A8 • Friday, July 26, 2019 | Seaside Signal | SeasideSignal.com
53rd annual Seaside
BEACH RUN
5K runners head south along the ocean in Seaside during the 53rd annual Seaside Beach Run on Saturday, July 20.
Photos by Katherine Lacaze
By KATHERINE LACAZE
For Seaside Signal
P
articipants couldn’t have
asked for more ideal
weather for savoring the
natural appeal of the coast
when they headed out to
the beach Saturday for
the 53rd annual Seaside
Beach Run.
Under a cloudless blue sky, about
175 walkers and runners of all ages took
part in a longstanding community event
that celebrates surf, sand and Seaside.
“It’s a big family event,” said
Michelle Brannon, general manager
and fi tness director at Sunset Family
Fitness. “It has a very mellow, beach
vibe.”
Sunset Family Fitness’ nonprofi t
affi liate Fit to be Teens Inc. organizes
the Seaside Beach Run, which includes
a number of different activities suitable
for participants of different ages and
abilities, from 5K and 10K races on the
sand to competitive and untimed walks
on the Seaside Promenade and a Kids’
Sand Dash and Treasure Hunt. The
event also included a picnic and awards
ceremony at Goodman Park on Necan-
icum Drive.
Young runners participate in the Kids’ Dash at the 53rd annual Seaside Beach Run.
A reason for participating
Although this Seaside tradition pro-
viders all runners, walkers, and dashers
the chance to experience the coast in
an atmosphere of friendly competition
and camaraderie, different groups and
individuals who took part this year had
their own personal reasons for entering,
as well.
Noah Johnson, 15, who placed fi rst
overall in the 5K competition with a
time of 18 minutes, 28 seconds, was
visiting the coast with his father from
North Canton, Ohio. They are in the
The Beach Run brought out roughly 175 participants, along with family members,
friends, and other spectators.
long-term process of going to as many
baseball stadiums across the country as
they can.
Between a stay in Seattle the night
before, touring Oregon destinations,
and visiting San Francisco, Johnson
decided to fi t in the Seaside Beach Run.
The son of a track coach, Johnson
had an early opportunity to explore the
sport and quickly discovered he “was
pretty good at it,” he said. His best time
for a mile so far has been 4:40.
“I just enjoy fi nishing, that runner’s
high,” Johnson added.
Devon Frazier, of Beaverton, was
another out-of-town participant with
a long-term goal: Attending a social
activity or event in each county in Ore-
gon before her 30th birthday in June
2020. The timing worked out well for
her to make the Seaside Beach Run her
Clatsop County event.
Not every activity Frazier pursues is
a 5K — she’s also done bike rides, trail
runs and other activities. The Seaside
event was her fi rst time racing on the
sand, which was a tough but rewarding
experience.
Frazier started pursuing her goal in
March 2017 and only has four or fi ve
counties left.
“I just want to get more fi t and chal-
lenge myself,” Frazier said. “You only
have one body.”
Also throughout the morning, indi-
viduals donning red shirts could be
spotted participating in the various
activities and their subcategories. They
were part of Heart to Start Seaside, a
program powered by Basecamp Pre-
vention and Wellness, a part of the
Providence Heart Institute of Oregon.
During the Heart to Start program’s
12-week run that culminated with par-
ticipating in the Seaside Beach Run, 70
members of the public, including sev-
eral Providence employees, met weekly
at the Seaside High School track to
exercise together using the Heart to
Start routine.
“This was our big goal event,” Spe-
cialty Clinic Manager Lisa Sampson
said, adding they had about 30 people
from the Heart to Start program partic-
ipating in the various beachside events,
including the Kids’ Dash.
Racers approach the fi nish line on the
Promenade off 12th Avenue during the
53rd annual Seaside Beach Run. The
community event includes a 5K and 10K
on the beach, as well as competitive and
untimed walks on the Promenade.