Chelsea King. Photo courtesy Chelsea's Light Foundation
Chelsea King. Photo courtesy Chelsea’s Light Foundation

More than 150 elementary students from 16 San Diego schools are scheduled to participate in the Chelsea King Invitational Mile Friday afternoon at a school in Clairemont Mesa.

The annual run at Lindbergh Schweitzer Elementary School is named after Chelsea King, a Poway High School senior who was jogging in the hills above Rancho Bernardo Community Park when she was accosted and murdered by a convicted sex offender in 2010.

A separate event, Finish Chelsea’s Run, is held annually in Balboa Park to raise funds for the Chelsea’s Light Foundation.

The elementary school entrants are in grades 3-6 — with some younger participants given parental consent — with qualifying times of 7 minutes for boys and 8 minutes for girls. An 800-meter buddy run is set for youngsters who don’t meet the qualifying time.

The run will take place in eight divisions by grade level and gender, according to the organizers.

Olympian Steve Scott and running expert Paul Greer are scheduled to attend the event.

—City News Service