On Sunday, June 4, some 20,000 runners will take to the streets of San Diego for the 20th annual Rock ’n’ Roll Marthon, this year titled Synchrony Financial Rock ’n’ Roll San Diego Marathon.
The San Diego race, now celebrating its 20th year, has expanded into a Rock ‘n’ Roll series of 30 races around the world, which collectively have raised about $335 million for charities. “San Diego is in the $200 million range, by far the biggest race,” said Dan Cruz, media relations director of the San Diego event that also includes a half marathon, a 5K race and several pre and post activities.
Running a marathon is not a walk in the park, as Coronado runners from years past and those training for this year’s event, will testify. Many begin a training regimen months in advance, running typically four miles a day, plus a weekly run that progresses steadily from seven miles to eventually get to the 26.2-mile mark.
Retired Coronado swim coach Randy Burgess competed in the 2011 marathon.
“In June of 2010 I ran in the Rotary Club of Coronado’s Low Tide Ride and Stride. At the finish line I met Dr. Stan Salinda of Coronado and one of the most physiologically fit human beings
I know. Stan convinced me to start training for the San Diego Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon, which was about a year out, to be held on June 5, 2011.”
Over the next year, Burgess joined Salinda and two other Coronadans, Arden Gillberg and Jim Wheeler, on training runs throughout San Diego.
“What had I agreed to?” Burgess said. “I simply referred to this group as the SOBs — Sacred Order of Bostonians. Each had run the Boston Marathon multiple times. I had no idea what I was getting into, but I enjoyed the training and camaraderie literally every step of the way. There was no possible way to have put in the time without these training partners. In fact, looking back on it all, the preparation for the R & R was by far the most enjoyable aspect of the lead-up to the actual event.”
The race is a huge undertaking that relies on a vast cadre of volunteers, including a sizable contingent from Coronado. And it seems that once they’ve volunteered, they’re hooked on returning.
Dr. Patrick Yassini of Peak Health Group, began volunteering as a medical team captain 17 years ago while he was a resident at UCSD Medical Center. “This is one of the most rewarding things I do,” Yassini said. “It’s become somewhat of a tradition for me.”
Yassini’s medical team is located at the race finish area. “A common condition we see among marathon runners in the finish area is exercise-associated collapse,” he said. “This is where a runner has trouble standing or walking due to weakness, light-headed sensation, or dizziness after completing the race. This can be caused by a momentary drop in blood pressure as the blood pools in the lower extremities, but my job is to rule out much more serious problem like hyponatremia (low sodium).”
One of the racers he may have helped out was Burgess, who crossed the finish line with a time of 3:45.
“I stumbled off to the side, clear of all the crowds. The biggest mistake I made was sitting down way too soon,” Burgess said. “Eventually, after maybe 10 minutes, probably longer, I required the assistance of a young man to help me get back up. I had to try to free up my quads and hamstrings that had simply frozen in protest for what I had just accomplished.”
The entire Orr family — Dan, Cathy and daughters Annemarie and Carson — ran the marathon together in 2005. “I’ve run it a couple of other times,” said Dan. “And Annemarie and Carson have each run it more than once.”
Dan Orr has also volunteered every year he didn’t run as part of the USC Trojan Club of San Diego water station. “We’ve had our water station at mile 19 every year but the first,” he said. “So, I think that’s 19 straight.”
Motivation along the course keeps those runners going, whether it be the 100,000 or so spectators, the 40 rock ‘n’ roll bands that play on raised stages at every mile marker or the scores of high school cheering squads.
After retiring from a 30-year career as an air traffic controller, Chris Nurding of Coronado and the first iteration of his band, IT’S NEVER 2L8, played at the 2015 marathon.
“We were a fledgling group of start-up wannabe rockers and actually getting lessons through Rock and Roll San Diego, a very large music school in town,” Nurding said. “We played on their stage at a prime location in Mission Valley, just off the 163 exit. It was fabulous and gave us a lot of exposure.” Today, Nurding’s reformed band has bookings throughout Coronado, including McPs, both yacht clubs, plus several upcoming gigs throughout the county including the San Diego County Fair and famed Belly Up Tavern.
Ramona Warner, fundraising chairwoman for Coronado High School Cheer, accompanied 40 members of the Islander cheerleaders to the 2015 race. It was their first time at the race, joining a dozen San Diego County high schools that all competed for best cheerleading. “Our squad placed second and took home $750,” Warner said. “That year the team had a Hawaiian theme, with grass skirts. This year, the squad will adopt a ’50s theme and will wear cat-shaped glasses, ponytails, and neck kerchiefs. Total rock ‘n’ rollish!”
Not only did the cheer team love the experience, it was motivating all around. She expects the squad to again be positioned in the middle of the course, in the North Park area, where they will assemble in the wee hours of the morning, bringing along their own amplified music.
“And as the runners come upon our cheerleaders, without a doubt, it gives them a lift. They are so excited to see a whole group rooting for them,” Warner said. “And they all smile and say ‘Thank you!’ You get this positive feedback. So it’s just such a positive feeling all around.”
Kay Kay Weir, who works for the Port of San Diego including the Port municipality of Coronado, began competing in the Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon in 2012.
“I started to get leg cramps around mile 20 but my goal was a specific time of 3:50 so I could qualify for Boston,” she said. “I kept telling myself that I had trained hard and that I was capable of meeting my goal. Once we turned onto Fiesta Island, I told myself to start passing every man that was in front of me. So one by one I would spot a guy and I would pick him off. This helps you mentally to keep your mind off of what you are doing. My finish time was 3:49, which gave me a six-minute cushion of my Boston qualifying time of 3:55.
Weir ran the 2013 Boston Marathon and missed the bombs by a mere 20 minutes.
“I went to the race with the mindset that I was going to have a good time and just soak it all in,” she said. “It is by far the best race out there. It’s held on a Monday, which is also a holiday in Boston. There is a game at Fenway that lets out at the same time runners are coming in so there are a ton of spectators on that course. I had the best day, I beat my time by a minute (3:48), qualified for Boston for 2014, and was just so happy at the end of the race… until 20 minutes later when all hell broke lose. I was so freaked out and said I would never come back; it ruined everything for me. But my sister and several others told me not to let them win; if I don’t come back, they win.”
So, Weir went back for the 2014, 2015 and 2016 marathons and had planned to compete this year until an injury stopped her from running. But, like so many determined and motivated marathon runners, she has a goal.
“I will be back some day,” she said. “I left part of me in Boston in 2013.”
You can register for the San Diego marathon up to May 28 at runrocknroll.com/sandiego. You’ll also find the complete course at the website and details about the Festival at the Finish at Waterfront Park.
Dr. Patrick Yassini ices a runner’s ankle. Yassini has volunteered as a medical team caption at the Rock ’n’ Roll marathons for 17 years.
Dan Orr has volunteered at USC’s water station every year he has not run in the marathon.
Above and below: Coronado High School cheerleaders competed against other cheer squads in the 2015 marathon, providing an extra boost of motivation for runners. For their spirited performance, they captured second place in the competition.
Kay Kay Weir’s time in the 2012 San Diego marathon qualified her for the 2013 Boston Marathon.