Thousands descended upon San Diego for half-marathon and 5K races Sunday.
More than 4,000 runners participated in the 40th annual America’s Finest City Half Marathon & 5K, according to race officials.
The half-marathon’s course stretched from Cabrillo National Monument to Balboa Park through downtown San Diego. The 5K’s course was located entirely within the park.
Numerous roads were closed for the races, which began after 6 a.m. and concluded by 10:30 a.m., resulting in traffic delays most of the morning.
The half marathon is the third and final race in the Half Marathon Triple Crown series, which also includes a race in Carlsbad in January and a race in La Jolla in April.
In the half-marathon men’s division, 27-year-old Boniface Kongin of Albuquerque, New Mexico took first place with a time of 1:03:25, beating out 1,958 other male racers, according to the event’s website.
Diana Kipyokei, 23, of Grand Prairie, Texas was the fastest female half-marathoner in the field of 2,188 women, with a finishing time of 1:11:02.
According to the event website, the AFC half marathon was originally the idea of then-San Diego Mayor Pete Wilson, who sought to include a running event as part of the annual “America’s Finest City Week” celebration. AFC week was started in 1972 after the Republican National Convention was pulled from San Diego and moved to Miami.
According to the website, proceeds from the dual half-marathon and 5K events benefit the Cabrillo National Monument Foundation, Pancreatic Cancer Action Network and the Spreckels Organ Society.
–City News Service, staff
