A spirited run around Fashion Island

Bryce Alderton

NEWPORT BEACH -- Brothers Nick and Zach Balden each smiled, dripping

sweat, as they unwrapped Jolly Rancher candies mother Wendy gave them

after finishing their one-mile run.

“Their motivation was the Jolly Ranchers,” said Balden, a Newport

Beach resident, laughing as she hugged 8-year-old Nick and 6-year-old

Zach.

The two brothers both attend Roy O. Andersen Elementary School in

Newport Beach, one of five Newport-Mesa schools that will benefit from

proceeds raised Sunday from the 19th annual Spirit Run hosted by Leigh

and Lucy Steinberg that took place at Fashion Island.

“It’s fun to see all the kids run with all their other friends at

school,” Balden said as she corralled Nick and Zach to go to breakfast.

The boys were among the 6,000 expected runners and spectators dotting

the course for the slew of races that began with a 10K run/walk followed

by a 5K race, one mile and half-mile courses split into age categories

and a 25-yard Toddler Trot for children 3 and younger.

Sunday’s Spirit Run also featured the Anaheim Mighty Ducks Goal Patrol

Hockey Rink, where children could test their accuracy by using a hockey

stick to shoot a ball into a net, and appearances by Ducks’ mascot Wild

Wing and 17-year-old Olympic figure skater Sasha Cohen, who announced the

start of the run for 7-year-olds.

Andersen, East Bluff, Harbor View, Lincoln and Newport Coast

elementary schools will benefit from the money raised. As of Sunday the

total was $120,000, but final numbers won’t be available for a couple of

weeks, said race director Kathy Kinane of Kinane Events, who’s directed

the race for the last 11 years.

Finishing the 10K run with his wife Melissa Hicks and 8-year-old son

Andrew McCormack, who attends Lincoln Elementary School, watching him

was all that mattered to 46-year-old Tom McCormack of Newport Beach.

“I finished it, that’s all that counts,” McCormack said grinning. My

wife and child were there so it was a win. There’s lots of folks running

out there, it’s great.”

Spirit Run organizers had to change the course route this year because

of a scheduling conflict with the final round of the Toshiba Senior

Classic golf tournament on Sunday. Golf course attendees were to park on

parts of Newport Center Drive where the Spirit Run’s course was scheduled

to be.

City staff accidentally issued permits that put the two events in

conflict. Neither event was flexible in its dates, so one of them had to

move.

Race organizers moved the start and finish lines and added fencing and

scaffolding along the course, Kinane said.

The Spirit Run has grown to the third-largest children’s run in

California, the culmination of months of preparation.

Organizers will begin planning for next year’s run in the coming weeks

and begin taking children’s art work submissions for next year’s logo,

Kinane said.

“It’s people donating their time that makes the money,” Kinane said.

“I love it. It’s really high-energy and people care about what they’re

doing. It puts a whole other slant on it.”

-- Bryce Alderton is the news assistant. He may be reached at (949)

574-4298 or by e-mail at o7 [email protected] .