On the run

Ellen McCarty

NEWPORT BEACH -- The 13th annual Harbor Heritage Run earned more than

$32,000 for the Newport Harbor High School PTA, and for the most part,

ran smoothly, organizers said.

The PTA will use the funds to sponsor the high school’s counseling

assistant, a parent newsletter, academic boosters and programs, event

chairwoman Sandra Weiner said.

“We received tremendous support from the community,” she said of the 11

sponsors, including premier sponsor Coldwell Banker.

Challenges, however, hit closer to home -- when Weiner’s own 17-year-old

son, Robert, asked for her assistance.

“He came up to me about five minutes before the run and said, ‘Mom, do

you have any tennis shoes?”’she said. “I said, ‘What, are you crazy?’ Of

course, there was nowhere I could get tennis shoes in time for the race,

so he just walked around the field and eventually someone lent him a

pair.”

Weiner was one of 765 runners who participated in the 2K and 5K runs

through the Newport Heights neighborhood known for its gently rolling

hills, ocean views and cool breezes.

Nancy Watson, a former chairwoman of the event, manned the finish line

and said she was happy to see so many young people up early for the

Saturday event, which started at 10 a.m.

“The people who win are those who usually win all the races,” she said.

“But our kids came in pretty early. They were in the top 10%”

About 1,500 people attended the event, which included field hockey, water

polo tournaments and a free health and fitness fair.