While many folks were sleeping comfortably in their beds or
busily setting up for the Mushroom party in downtown Morgan Hill,
early risers toed the line in Saturday’s Mushroom Mardi Gras 10K
race and 5K fun run/walk despite the cold, cloudy weather and
chance of rain. The event benefited the Live Oak Athletic Booster
organization
While many folks were sleeping comfortably in their beds or busily setting up for the Mushroom party in downtown Morgan Hill, early risers toed the line in Saturday’s Mushroom Mardi Gras 10K race and 5K fun run/walk despite the cold, cloudy weather and chance of rain. The event benefited the Live Oak Athletic Booster organization.
Runners from as far away as Whittier came to compete among the 300 racers on the out-and-back course. The 10K began with many runners stampeding forward onto the dirt trail, sending up a mini dust storm in the faces of the middle packers.
The 5K followed five minutes later in hot pursuit with the slow pokes (like me) and walkers trailing behind. Not caring about my time, I ran-walked a quartermile taking photos leisurely for this story. It’s about having fun and getting the story, not how I perform as a racer. At least that’s what I told myself until my pride kicked in and I popped the clutch, putting myself in gear to pass a horde of people before the turnaround point.
Two teens decked in black uniforms on the return trip sprinted past me in a whirlwind toward the finish. They looked like Wolfpak guys, and they were amazingly fast. Actually these athletes along with their fellow members are a dominant presence at local races. Many of them took home medals.
“Live Oak athletic boosters support athletes and provide for them to succeed in academics and athletics,” Interim race director Donna Brusaschetti said.
The overall 5K winners are Kyle Deisenroth of Morgan Hill with an impressive 16 minutes, 59 seconds and Erin Logan with her sizzling finale in 19:49.
Logan, Deisenroth and his father, Fred, are part of the Wolfpak and did well in Saturday’s race despite the absence of family member and teammate Derek Deisenroth, who is recovering from injuries suffered in a severe auto accident May 13. All three Deisenroths competed in the Wildflower Run in April, taking away several medals.
“I didn’t feel so good but was still able to win. I won last year,” Deisenroth said sheepishly.
The father quipped, “I love the race being local. We just get up and go to the race. It’s awesome. (Kyle) has a teammate he is always battling with (Ryan Corvese); he took second.”
“I always out kick him,” the younger Deisenroth said with a chuckle. They were the two teens competing neck-to-neck I saw during the 3.1-mile race.
Nick Froumis, 32, of San Jose, the son of South Valley Running Club’s Andy Froumis, took first in his age group in 19:07. The senior Froumis is proud of his optometrist son.
“This is one of his favorite races. It’s close to his parent’s house. I hope to have his twins carry on the tradition of running. I’m excited to see them run and raise the bar even higher than what their dad and granddad has done,” Froumis said.
The 10K top gunners were Tom Garden, who completed 6.2 miles in 35:42, and Claudia Becque crossing the finish in 37:15.
Becque, 34, of Morgan Hill said, “I moved here in November from Chicago, first time here in the race. I wanted to do a Saturday race. I think the course was great and there was a lot of support on the course. I’m coming off a calf injury and didn’t race much since the Turkey Trot.”
Becque is training for the Olympic Trials in January. She qualified for the trials at the Chicago Marathon in 2:44.
The South Valley Running Club garnered more medals. Morgan Hill’s Marti Menz won first place in her age division in 48:24, followed by Michelle LaJeunesse taking second in 49:50, and Gilroy resident Kim Moyano rounding off in third with 50:33.
