13th Annual Mardi Gras Madness Run returns to SCV

The 13th annual Mardi Gras 5k and 10k run returned to the Santa Clarita Valley, bringing a masquerade-themed event for the whole family to enjoy.

The event, held near the end of last month, was hosted by UCLA Health, Santa Clarita Track Club and Westfield Valencia Town Center, and featured a 1k race, a 5k race and a 10k race for ages ranging from 10 and under to 60 and over.

Kevin Sarkissian, event organizer, said the entire event was a team effort and that he couldn’t have done it without his crew and the people who volunteered their time to make the event happen.

“We have a committee of committed people that all have different functions and that’s what it takes to make this happen,” said Sarkissian. “You know, I’m the race director. But on race day, I totally turn the keys to the castle over to them. And my sole job is to make sure the course is safe and make sure our runners are safe on the course.”

The race started and ended in the parking lot of Westfield Valencia Town Center. The course ran from the parking lot onto the paseo bridge and along the South Fork Trail before transitioning back to the paseo system and along dirt roads and switchbacks.

Jimmy Calderon, a Santa Clarita Valley native and former Golden Valley High School track runner, who won first place overall for the men’s 5k race, said the race could be a challenge at times.

“This one I thought it’d be a lot easier, I thought it was flat,” said Calderon. “But the switchbacks and then going through the neighborhoods. It’s ups and downs and those are a little tough, but besides that, it was fun, I had fun.”

The event also once again served as a fundraiser for Students Off and Running (SOAR), which provides marathon training experience to high schoolaged youth in the SCV.

Result highlights from the race included:

10k Men’s

1st - Caden Bazo 2nd - Antoine Padovani 3rd - Gerald Smith

10k Women’s

1st - Rebecca Cheever 2nd - Pamela Spinner 3rd - Kira Grossi

5k Men’s

1st - Jimmy Calderon 2st - Willy Harber 3rd - Vignesh Suresh

5k Women’s

1st - Kelsey Ludwig 2st - Emily Farrell 3rd - Amie Bonner

Chris Torres/ The Signal (Above) Participant Bertina Joseph finishes the 10K run at the 13th Annual Mardi Gras Madness Run, which began and finished in the parking lot of the Westfield Valencia Town Center. (Right) The top three in the men’s 5k race: (from left) Willy Harber (second) Vignesh Suresh (third) and Jimmy Calderon (first). (Bottom right) A view of runners crossing the finish line.