Run for the money Run for the money (May 21, 2004)

Health system fundraising run slated
by Teresa C. Brown

A health and fitness fundraising 5K and 10K footrace benefiting ValleyCare Health Systems is a dash away as the Park and Recreation Commission approved May 10 the event that will close two trails for several hours during the run.

The Tri-Valley Health and Safety Day run is scheduled for Sept. 11, said Jim Wolfe, Director of Park and Community Services. It was previously held in Livermore under the moniker Livermore Fitness Day.

The run will begin at the Alameda County Fairgrounds and head east toward Valley Avenue through Gate 12 and north over the Arroyo del Valle, Wolfe told the commissioners.

At this point, on the Arroyo del Valle Trail, the 5K and 10K routes will split, Wolfe said. The 5K runners will run east along the Arroyo del Valle Trail to the Calle Santa Anna turn-around point and follow the same course back.

The 10K runners will run westward along the Arroyo del Valley Trail to the Arroyo de la Laguna Trail, following that trail and the Alamo Canal Trail into Val Vista Community Park, where runners will turn around and follow the same route back, he said.

"We need to close those trail sections during the race because of the number of runners," Wolfe told the commissioners. "In fairness to people, we're talking about a one to one-and-half hour window," he said.

Notices were distributed to neighbors adjacent to the trails along the route, he added.

Event organizer Shawn Kelly of Pelican Productions told commissioners that because this was the first year the run was held in Pleasanton, he expected about 700 participants.

"We'll put a lot volunteers in areas where runners could take a wrong turn," he added.

Both runs will begin at 8 a.m., and Kelly said he expected the runners to be back at the Fairgrounds by 9:15 a.m. or so. "You won't be able to tell we were there by 10 a.m.," he said.

The event will include free health assessments, information and one-on-one consultations with the health system's doctors and dieticians.

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