HE'S BACK FOR MORE SEIBERT TO RUN IN ANOTHER SANTA CLARITA MARATHON.Byline: Kirby Lee Special to the Daily News The Santa Clarita Santa Clarita, city (1990 pop. 110,642), Los Angeles co., S Calif., suburb 30 mi (48 km) NW of downtown Los Angeles, on the Santa Clara River; inc. 1987. Situated in the Santa Clara valley and nearby canyons, Santa Clarita includes the former towns of Canyon Country, Marathon couldn't find a better recruiter than Don Seibert. The Santa Clarita resident keeps coming back for the 26.2-mile footrace. And each year, the 52-year-old insurance company audit manager brings more runners with him. Seibert, who has run in all six previous Santa Clarita marathons, has trumpeted the virtues of the marathon to entice others to give it a try. ``It's a hometown thing to run on that course,'' Seibert said. ``L.A. is just too big and crowded. I like Santa Clarita because it is smaller and it has a whole different feeling to the race with the community.'' This year's Santa Clarita Marathon also will have a national appeal. It is part of ``Run for America,'' a nationwide virtual run/walk on Sunday to coincide with the New York City Marathon The New York City Marathon is an annual marathon foot-race run over a 42,195 m (26.2 mile) course through all five boroughs of New York City. It is the largest marathon race in the world, and with 37,866 finishers in 2006, was also the largest marathon race ever run. . The proceeds from the event will benefit the American Red Cross American Red Cross: see Red Cross. , the Families of Freedom Scholarship Fund, the NYC NYC abbr. New York City NYC New York City Uniformed Firefighters Association The Uniformed Firefighters Association is the main union of firefighters in the Fire Department of New York (FDNY). Its president is Stephen J. Cassidy, a vocal critic of mayor Rudy Giuliani's decisions during the Rescue and recovery effort after the September 11, 2001 Widows and Children's Fund, and the Twin Towers Fund. To take part, entrants may register at the Run for America Web site - www.runforamerica.com - and select the ``race'' in which they will participate and the charity to which they would like to donate. For a $15 donation, participants will be entered in the ``race'' and can download a special Run for America race bib bib - BibTeX . Entrants will run or walk their ``race'' and will have the opportunity to post essays and photos about their Run for America experience. For Seibert, the Santa Clarita Marathon will be an opportunity to get together with friends and family. The group will meet at Seibert's home, where his wife will transport the group to the starting line starting line n. Sports The point or line at which a race begins. Noun 1. starting line - a line indicating the location of the start of a race or a game scratch line, scratch, start at Lang Station in Canyon Country. She will meet the group at several points and videotape the runners before heading to the finish. In addition to running partners and Valencia residents Gene Borelli and Jeff Roberts, Seibert will run with Jeff Weintraub and Percy Manansala, both of whom he helped train for the marathon. Seibert met Weintraub while running the Big Sur Marathon The Big Sur International Marathon is an annual marathon held in California, USA along the Pacific coast. The marathon was established in 1986 and attracts about 4,500 participants annually. The event usually includes a 21 mile race, a relay, a 5km run and various walks. in Northern California Northern California, sometimes referred to as NorCal, is the northern portion of the U.S. state of California. The region contains the San Francisco Bay Area, the state capital, Sacramento; as well as the substantial natural beauty of the redwood forests, the northern two years ago. Weintraub, who was running a leg in the marathon relay, expressed a desire to someday complete the full distance. Seibert recommended the Santa Clarita marathon and offered to open his home to the Pacific Grove Pacific Grove, residential and resort city (1990 pop. 16,117), Monterey co., W central Calif., on a point where Monterey Bay meets the Pacific Ocean; inc. 1889. resident to stay overnight before the race. Weintraub completed last year's race for his first marathon and will be back for the second year Sunday. Manansala, a brother of one of Seibert's co-workers, contacted Seibert for assistance in training for the L.A. Marathon in March. Although Seibert did not run in the L.A. Marathon, he drove Manansala to the race, monitoring his pupil's progress at several points along the course and finish. ``The good thing about Don is his attitude toward running,'' said Manansala, 39, of Canoga Park. ``I am competitive and hard on myself. Times are not important. He is really encouraging (me) to complete a task like the marathon. His main priority is to have a good time.'' Seibert was attracted to the first Santa Clarita Marathon in 1995 at age 46 after participating in a 5-K walk for charity several months earlier. In 1996, he ran a personal-best of 4 hours, 33 minutes, 6 seconds at Santa Clarita. Now, a veteran of 11 marathons, Seibert, who will be shooting for five hours on Sunday, never participated competitively in any sport until he took up running 6 1/2 years ago. He never has had a formal coach, drawing upon seminars, books and magazines for his training. Seibert runs around his work schedule three to four times a week for a total of 25-35 miles. ``There are not a lot of sports that you can play at my size,'' the 5-foot-6 1/2, 165-pound Seibert said. ``Running is such an interesting sport because it is so individual. The marathon is a challenge that less than one percent of the world will try something like that.'' Seibert receives the support of his family on race day but neither his wife nor his daughter Lindsay, 23, and son Joshua, 21, are interested in going the distance with him. Joshua occasionally participates in a 5-K with his father but he ``looks at it as torture'' according to according to prep. 1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians. 2. In keeping with: according to instructions. 3. Seibert. Joshua once ran in a 5-K at Magic Mountain for the free admission given to the amusement park amusement park, a commercially operated park offering various forms of entertainment, such as arcade games, carousels, roller coasters, and performers, as well as food, drink, and souvenirs. for race participants. GOING THE DISTANCE What: Seventh annual Santa Clarita Marathon When: Sunday, 7 a.m. Where: The 26.2-mile race begins at Lang Station in Canyon Country and finishes at Newhall Park. The course travels through Saugus, Valencia, Santa Clarita and Newhall, passing by Saugus Speedway, College of the Canyons College of the Canyons is one of the fastest-growing community colleges in the state. According to the National Junior College Research Association, College of the Canyons consistently ranks in the top 50 community colleges in the nation. , California Institute of the Arts California Institute of the Arts known as CalArts U.S. private institution of higher learning in Valencia. Created in 1961 through the merger of two other art institutes, it was the first in the U.S. , Six Flags California and Valencia Industrial Park. 2000 champions: Temoc Mercado, Lancaster 2:37:35; Anissa Seguin, Valencia 3:01:25. Facts and figures: A half-marathon, 5K and 1K Kid's run will also be held. About 2000 participants are expected to participate in the running events, including 500 in the marathon. Registration: Valencia Hyatt, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. today; $60 marathon; $45 half-marathon; $23 5K; $15 Kid's run. Information: www.scmarathon.org; (800) 823-3455. CAPTION(S): photo, box Photo: Canyon Country resident Don Seibert, 52, will participate in his seventh consecutive Santa Clarita Marathon on Sunday. Shaun Dyer/Special to the Daily News Box: GOING THE DISTANCE (see text) |
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