Los Altos Town Crier » New Year’s ‘Fun Run’ to usher in 50th anniversary

By Town Crier Staff Report

Sending 2002 off to a running start, Los Altos begins the celebration of its 50th anniversary with the revival of the New Year’s Day run.

The city has scheduled a 5K (3.1-mile) “Fun Run” to begin 9 a.m., Jan. 1, at State and Main streets in downtown Los Altos.

The run will be the first of several events celebrating the city’s 1952 incorporation.

City officials hope the fun run will be just that - there is no emphasis on finishing first and no grand prize. Participants can run, walk, inline skate, skateboard or stroller with their babies and toddlers. No bicycles will be allowed in the race.

“This is definitely a community event - it is not competitive- based,” said Dave Brees, parks and recreation director. “It’s the satisfaction of going out and having fun.”

Music and refreshments will be part of the festivities. Souvenir T-shirts will be available for purchase.

The event is a revival of past Los Altos New Year’s runs, including a “Midnight Run” and a New Year’s Day run which was stopped in the mid-1990s.

“The Fun Run downtown ran at least from 1984 through 1993, and then I think it was rained out in 1994,” recalled Los Altos Councilman King Lear. “The 1994 version was scheduled to be around Civic Center because the city decided it was too much trouble having it downtown. I believe that was the last time we attempted a fun run. It wasn’t nearly as much fun running around civic center parking lots versus running around in our great downtown.

“One of the problems came up when Draeger’s (market on First Street) decided to open for business on New Year’s Day beginning at 10 a.m.,” Lear said. “That was the same time that the run began with the course going right past Draeger’s. This year, we will bypass First Street, and we begin at 9 a.m. I think it will work great.”

The course will be through downtown Los Altos and portions of the following streets will be closed off from traffic: State, Main, Whitney, Second, Third, and Fourth. No registration is required. For more information, call 941-0950.