choir.
“I love being able to hang out, socialize, and bond with my fellow choir members while still serving the community and helping carry on traditions,” said Stroyke.
The 10K also brings our community together because as runners run through the neighborhoods, residents come out from their houses to cheer them on. According to Bottene, throughout the whole race there is always someone encouraging the runners to keep going.
“Looking up in the houses and seeing people ring bells, and cheer for you is extremely encouraging for me,” said Bottene. “Especially seeing my friends cheering me on, it makes me want to finish strong and quickly.”
The 10K was originally created by a group of runners who wanted to have a race around town, and now has turned into a well-known community event. According to mb10k.com, the money the race committee receives is directly used to make athletic improvements in our community. In previous years, the money was even used to refurbish Mira Costa’s track. The race is important to our community and the citizens living in it.
“I have run the race a total of 14 times,” said Manhattan Beach citizen, Lisa Deseran. “It brings the community of all ages together and one thing I enjoy is that at the end you get a t-shirt that only you get if you run the race and I wear that t-shirt with pride,”
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