Run & Ride is back, live and in-person
By John Gregory
Participants in the Scripps Ranch Old Pros 4th of July Run & Ride will once again spill into local streets early on Independence Day as one of the most popular community spectacles returns in full force following two years of adjusted participation due to COVID-19 restrictions.
Overall, the Scripps Ranch Old Pros athletic club will hold two running events and four cycling events – all on the morning of July 4. Everything culminates with a celebratory festival in Hoyt Park.
The Run & Ride includes a 10k run, a 2-mile fun run; a 12-mile bike ride, a 28-mile bike ride, a new 28-mile trail bike ride (gravel), and a 50-mile bike ride.
Members of the Old Pros will launch all these events in about 1.5 hours.
How do they do it?
“Years and years of trial and error – 300 members (volunteers), communication as well as coordination with the City of San Diego,” said Anthony Gonzalez, Old Pros 2022 Run & Ride Czar.
The two running events begin on Red Cedar Drive in the street beside Miramar Ranch Elementary school. The street is always packed with thousands of participants, and the stream of runners seems to go on forever.
The cycling events begin on Hibert Street at the intersection with Scripps Ranch Boulevard.
The 10k run begins at 7 a.m.; the fun run starts at about 7:15 a.m.; the 50-mile bike ride starts at 7 a.m.; the gravel ride will begin at 7:15 a.m.; the 28-mile ride starts at 7:30 a.m.; and the fun ride launches at 8:30 a.m. All events end at Hoyt Park in the morning.
The celebration in Hoyt Park is open to the general public and will include inflatable slides for children, concessions and vendors. Live music will be performed by Equinox from 8 to 11:30 a.m., according to Gonzalez. There will also be a beer garden, but it will be open only to Run & Ride participants.
“It’s going to be a party!” Gonzalez said.
The two running events draw the most participants. This year, the 10k is an officially sanctioned event by USA Track and Field, recognized as the national governing body for track and field, cross country, road running and racewalking. Several world-class runners participate in the Run & Ride 10k each year. The race attracts so many top runners because much of the course is downhill, which helps them achieve personal best record times.
Street closures
Scripps Ranch residents should expect temporary street closures due to the Run & Ride on the morning
of July 4 from 4 a.m. to 10 a.m. at the following locations: Scripps Lake Drive from Red Cedar Drive to Miramar Lake; Red Cedar Drive from Scripps Lake Drive to Aviary Drive; Grayfox Drive from Red Cedar Drive to Vista Valle Drive; Vista Valle Drive from Grayfox Drive to Pinetree Drive; Canyon Lake Drive from Pinetree Drive to Aviary Drive; Scripps Lake Drive from Red Cedar Drive to Scripps Ranch Boulevard; Hibert Street from Treena Street to Scripps Ranch Boulevard; and Aviary Drive from Scripps Ranch Boulevard to Red Cedar Drive.
Free shuttles to the start of the running events will be available beforehand in the parking lot of the business complex at Meanley Drive.
The Scripps Ranch Old Pros donate more than $30,000 to youth sports and college scholarships every year from this event, according to Gonzalez.
Runners and cyclists can still sign up online to participate. Runners can even sign up early in the morning the day of the events at Red Cedar Drive. Visit runride.org to sign up in advance.