Saratoga News Runners, walkers gear up for the annual Great Race Fleet-footed residents of Los Gatos, Saratoga and cities throughout the South Bay are gearing up for Feb. 21 and the 22nd annual Great Race, a four-mile run whose profits benefit the Los Gatos Rotary Club's many charitable causes. The Great Race began in 1977 when Mimi Baca, of PRx Inc. Strategic Marketing Communications in San Jose, dreamed it up to promote public awareness of Western Federal Savings' offices in Los Gatos and Saratoga. The company was a PRx client at the time. During the early years, the race was run in two directions simultaneously. At the time, the race was limited to people who lived or worked in the three communities. In 1984, when a lack of corporate sponsorship threatened the race's existence, the Los Gatos Rotary Club picked up the ball and took over the management and staging of the race. The two-way race evolved into a four-mile run from Saratoga to Los Gatos. The starting point is now at the intersection of Big Basin Way and Third Street in Saratoga; the race ends at N. Santa Cruz and Bean avenues in Los Gatos. This year, the Great Race is expected to attract 2,500 athletes, including those using wheelchairs. This is the fourth year in which competitive runners can be "seeded," meaning they get to start from strategic positions ahead of the pack. As runners head toward Los Gatos, a pace car will drive alongside them, giving the front runners a readout of elapsed time. As each runner crosses the finish line, announcers will call out the name and city of residence. Runners are then "chuted" through a post-race route, at which time their race bibs are pulled, their race times recorded and their completion ribbons given. They will also receive goodie bags filled with snacks, drinks and promotional items. When all runners have finished, an awards ceremony honors the overall winner, top male and female winners and top three finishers in each of seven categories. Other diversions include a fitness fair and music by the Los Gatos High School Wildcat Marching Band. Past and present charitable causes that the Los Gatos Rotary Club supports--through donations and scholarships--include the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, Special Olympics, Eastfield Ming Quong, Hope Rehabilitation Services, Second Harvest Food Bank, Live Oak Senior Nutrition Center, Los Gatos-Monte Sereno Police Department Mobile Command Post and the Art Docents of Los Gatos. The Great Race entry fee, which includes a T-shirt and goodie bag, is $20 prior to the race or $25 on race day. Preregistration is available at Runners Factory, 51 University Ave., Los Gatos, or at Athletic Performance, 55 W. Main St., Los Gatos. Registration on race day begins at 7 a.m.; the three-wave start of the race begins at 9 a.m. sharp. For more information, call 980-7177. [ Back to Contents Page | Saratoga News Home Page | Archives ] This article appeared in the Saratoga News, February 3, 1999. ©1999 Metro Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved.