It truly was Labor Day — at 7 a.m., the temperatures were already climbing past the mid-70s. But that didn’t deter 3,541 runners clocking in to Conquer the …
Nearly 4,000 runners competed in the 5.3 mile Conquer the Bridge run across the Vincent Thomas Bridge in San Pedro Monday, Sept. 2, 2019. (Hunter Lee, Press-Telegram/SCNG)
Nearly 4,000 runners competed in the 5.3 mile Conquer the Bridge run across the Vincent Thomas Bridge in San Pedro Monday, Sept. 2, 2019. (Hunter Lee, Press-Telegram/SCNG)
Nearly 4,000 runners competed in the 5.3 mile Conquer the Bridge run across the Vincent Thomas Bridge in San Pedro Monday, Sept. 2, 2019. (Hunter Lee, Press-Telegram/SCNG)
Nearly 4,000 runners competed in the 5.3 mile Conquer the Bridge run across the Vincent Thomas Bridge in San Pedro Monday, Sept. 2, 2019. (Hunter Lee, Press-Telegram/SCNG)
Nearly 4,000 runners competed in the 5.3 mile Conquer the Bridge run across the Vincent Thomas Bridge in San Pedro Monday, Sept. 2, 2019. (Hunter Lee, Press-Telegram/SCNG)
Nearly 4,000 runners competed in the 5.3 mile Conquer the Bridge run across the Vincent Thomas Bridge in San Pedro Monday, Sept. 2, 2019. (Hunter Lee, Press-Telegram/SCNG)
Nearly 4,000 runners competed in the 5.3 mile Conquer the Bridge run across the Vincent Thomas Bridge in San Pedro Monday, Sept. 2, 2019. (Hunter Lee, Press-Telegram/SCNG)
Nearly 4,000 runners competed in the 5.3 mile Conquer the Bridge run across the Vincent Thomas Bridge in San Pedro Monday, Sept. 2, 2019. (Hunter Lee, Press-Telegram/SCNG)
Nearly 4,000 runners competed in the 5.3 mile Conquer the Bridge run across the Vincent Thomas Bridge in San Pedro Monday, Sept. 2, 2019. (Hunter Lee, Press-Telegram/SCNG)
Nearly 4,000 runners competed in the 5.3 mile Conquer the Bridge run across the Vincent Thomas Bridge in San Pedro Monday, Sept. 2, 2019. (Hunter Lee, Press-Telegram/SCNG)
Nearly 4,000 runners competed in the 5.3 mile Conquer the Bridge run across the Vincent Thomas Bridge in San Pedro Monday, Sept. 2, 2019. (Hunter Lee, Press-Telegram/SCNG)
Nearly 4,000 runners competed in the 5.3 mile Conquer the Bridge run across the Vincent Thomas Bridge in San Pedro Monday, Sept. 2, 2019. (Hunter Lee, Press-Telegram/SCNG)
Nearly 4,000 runners competed in the 5.3 mile Conquer the Bridge run across the Vincent Thomas Bridge in San Pedro Monday, Sept. 2, 2019. (Hunter Lee, Press-Telegram/SCNG)
Nearly 4,000 runners competed in the 5.3 mile Conquer the Bridge run across the Vincent Thomas Bridge in San Pedro Monday, Sept. 2, 2019. (Hunter Lee, Press-Telegram/SCNG)
Nearly 4,000 runners competed in the 5.3 mile Conquer the Bridge run across the Vincent Thomas Bridge in San Pedro Monday, Sept. 2, 2019. (Hunter Lee, Press-Telegram/SCNG)
Nearly 4,000 runners competed in the 5.3 mile Conquer the Bridge run across the Vincent Thomas Bridge in San Pedro Monday, Sept. 2, 2019. (Hunter Lee, Press-Telegram/SCNG)
Nearly 4,000 runners competed in the 5.3 mile Conquer the Bridge run across the Vincent Thomas Bridge in San Pedro Monday, Sept. 2, 2019. (Hunter Lee, Press-Telegram/SCNG)
Nearly 4,000 runners competed in the 5.3 mile Conquer the Bridge run across the Vincent Thomas Bridge in San Pedro Monday, Sept. 2, 2019. (Hunter Lee, Press-Telegram/SCNG)
Nearly 4,000 runners competed in the 5.3 mile Conquer the Bridge run across the Vincent Thomas Bridge in San Pedro Monday, Sept. 2, 2019. (Hunter Lee, Press-Telegram/SCNG)
Nearly 4,000 runners competed in the 5.3 mile Conquer the Bridge run across the Vincent Thomas Bridge in San Pedro Monday, Sept. 2, 2019. (Hunter Lee, Press-Telegram/SCNG)
Nearly 4,000 runners competed in the 5.3 mile Conquer the Bridge run across the Vincent Thomas Bridge in San Pedro Monday, Sept. 2, 2019. (Hunter Lee, Press-Telegram/SCNG)
Nearly 4,000 runners competed in the 5.3 mile Conquer the Bridge run across the Vincent Thomas Bridge in San Pedro Monday, Sept. 2, 2019. (Hunter Lee, Press-Telegram/SCNG)
Nearly 4,000 runners competed in the 5.3 mile Conquer the Bridge run across the Vincent Thomas Bridge in San Pedro Monday, Sept. 2, 2019. (Hunter Lee, Press-Telegram/SCNG)
Nearly 4,000 runners competed in the 5.3 mile Conquer the Bridge run across the Vincent Thomas Bridge in San Pedro Monday, Sept. 2, 2019. (Hunter Lee, Press-Telegram/SCNG)
Nearly 4,000 runners competed in the 5.3 mile Conquer the Bridge run across the Vincent Thomas Bridge in San Pedro Monday, Sept. 2, 2019. (Hunter Lee, Press-Telegram/SCNG)
