Rose Bowl Half Marathon (Photos- Robert Laberge/McCourt Foundation)
From third to second to first—Alejandra Santiago’s steady climb to the top reached its peak on Sunday morning at the ninth Rose Bowl Half Marathon and 5K, where she claimed victory in the women’s half marathon with a time of 1:21:31.
By News Desk
“It feels great,” Santiago said after crossing the finish line 45 seconds ahead of second-place finisher Alyssa Jonanik of Chicago. “I wanted to finish first.”
Santiago, an Inglewood resident, had competed in the race twice before, placing third and then second. On a bright, sunny morning filled with nearly 10,000 runners, she finally reached her goal—despite a dramatic chase to the finish.
“When I saw Alyssa near the end I was like, ‘Ahhhhhhhhh!!!!!!’” Santiago laughed. “I was scrambling at the end.”
The race, originally scheduled for January, was postponed due to devastating wildfires that forced over 200,000 evacuations and destroyed more than 18,000 homes across Los Angeles.
“January was rough for everyone,” Santiago said. “Regardless of where you lived, you got ash… I hope people remember to go back to Pasadena and Altadena and the Palisades to help out. The recovery’s going to go on for years.”
Olivia Ruiz, Tim Reed (Photos – (Photo – Robert Laberge/McCourt Foundation))
In the men’s half marathon, Irvine’s Tim Reed took first in 1:11:07, stepping down from ultra-distance events like the 50K and 100K for his half marathon debut. Reed, who works for ASICS and became a father just over six months ago, said training and sleep have become a balancing act.
“The 4:00 am wake-up call was nothing for us,” he joked, recalling his daughter’s overnight feedings.
Reed led from the start, unchallenged. “It was me and the motorcycle guy the whole time,” he said. “It was motivating running away from people instead of having people right next to me.”
In the 5K events, Olivia Ruiz of San Marino won the women’s race in 20:18, while Chandler Gorham of Los Angeles dominated the men’s race in 17:36, winning by 37 seconds.
“This is a good chance for the city to come together,” said Gorham, a former University of Oregon club track runner. “It’s such a historic venue that means so much to the city and a lot to me.”
The Rose Bowl Half Marathon and 5K is organized by The McCourt Foundation, whose mission includes curing neurological diseases and building healthier communities. The event will return to its traditional January slot next year, with the 10th edition set for Jan. 18, 2026.
Rose Bowl Half Marathon (Photo – Robert Laberge/McCourt Foundation)
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