Thousands Run to Celebrate Resilience at Rescheduled Rose Bowl Half Marathon

April 28, 2025

Santiago, Reed Capture Titles at Rose Bowl Half Marathon After Wildfire Postponement

PASADENA, CA (April 28, 2025 ) /ENDURANCE SPORTSWIRE/ – From the “if at first you don’t succeed, keep plugging away” mantra, consider Inglewood’s Alejandra Santiago.

The first time Santiago ran the Rose Bowl Half Marathon, she finished third. The second time she lined up at the start, she placed second. So on a stunningly beautiful Sunday morning in Pasadena, Santiago tackled the race for the third time, and you can imagine what was going through her mind.

“I wanted to finish first,” Santiago said.

And so she did. On a day when nearly 10,000 entrants signed up for the ninth Rose Bowl Half Marathon and 5K, no woman was faster than Santiago at the 13.1-mile distance. She finished in 1:21:31, pulling away at the end to beat second-place finisher Alyssa Jonanik of Chicago by 45 seconds.

“When I saw Alyssa near the end I was like, ‘Ahhhhhhhhh!!!!!!’” Santiago said. “I was scrambling at the end.”

As for her progression from third to second to first, Santiago said, “It feels great.”

The race was originally scheduled for January but was rescheduled following devastating fires that struck Los Angeles, forcing more than 200,000 to evacuate and destroying more than 18,000 homes.

“January was rough for everyone,” Santiago said. “Regardless of where you lived, you got ash. That was a reminder of what was going on. I think it was great that the race was put on. I do hope that people remember to go back to Pasadena and Altadena and the Palisades to help out. The recovery’s going to go on for years.”

Irvine’s Tim Reed is accustomed to running longer distances, having completed a 50K and a 100K ultramarathon last year. He has also run the ASICS Los Angeles Marathon twice. On Sunday, the former Cal State Fullerton runner stepped down in distance, tackling his first half marathon.

His goal: break 1:10.

Reed almost accomplished it, winning the half marathon in 1:11:07, 32 seconds ahead of Michael Nakahara of Torrance. The win was especially meaningful for Reed, who became a father 6½ months ago. He was awakened by his daughter at midnight, 2 a.m., and 3 a.m. the night before the race.

“The 4 a.m. wake-up call was nothing for us,” Reed said.

Reed, who works for ASICS, said the company values work-life balance, which helps him juggle running and fatherhood. He noted that he was not pushed too hard during the race.

“It was me and the (lead) motorcycle guy the whole time,” Reed said. “It was motivating running away from people instead of having people right next to me.”

Running the race for the first time, Olivia Ruiz of San Marino won the women’s 5K in 20:18.

“It was so much fun,” Ruiz said. “Everyone is cheering each other on. It’s a nice, sunny day and everyone is here for the fire relief.”

Chandler Gorham of Los Angeles, who grew up in Orange County, works in downtown Los Angeles and ran club track at the University of Oregon, won the men’s 5K in 17:36, winning by a convincing 37 seconds.

“I think it’s particularly special (winning) this year with the race being postponed,” Gorham said. “This is a good chance for the city to come together, and it’s such a historic venue that means so much to the city and a lot to me.”

The McCourt Foundation (TMF), which owns and operates the event, was well represented with 200 participants raising more than $100,000 to support its mission of curing neurological diseases and empowering communities to build a healthier world. Among them was David Colley, who was displaced due to the Altadena Fire. Colley returned for his fourth Rose Bowl Half Marathon fundraising effort, raising over $10,000 for TMF through his journey across both the Rose Bowl Half Marathon and the Santa Monica Classic. Continuing the family tradition, his son Asher completed his final kids’ run this year and will move up to the 5K division next year.

The 10th Rose Bowl Half Marathon and 5K will return to its January date next year, scheduled for Jan. 18, 2026.

A limited number of presale entries for 2026 are available online now, offering runners the lowest price of the year. For complete results, photos and more, visit www.RoseBowlHalf.com.

About The McCourt Foundation

The McCourt Foundation (TMF) is dedicated to empowering communities to build a healthier world through its commitment to research, education, and impactful events. Established in 1992 as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, TMF has offices in Boston and Los Angeles. The foundation’s mission is centered on curing neurological diseases and fostering community initiatives that promote overall health and wellness. TMF actively contributes to neurology research, hosts educational forums, and leverages its signature events to raise funds and awareness. These events include the Los Angeles Marathon presented by ASICS, the Rose Bowl Half Marathon & 5K, the Santa Monica Classic, and the Boston Waterfront 5K. Through these platforms, TMF has donated more than $6.7 million to neurology research and has generated over $72 million for more than 105 nonprofit charity partners throughout the 40-year history of the Los Angeles Marathon. For more information about The McCourt Foundation’s other community-building events, visit www.mccourtfoundation.org.