Santa_Monica_News Racing for a Cause; Local Media Outlet Places Second

Racing for a Cause; Local Media Outlet Places Second

By Lookout Staff

April 21 -- Thousands gathered in Griffith Park on Sunday to soak in live music, sample tasty treats and root as hundreds of runners raced to raise money for St. John’s Health Center.

The 23rd Annual Jimmy Stewart Relay Marathon, hosted by Robert Wagner and Chris O’Donnell, raised $325,000 and counting for the health center, which is set to open its new campus this year.

Host Robert Wagner arrives for the races.

The Surf Santa Monica Deadliners, the only local news outlet in the inaugural Media Invitational Relay Challenge, took the silver medal, besting nearly a dozen major media outlets across LA.

Jose Solano, who catapulted to fame as the lead in the hit television show, “Baywatch,” ran the final leg for the Deadliners in the five-person, five-mile relay race.

LA Sport and Fitness took the gold in the media relay, with Channel 4 News finishing third.

Team Runners High won the 26 mile main event, the largest five-person relay marathon in the United States. LA Shadow finished second and Gardena Reebok took third place.

Staff writers Olin Ericksen and Juliet McShannon await the results of the media race.

The Diaper Dash and Children’s race allowed youngsters to test their speed and endurance in shorter races.

Sunday’s event was sponsored by Lexus, which has donated $100,000 to St John's for the past four years. Since its first race in 1982, the Relay Marathon has raised $8.2 million.