By Brennon Dixson, staff writer, and Libby Cline, correspondent
Thousands of athletes and spectators gathered in Pasadena on Sunday, Jan. 16, for the Rose Bowl Half Marathon & 5K run. Organized by The McCourt Foundation — a nonprofit that also oversees the Los Angeles Marathon, L.A. Big 5k, and Santa Monica Classic 5K/10K — runners from around the country traversed a 13.1-mile course around Pasadena’s iconic stadium.
Similar events across Pasadena and Los Angeles County have been canceled or postponed recently amid concerns about record case counts driven by the winter COVID-19 surge, but Sunday’s race was given the green light by officials. It was the first major running event to occur in the region since the streets of Los Angeles were filled during the city’s 36th marathon back in November.
Participants united around Pasadena’s iconic stadium in the early hours of Sunday morning before making their way down the Colorado Bridge towards Old Town Pasadena.
“I think it’s a great example of how the Rose Bowl has evolved. When this stadium was built, it was built for one football game and now we do hundreds of events throughout the year,” said Jens Weiden, chief revenue officer of the Rose Bowl Operating Company.
“You just heard the gentlemen that won that half-marathon; the first thing he said when he got done was how beautiful the course is,” Weiden said. “This event is just a perfect example of how we’re using the stadium in multiple ways.”
Last week, concerns about the COVID surge — including an 11-fold increase in Pasadena case counts since Dec. 20 — prompted the cancellation of Pasadena’s longtime Black History Month Parade. And organizers scuttled the Santa Clarita Marathon, already postponed back in November and moved to February.
Daunting pandemic news continued on Sunday, as L.A. County reported 43,883 new cases of COVID-19 and 53 additional deaths. The number of COVID patients in county hospitals increased to 4,507, up from 4,386 on Saturday, according to the latest state figures released.
The decision to cancel the Black History Month Parade drew the ire of Pasadena residents who felt the march should have been allowed to continue just as the Rose Parade was on New Year’s Day.
To ensure the Rose Parade’s return, event planners previously said they relied on a feasibility study by USC Keck School of Medicine and strictly aligned with the county’s public health safeguards. Local public health and safety officials acknowledged the inherent risks of gathering for the parade and Rose Bowl game in the days leading up to the grand procession, however they also commended the Tournament of Roses for their efforts in safeguarding the public.
Of the 6,500-plus participants in this year’s parade, 91% were vaccinated and the other 9% were required to provide proof of a negative test within 72 hours of the event, Candy Carlson, spokeswoman for the Tournament of Roses, said in an email last week. Additionally, patrons in the area where the audience was the largest were asked to provide proof of vaccination or a negative test, she added.
Local health officials have faced social-media criticism for the Black History parade’s cancellation — but city spokeswoman Lisa Derderian clarified last week that the Pasadena Department of Public Health did not order the cancellation. “Some city and community event organizers have made the decision to cancel or postpone,” Derderian said, adding, “There are currently no state health orders that prohibit large events.”
In the city’s public health order, outdoor events that have a defined boundary, a specific point of entry and draw 5,000 or more people qualify as mega events, according to Derderian.
As a result, the Pasadena Half Marathon was mandated to comply with the Outdoor Mega Events Order by requiring all attendees 2 years and older to provide proof of full vaccination or documentation of a negative COVID-19 test result to enter, she said. All who were feeling sick were also asked to stay home.
Tatiana Duarte, who participated in Sunday’s 5K alongside her fiancé for the first time, said she was nervous at first, but seeing everybody in attendance helped provide motivation to make to the finish line.
When asked if she hesitated to come out because of the increasing case counts throughout the region, Duarte said, “Yes and no. Yes, because there’s a lot of people. But no, because I’m fully vaccinated.”
Sunday’s event welcomed a number of families, students, and seniors, which is exciting sight given all that’s occurred since the onset of the pandemic, said Councilman Tyron Hampton on Sunday.
“I have to say that I think that what this brings to the city of Pasadena is not just the commerce but also brings camaraderie,” Hampton said.
Krystina Sloane flew in from Georgia to run with her sister Hilary Sloane, a Los Angeles resident.
“What an experience,” Krystina Sloane said. “We’ve watched many a game in this stadium and it’s really fun to be out here on the course and feel like a real athlete.”
In typical years, Hampton said he typically see’s between 12,000 and 14,000 people at the event. About 8,000 were on scene Sunday, Hampton said, attributing the numbers to the event’s organizers.
“So it’s a little down,” he said, but nonetheless called the turnout “fantastic.”
“In 2022, what I think we all need is to work together and remember that we’re all in this together,” Hampton said. “And I think that every person that walks across this finish line realizes that.”
“Overall, people are still having a really good time, they’re smiling,” Hampton added. “And on top of that they’re exercising.”
City News Service contributed to this report