CAPITOLA >> Shortly after standing on the bandstand and accepting recognition for taking second among the women during the 45th annual Wharf to Wharf, Monicah Ngige tentatively approached someone watching from the crowd. She wanted a picture so she could show her friends back home that she’d met a world-class athlete.
That athlete was Katie Zaferes, the local triathlete who recently moved up into the top spot on the World Triathlon Series rankings.
Zaferes, fresh off winning the team event and placing fourth individually in a WTS race in Hamburg, Germany, ran the race for the first time Sunday with her mother-in-law, Nancy Zaferes.
“She kept up with me just fine,” quipped Nancy Zaferes.
The duo finished in 49 minutes, 58 seconds, almost adhering to the 45-minute easy run that was built into Zaferes’ training log for the day.
Zaferes said she enjoyed running as one of the masses in a race that also features elite athletes.
“It’s really fun to have the elite runners but not race as an elite,” she said, “and have an opportunity to take in the bands and get the leis and talk to people.”
Zaferes returned to her home in Watsonville for a week for a little reprieve before she races at another WTS event in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, next week.
“It’s my tune-up race for Edmonton,” Zaferes joked.
Top dog
Scott McConville, the Wharf to Wharf race director, knows how to run things, including his own race. He competed in the Wharf to Wharf for the first time since 2009 and finished among the coveted top 100.
He had been mulling over the feat for at least a year but didn’t really commit himself to it until three weeks ago.
“I realized if I really plan it well, I have so many great people around me, I can do this,” he said.
Nonetheless, he almost wore his CB radio on the course but ditched it with a friend at the start when he realized it would be difficult to run with. He also forgot his watch, but he kept an eye on the clocks at the mile markers and used his knowledge of race paces to deduce where he was in the pack. That, plus a little prodding from his brother-in-law three-quarters of the way through, paid off.
“I got to Mile 4 and I knew I was on the bubble at that point because of past races,” he said. “After Mile 4, I passed about 15 people in the last mile and a half.”
That made all the difference. He finished in 34:09 to claim 90th place. The 100th man, William Holleran of San Francisco, finished in 34:24.
‘Meant to be’
Joanie Rosebraugh of Scotts Valley strode matter-of-factly up to the bandstand to collect her prize after her name had been announced over the loud speaker. Inside, she was shaking.
A series of fortunate events led to Rosebraugh claiming the trip to New Zealand to race the Wharf 2 Wharf, the Santa Cruz event’s sister race, scheduled for March 17, 2018.
“I wasn’t going to do the race,” she said.
Rosebraugh, a retired UC Santa Cruz human resources employee who has raced about 20 times, registered anyway with the thought she would give the bib away. Then she found out she has been awarded a golden bib, which would put her in a drawing for the expense-paid trip worth $6,000. So, she decided to run, and actually turned in one of her best times.
Waiting around the bandstand post race, she groaned with the rest of the pack of nervous gold-bib wearers when she heard someone else’s number called.
But that woman wasn’t there, a requirement to win the prize.
So, another number was drawn. It wasn’t hers either, or at least not the one she was wearing, but the name attached to it was. She was wearing a replacement bib because hers had never been delivered.
Rosebraugh said she couldn’t believe how many things had to go in her favor for her to win.
As she said, “It’s meant to be, I guess.”
Raineri not slowing down
Joseph Raineri was 13 years old when he was diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa, a rare genetic disorder that involves a breakdown of cells in the retina causing him to go blind. The loss of vision didn’t prevent Raineri from running his first marathon in the mid-1970s, though.
And he hasn’t stopped since.
Sunday was Raineri’s third time racing the Wharf to Wharf. He finished in 1:10:07.
“I think I started it, truthfully, as therapy for dealing with going blind and anger,” Raineri said. “I just started running for a release of energy.”
The 64-year-old Washington native has run in 19 marathons and nearly 50 half-marathons throughout his racing career. He was accompanied by his guide and son, Chase. Raineri’s brother, Mark, also suffers from the disorder and was also running by his side.
“Luckily, I conned my son, Chase, into doing this with me this year,” Raineri said. “Gotta depend on the guide, can’t do it without him. So, it’s quite a gift to have somebody run with Mark and I.”
Rivera returns
Armando Rivera was devastated when he found out last year’s Wharf to Wharf sold out in minutes.
“I made sure that I wasn’t going to pass on it this year,” said Rivera, who injured his back in a horse-riding accident nearly 40 years ago and competes in a wheelchair.
Rivera said he just wants to raise awareness for the disabled who need help getting motivated. Even if it means racing six miles in a wheelchair.
The 56-year old San Jose native continues to be an inspiration to people after a strenuous effort.
“I’m going to keep coming back, god willing,” he said. “I was able to absorb the energy from the crowds. The whole race was just awesome. It was fun.”
Julie Jag and Juan Reyes contributed to this report.
