by Larry Eder
Motion, photo by PhotoRun.netMore Than 3,500 Runners Compete in 4th AnnualAllstate Life InsuranceSM Los Angeles 13.1 Marathon® and 5K through Los Angeles and the South Bay
Santa Monica Track Club’s Tonny Okello wins men’s division; Karolina Jarznska finishes first among women runners
LOS ANGELES, January 13, 2013 – More than 3,500 runners lined up on a chilly morning to run, and walk, today’s Allstate Life InsuranceSM Los Angeles 13.1 Marathon® and 5K this morning. International stars, and close finishes, were the order of the day.
Tonny Okello, who competes for the Santa Monica Track Club, surged at the finÃsh to defeat Jordan Horn, of Pórtland, OR, by two seconds, 1:06:10 to 1:06:12, to win the men’s division. Karoline Jarzynska of Poland, who currently resides in Alamosa, CO, , finished in an impressive time of 1:12.43. She pulled away in the race’s late stages to win by nine seconds over Kenya’s Risper Gesabwa.
“The course was flat and fast. The freezing conditions made it difficult and it was windy at times,” said Allstate Life InsuranceSM Los Angeles 13.1 Marathon® winner, Okello.
“It was windy out there and the competition was tough. There were some hills and I won the race today by pushing the last mile,” said Jarzynska.
Allstate Life Insurance and non-profit organization Give Your Sole collected more than 400 pairs of gently used shoes from race participants to benefit Union Rescue Mission, which benefits homeless men, women and children in the Los Angeles community.. Donations were collected at packet pick-up and on race day, and runners who donated the shoes off their feet at the Finish Line Festival were provided with a free pair of flip-flops to wear home.
Several hunded racers, while training with local team groups, ran as part of the official benefiting charity, Team World Vision, to raise funds for clean water projects in Kenya and Malawi. For more information on Team World Vision please visitwww.worldvision.org.
Celebrities participating included Deborah Ann Woll from HBO’s True Blood, who helped pace legally blind boyfriend, E.J. Scott, in the Allstate Life InsuranceSM Los Angeles 5K. Scott ran blindfolded due to being unable to tolerate bright sunlight because of the genetic eye disease Choroideremia. He shocked spectors and other runners by placing in the middle of the pack in the Allstate Life InsuranceSM Los Angeles 5Kwith a time of 44:25. Scott ran to raise money for the Choroideremia Research Foundation. Local runner Andy Lavin served as E.J.’s guide during the race.
Boxing great Victor Ortiz, 25, of Encino, CA, proved he was also a fine runner by placing in the top 50 in the 4th Annual Allstate Life InsuranceSMLos Angeles 13.1 Marathon® with a time of 1:28.47. He finished three minutes ahead of top ranked boxer, Diego Magdaleno. Both boxers were paced by elite marathoner Milena Glusac, of Del Mar, CA.
Other celebrities competing in the 4th AnnualAllstate Life InsuranceSM Los Angeles 13.1 Marathon® included reality TV stars raising money for World Vision. These included:
Alex Boylan (Greatest Race)
Parvati Shallow (Survivor)
Jeff Schroeder (Big Brother)
Brennan Swain (The Amazing Race)
Ken Andrews and Austin Andrews (Biggest Loser)
Allstate Life InsuranceSM 13.1 Marathon® is the series of half marathons serving America’s top running communities with a stand-alone half marathon for locals to embrace and visitors to experience. The Los Angeles stop will kick-off the 2013 calendar for the series. Following the Los Angeles race will be events in Miami Beach (March 8), New York City (March 23), Chicago (June 8), Boston (September), Atlanta (October 6), Dallas (October 26) and Fort Lauderdale (November 10).
US Road Sports & Entertainment Group is a health and wellness company dedicated to the production of world-class endurance events. The mission of US Road Sports is to offer an unparalleled participant sports experience that showcases host communities and endures as a deeply valued local asset through events that are a part of the city’s culture, identity and brand. For each participant, US Road Sports strives to offer events that allow participants of all skill levels the opportunity to improve their physical and mental health and accomplish life-altering goals while having fun. US Road Sports provides sponsors and municipalities highly effective exposure to help maximize their presence and message in the community.
4th Annual Allstate Life InsuranceSM Los Angeles 13.1 Marathon® top three, men and women
1. Tonny Okello, Santa Monica Track Club (Santa Monica, CA / Uganda), 1:06:01
