LOS ANGELES, April 19, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- RaceForce,
LLC, a leading endurance and athletic event production company
based in Los Angeles, Calif.,
announced over 3,000 participants and 2,000 spectators
attended the inaugural House of Blues Music Forward Foundation
Sunset Strip Half Marathon & 5K in West Hollywood on Sunday. West Hollywood Mayor John D'Amico, local
business leaders, and running enthusiasts from Southern California attended in support of the
13.1 mile road race through West
Hollywood and the world-famous Sunset Strip.
"West Hollywood is thrilled to
welcome runners from across the Southland to enjoy the Sunset Strip
and surrounding neighborhoods, which are packed with creative
energy and famous sites that have entertained generations," said
Mayor D'Amico.
"This event showcases the best of West
Hollywood — the Melrose Design District showcasing the
fashion and style LA is known for; Santa Monica Boulevard and our
piece of Route 66, the center of LGBT culture; and the notorious
Sunset Strip with its infamous rock clubs and nightspots and over
125 billboards and tall walls. Is there a better way to spend
a Sunday and see our city? Congratulations to each and every
runner for participating in this new way of experiencing music
history and the city of West
Hollywood," Mayor D'Amico added.
The race start and finish line took place adjacent to West
Hollywood Park. The route enabled racers to run on Sunset
Boulevard, La Cienega Boulevard, Santa Monica Boulevard, Melrose
Avenue and past famed institutions on the Sunset Strip including
The Roxy Theatre, The Viper Room, and Whisky a Go Go.
"We designed the race to be a one-of-a-kind experience where
participants can run the course of rock history," said Brian Pendleton, Chief Executive Officer of
RaceForce.
"We are thrilled by the response from our racers and spectators
this weekend, many of whom traveled from all over Southern California and have stayed the
weekend here in West Hollywood for
The Race. We thank Mayor John D'Amico, Councilmember John J.
Duran, Councilmember Lindsey P. Horvath, Councilmember Lauren
Meister, the City of West
Hollywood, and all our sponsors such as The House of Blues
Music Forward Foundation, Westime, Sheppard
Mullin, Richter & Hampton, Merrill Lynch Private Banking
& Investment Group, Gursey | Schneider LLP, CPEhr, NFR &
Associates,Perlman & Associates and Michelob ULTRA who helped
us make this a remarkable new outdoor event for the city,"
Pendleton added.
The top male finisher was Edy
Hernandez, 22, of Anaheim,
Calif., with an official finish time of 1:17:33. The top
female finisher was Christina
Vergara-Aleshire, 33, of Las
Vegas, Nev., with an official finish time of 1:22:23.
At the finish line, race participants received a cutting-edge,
electric guitar designed finisher medal and a t-shirt. Other
event activities included the rock-themed finish line with live
music performances from local bands such as Flights Over Phoenix,
Devin Tait and the Traitors, 29
Live, Hoity~Toity, Flight of Fire and Name the
Band.
"Our rock-themed finish line was the quintessential way to
welcome back racers. We couldn't be more pleased," Pendleton
added.
Like many large-scale athletic events, race participants could
raise funds for local charity partners. The 2015 charity
partners include the House of Blues Music Forward Foundation, Team
To End AIDS and the Institute for Myeloma & Bone Cancer
Research.
"It was an honor to be a part of the inaugural Sunset Strip
Half-Marathon and 5K because over the past 20 years, Music Forward
has provided educational music programs for more than 100,000 young
people right here on the Sunset Strip at the historic House of
Blues," said Marjorie Gilberg,
Executive Director of the House of Blues Music Forward
Foundation.
"We are dedicated to fostering unity and creating opportunity
for youth through music. Thanks to the generous support of
our partnership with Live Nation and House of Blues, one hundred
percent of the funds raised by race participants will be used to
support our programs that use the power of music to fuel
creativity, build confidence, and connect passions to professions,"
Gilberg added.
For more information on the Sunset Strip Half Marathon & 5K,
visit www.sunsetstriphalf.com.
ABOUT RACEFORCE, LLC: RaceForce, LLC
("RaceForce") is a subsidiary of OmniForce, LLC, and a leading
endurance and athletic event production company based in
Los Angeles, CA. Using an
extensive network and wealth of core competencies including:
Strategic Marketing; Sponsorship Acquisition and Production
Support, RaceForce partners with existing events to offer support
where helpful while maintaining the event's grassroots
identity. RaceForce events are legendary and cherished
by their respective community. RaceForce events
include: The Sunset Strip Half Marathon & 5K, The Surf
City USA Marathon and the Surf
City 10 Mile, 10K, 5K & Kids Run in Huntington Beach, CA; The Golden Gate Half
Marathon, The Livermore Half Marathon & The Town's Half
Marathon in Oakland. For more information regarding
RaceForce, LLC, visit www.raceforce.com.
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SOURCE RaceForce, LLC