San Jose rocks half-marathon.
Thousands of participants from around the world race in 11th annual event
SAN JOSE — Under a sunny, blue sky and surrounded by cheering fans and blaring music, thousands of runners rocked, rolled and raced their way to the finish line Sunday at the 11th annual Rock ’n’ Roll San Jose Half Marathon and 10K.
Participants young and old, both first-timers and seasoned veterans, raved about the perfect weather conditions and the flat, scenic race course that wound through San Jose neighborhoods.
Including the 5K on Saturday, 17,000 runners from 44 states and 14 countries signed up to race. Some goofed around a bit on the course — a young man in a tie-dye jersey crossed the finish line with a selfie stick held high. Others flashed peace signs as they finished or sailed across the finish line with a celebratory leap. A little girl on the sidelines offered encouragement with a poster that read “Run like your iPhone is at 7 percent.”
In keeping with the rock ’n’ roll theme, organizers set up bands for musical motivation about every mile, and runners reported that some neighborhood garage bands also held impromptu jam sessions along the course. After the race, while runners sipped free victory beers, they were treated to a concert by local rock band Rogue Wave at the Plaza de Cesar Chavez in downtown San Jose.
“The turnout could not have been better — we were really pleased,” said Patrick Byerly, senior vice president of global
events for the Rock ’n’ Roll Marathon Series, which puts on 30 races around the world every year. “We got a gift with the weather. You could not ask for a more beautiful day here in San Jose.”
Shadrack Biwott, of Mammoth Lakes, won the men’s half-marathon with a time of 1:01:55. The 31-year-old, who is training for the New York City Marathon, scored one of the fastest half-marathon times by an American this year, Byerly said.
Sally Kipyego, of Kenya, came in first in the women’s division with a time of 1:09:53. The 10K winners were Alejandro Alcaraz, of Salinas, with a time of 35:11, and Jayna Neilson, of Redwood City, with a time of 42:28.
Plenty of runners were rocking out on Sunday, but one, San Jose resident Armando Rivera, put a twist on the “roll” in rock ’n’ roll. The 55-year-old cruised across the finish line in a wheelchair, finishing his fourth Rock ’n’ Roll half-marathon with an average mile pace of 7:22 — a personal best.
Rivera, a former jockey injured during a horse race in 1979, said his competitive spirit drove him to start competing in his wheelchair after the accident. His 13year-old niece, Ysabella Estrada, ran the 10K with him Sunday.
“It’s pretty impressive,” she said of Rivera’s commitment to racing. “I’m proud of my uncle that he does this.”
Ysabella suggested that other disabled people might see her uncle racing and be inspired to try it themselves.
“He inspires me, too,” she said.
Michelle Boyd-Klemba, of San Jose, was standing at the finish line Sunday morning with her tiny Yorkshire terrier, Booboo. Boyd-Klemba, a drummer, has a special connection to the event because she’s played there in years past. But on Sunday the 47-year-old was there to cheer on her wife, Laura Boyd-Klemba, who runs the 10K every year.
“I’m going to scream,” Michelle Boyd-Klemba said when asked what she would do when her wife finished. “And I’m going to hold Booboo up, and I’ll probably cry. I always cry.”