New Half-Marathon Course Agrees With Him

Danny Gonzalez took advantage of a flat course and cool weather, winning his second consecutive Southern California Half Marathon Saturday.

Gonzalez of Rancho Santa Margarita beat his winning time from last year, posting a race record of 1 hour 5 minutes 13 seconds. Gonzalez ran 1:06:12 last year.

Runners from the Cacique Track Club finished second and third--Ivo Rodrigues finished in 1:07:48 and Dan Arsenault in 1:08:45.

Gonzalez, who is two for two in the 7-year-old event, was using the race as a tuneup for the Boston Marathon and was pleased with race director George Varvas’ decision to make the course flatter.

“I felt really good today,” said Gonzalez, 31. “I’m really pleased with the new course. It made a world of difference.

“Last year the race went along the bike path and it had a lot of hills and a lot of up and downs. This was a much better design. It was flatter and easier to maneuver. And since it was a loop instead of an out and back, you didn’t have to head into people on your way back.”

The new course also agreed with Jane Welzel, the winner in the women’s division. Welzel, who has won the event all three times she has raced, in 1992, ’96 and ‘97, won this year in 1:17:36.

“This year’s course was a lot easier,” said Welzel of Fort Collins, Colo. “There weren’t as many people and I was happy because I knew there were no more hills.”

Welzel, 41, jumped to an early lead, but gave it up around the two-mile mark. Seven miles later she caught up and ran with Hermosa Beach’s Carrie Kissel, until Welzel broke loose. Kissel finished second in 1:17:59.

Welzel, who last year set the race record (1:16:55), got an added bonus in the final stretch.

“When I was coming in I found out I was $600 richer,” Welzel said. “Last year there was no money, so this is nice.” Gonzalez also won $600.

In the men’s five-kilometer race, the top three finishers crossed fewer than 17 seconds apart. Cosmos Musyoka won in 14:25, Mike Tansley finished second in 14:32 and Daniel Reed was third in 14:42.

The women’s 5K was won by Valerie Vaug in 16:36. Gaile Wehrli finished second in 17:27 and Yayoi Liue in 18:42.

The two-kilometer race for girls ages 6-14 was won by Lake Forest’s Keri Garcia, 11, in 8:06. Huntington Beach’s Daniel Spencer, 14, won the boys’ race in 7:29. Westminster’s Manuel Dominguez, 13, was second in 7:37.