Nearly 4,000 runners competed in the 5.3 mile Conquer the Bridge run across the Vincent Thomas Bridge in San Pedro Monday, Sept. 2, 2019. (Hunter Lee, Press-Telegram/SCNG)
Nearly 4,000 runners competed in the 5.3 mile Conquer the Bridge run across the Vincent Thomas Bridge in San Pedro Monday, Sept. 2, 2019. (Hunter Lee, Press-Telegram/SCNG)
Nearly 4,000 runners competed in the 5.3 mile Conquer the Bridge run across the Vincent Thomas Bridge in San Pedro Monday, Sept. 2, 2019. (Hunter Lee, Press-Telegram/SCNG)
Nearly 4,000 runners competed in the 5.3 mile Conquer the Bridge run across the Vincent Thomas Bridge in San Pedro Monday, Sept. 2, 2019. (Hunter Lee, Press-Telegram/SCNG)
It truly was Labor Day — at 7 a.m., the temperatures were already climbing past the mid-70s. But that didn’t deter 3,541 runners clocking in to Conquer the Bridge in San Pedro on Monday, Sept. 2.
The marquee event of Fleet Week’s 2019 closing day, the 11th annual 5.3-mile race took competitors through the streets of San Pedro, then up over the Vincent Thomas Bridge and on to the finish line at the corner of Harbor Blvd and 6th Street.
Peninsula High cross-country coach Chris Foster, 36, was able to snag the victory for the fourth consecutive year with a time of 27:58. Despite his consistency at the race, it was hardly routine, he said.
“Every year is different,” Foster said. “Honestly it doesn’t get old at all. Every year I have new students and runners who come out to support me as well as many parents are here to cheer me on. Being a San Pedro defending my hometown by winning the race is always special.”
On the women’s side, there was new blood in the winner’s circle, as first-time Bridge competitor Dr. Lori Mann, 36, of Long Beach, took home the women’s overall championship in 33:01. Mann, a former UCLA cross-country runner, declared her win validation of the hard work she invests in her training regimen.
“I took a hiatus from running after college to focus on my career. But recently I have gotten back into it — and I’m training to qualify for the U.S. Olympic team,” Mann said. “Winning this race lets me know that the work I’m putting in is producing results.”
She learned, in Year One, why so many runners revere this race. “The best part of the race is the view you have from the top of the bridge,” she beamed. “You’re in pain at that point from running uphill, but you have the beautiful view to enjoy and it makes the pain go away.”
Mann just beat out the 2018 Conquer the Bridge women’s champion, San Pedro High alumnus Lorena Garcia, who recently graduated from Loyola Marymount University.
“It felt good today, I wasn’t trying to win it, just wanted to run for the feel of it,” said Garcia, who finished in 34:12. “I like running this race because it’s my community, my city, it’s where I grew up. It brings all the community together, I get to see a lot of people who I haven’t seen in awhile. It’s great.”
Capturing the tone of Fleet Week — which spotlights various military troops and hardware, including six Navy and Coast Guard ships — Senior Chief Rafael Escoto, a 23-year Navy veteran, brought along crewmembers under his command aboard the U.S.S. Tulsa.
Nearly 4,000 runners competed in the 5.3 mile Conquer the Bridge run across the Vincent Thomas Bridge in San Pedro Monday, Sept. 2, 2019. (Hunter Lee, Press-Telegram/SCNG)
“That bridge is a beast, but the view is amazing,” said Escoto, from Los Angeles. “It’s been an honor to be a part of Fleet Week and the San Pedro community.”
The race draws myriad runners from all over each year, many with wildly different running resumes. Bianca Ramirez, 16, and her brother Jordan, 10, from La Puente, have run marathons since they were young — and both have run a marathon in all seven continents.
“This is a nice race and the uphill part is very challenging. I love the environment with all the crowd cheering you on, plus the view is great,” said Bianca Ramirez who has run 20 marathons in total. “Running on all the continents is an experience I will never forget. It’s a great way to see the world.”
Her favorite continent? “Antarctica definitely,” she said, “because most people don’t get to say that have done that.”
Brianna Sharp, of Playa Del Rey, came out with a group of her friends all decked out in patriotic colors.
“It’s a great experience to run over the bridge because we don’t have many bridges in Los Angeles,” said Sharp, running the race for a second time. “It is great to run with my friends. It is an unusual distance, but it is a lot of fun.”
