Over 600 participants filled the Main Quad in front of the Otter Student Union Saturday morning for the third annual Monte’s 5K.
The run was part of RAFT (Reunion And Family Traditions) Weekend where family, alumni and friends, according to the school, can all “come together, as otters do.” The 5K cost each entrant $20, with proceeds going toward student scholarships. This entry fee was waived for current CSUMB students, who were – surprisingly – outnumbered by off-campus attendees including alumni, family members, faculty and staff.
At 9 a.m. the 5K participants started on their journey. The 3.1-mile course took place all around campus, going through Main Quad, North Quad, Cardinale Stadium and University Center. At each mile there were water stations to rehydrate and recover. Throughout the course there were volunteers from various organizations on campus (Exercise is Medicine, OSU and Recreation), all with encouraging words, creative signs (“In my Running Era!” and “You Otter Run Faster!”) and cowbells to cheer on participants through their race.
The winner of the race was Derek Sun, a 17 year old from San Leandro, California. He won with a 17:41 5K time, averaging a 5:49 pace per mile.
JayCee Light, a second year collaborative health and human services major, was extremely motivated to return to the 5K this year. “Me and my roomie went to run the 5K because it teaches you about determination and strength,” Light said.
Being a part of the women’s soccer team, Light was interested in furthering their wellness goals. They said, “I think CSUMB raising money for scholarships is a nice gesture because prices are going up and such for many students.”
One of the event volunteers was Amelie Norris, a computer science major and a part of the social media team for the OSU, more specifically Mini Monte’s handler. During the run, she got to take pictures and interact with runners. Mini Monte even got to contribute to the conversation, revealing his favorite part of the event was, “seeing all of the happy faces cross the finish line and receive their medals.”