GILROY
– The Garlic Festival is upon us once again, and what better way
to start it off than with Mr. Garlic and Gilroy’s annual Reek
Run.
GILROY – The Garlic Festival is upon us once again, and what better way to start it off than with Mr. Garlic and Gilroy’s annual Reek Run.
Participators from all over the Bay Area gathered bright and early at Gavilan College on July 12 to partake in the 5th annual race, which is precursor of the Garlic Run. The event consisted of a 10k run, a 5k run and a 5k walk. There were participants as young as 13 who competed in the event. The course of the race ran through the Gavilan campus and ended at the far end on the Gavilan track.
The first group to step up to the starting line was the 10k runners. Mr. Garlic was on hand to explain the course to the group of anxious runners before sending them off. Then it was time for the 5k runners. Again, Mr. Garlic explained the course before the runners took off.
The first to run across the finish line for the 10k crowd was 22-year-old Carlos Siquerros of San Jose with a time of 33:34.
“I knew I was going to be in the top three,” Siquerros said. “Last week I ran 32:26, so I was expecting to run faster today,”
This was the first year that Siquerros participated in the Reek Run.
Sixteen-year-old Jonathan Rivera was the first to cross the finish line for the 5k group with a time of 16:32.
“I just wanted to come out and run my race,” said Rivera.
Rivera is from Hollister and is a student at San Benito High School. The young runner is a member of the Tri-County Running Club and has been training there for a year.
Kari Anne Bertand was the first woman to run through the finish line. With a time of 37:07, the 32-year-old runner considers these runs practices for bigger races.
“I’m trying to get ready for the New York City Marathon. I use these runs as my training,” said Bertrand, who moved to Gilroy from the east coast.
The Reek Run raises money for the Gilroy Performing Arts Center. Each year, the organizations raises between one to two thousand dollars. Exact numbers were not available, but organizers expect this year’s event to bring in more money because of an increase in pledges.
