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Photo by Rich Gonzalez

Big Bear HS coach Mickey Hall and son Ryan at the 2001 Masters Meet. Ryan, the California state meet recordholder at 1600 meters and now competing at Stanford University, is helping host mountain visitors and the locals alike in periodic "Fun Runs" with the Big Bear Running Club. Join in on the fun!

Altitude is advantage for all athletes training in Big Bear - (Tom Moriarty)

Altitude is why boxers and other top athletes come to Big Bear to train and develop their endurance. Big Bear altitude is why runners come here from all over California during the summer to train with their cross country teams.

It's a well-known fact that distance runners who train in altitude have an advantage over runners who don't. Many of the top runners in the world come from a small area of Kenya with the same altitude as Big Bear. Runners like 800-meter star David Kiptoo and Linus Maiyo, who finished second at the World's Best 10K and will compete in August at the World Track and Field Championships in Paris, live and train in their native Kenya. Kenyan runners have dominated the distance and middle-distance races in the world track scene for many years.

Runners can have the same training advantage in Big Bear that these Kenyan runners have enjoyed. In Kenya, most children run to school, using their feet as their primary form of transportation. They average about 30 miles per week. The Big Bear Running Club encourages young and old alike to start running. Organized group runs meet at various locations throughout the Valley during the summer.

While Big Bear doesn't have a David Kiptoo or a Linus Maiyo, it does have a Ryan Hall, who is currently an All-American runner at Stanford University. Hall led the first group run on Saturday, July 12, at Snow Summit. There will be several more runs during the summer and interested runners are invited to join the Big Bear Running Club during their runs.

For more information contact Bob Randle at (909) 585-7371 or Mickey Hall at (909) 866-9284

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