Peninsula cross country coach Chris Foster Conquers the Bridge

SAN PEDRO >> The 8th aual Conquer the Bridge Run Monday morning through the streets of San Pedro, including going back and forth over the Vincent Thomas Bridge, had a youthful feel to it as 13-year old Devin Ito, of Temecula, took home the women’s individual championship for the second straight year in a time of 35 minutes, 41 seconds. Ito is a freshman at Great Oak High School and was very pleased with her performance.

“I’m very excited to win this race again,” Ito said. “I really like this race and ruing over the bridge is really cool.”

There were over 4,000 ruers in this year’s event. Race founder Michael Hogue is happy to see what the race has become since he started it eight years ago.

“I just thought it was a good time to have another race over the bridge. The last one we had here stopped ruing in 1994. It took a long time to get everything back together but it looks like it’s working,” Hogue said. “I’m very happy with our turnout this year and it shows me that it was a good idea to start it up again.”

As for having such a young repeat champion in the women’s division, Hogue was very complimentary of Ito.

“She’s just an amazing athlete, we are lucky to have her,” Hogue said. “She probably got out of bed at 3 a.m. this morning as her parents had to drive her up from Temecula. She has won this two years in a row and she shaved three minutes off her time, which means she is an amazing athlete and she is going to keep getting better.”

On the men’s side, Chris Foster, of San Pedro, took home the individual title in a time of 27:55. Foster, a cross country coach at Peninsula High, enjoyed ruing in his first Conquer the Bridge run.

“It feels great and it’s a fun race. You get to run a route you’re not usually able to run and you get a great view of the port as you run,” Foster said. “I guess I have to tell my ruers that I won. I thought it would be an interesting course to run and it’s right down the street from where I live so it’s pretty convenient.”

There were athletes of many ages who ran in the race. One of them was 10-year-old Gavin Steuerwald, of Rancho Palos Verdes, who took home the 10-and-under title in a time of 50:12.

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“We didn’t have school today and I wanted to run in another race and this one was close,” said Steuerwald who is a fifth grader at Mira Catalina Elementary School. “It feels really good to win my division. I’m very happy and stoked. I’m very happy with my time. I beat my personal record I set last year in another race.”

On the other end of the age spectrum, is an 80-year old native of Holland, William Akerboom ,who didn’t start ruing until he was 66 and was surprised that he finished first in his division in a time of 1:01.

“I ran this race last year and I liked it so I decided to do it again,” said Akerboom, who now resides in Eastvale. “I’m surprised I made it (and won). I used to do a lot of hiking and decided to start ruing too. I really like this course, especially the bridge, I will do it again next year, if I’m still around.”