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# Healing the bay in his own way
- URL: https://www.smdp.com/healing-the-bay-in-his-own-way/
- Published: 2007-05-05T15:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-24T00:41:45.000Z
- Author: Melody Hanatani
- Tags: Environment, Pier, #archive-import

*Santa Monica Classic heads to starting line*

CITYWIDE Running is not only good for the body, it can also be beneficial to the marine life environment.

For the second straight year, Whole Foods Market and Nike Club Run L.A. will co-sponsor the Santa Monica Classic on Sunday, a 5K and 10K run through scenic Santa Monica to benefit Heal the Bay.

The event commences at 2600 Barnard Way and concludes at the Santa Monica Pier, where a bevy of vendors will be on hand to offer food and snacks to race participants and those in attendance.

Close to 3,000 people are expected to participate in this year’s race, which is split into the 5K run that begins at 7:30 a.m. and a 10K run that follows half an hour later. Both the 5K and 10K runs start and end at the same locations, but their courses take different routes.

The purpose of the event is to raise money for Santa Monica-based Heal the Bay, a nonprofit organization dedicated to cleaning Southern California watersheds, including the Santa Monica Bay.

Brentwood resident and longtime Heal the Bay volunteer Peter Abraham conceived the idea to start a race through Santa Monica as a way to combine his three passions — marketing, running and the environment.

“I thought at the time there was nothing in Santa Monica, no sports events of any kind,” Abraham said. “It’s an important city on the coast and really the running capital of Los Angeles.”

“All the huge groups that train for the marathons come to Santa Monica on the weekends,” he added.

The goal was to create a one-of-a-kind benefit where runners could enjoy a beautiful course along the coastline and receive free merchandise that they could actually use.

While many races give away free T-shirts that might not be used after the event, the Santa Monica Classic hands out free Nike running shirts that running enthusiasts are likely to use over and over, he said.

Last year’s event attracted 1,700 people and raised $7,500 for Heal the Bay. The goal for this year’s event is to raise $15,000.

“We’re all about keeping beaches and the ocean clean and it’s a perfect match for us,” said Hillary Atkin, spokeswoman for Heal the Bay. “We’re really proud of Peter for putting it all together.”

The race will once again feature a team of athletes from Nike Elite Runners. Venice resident and Culver City High School teacher Ali Mann has trained with the Nike Elite Runners for the past three years and will be among the participants traversing the city this weekend.

The avid runner has participated in a race every weekend since March.

Her goal this weekend is to break her personal best record in the 5K run, which is 17 minutes.

“I feel like I definitely can \[break my record\],” she said. “I’ve been doing the 1,500s for weeks now so it’s nice to do something different.” (Editor’s note: Interested runners can register at REI, 402 Santa Monica Blvd., on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., or on the morning of the race. For more information, visit the Santa Monica Classic’s Web site at www.santamonicaclassic.com.)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/55/9f/559f9abc-8372-4a2e-8c2d-27386da4e363/content/images/2026/10/050507-01_01.jpg)

SOME HAPPY FEET: This Sunday’s second annual Santa Monica Classic will feature a 5K and 10K run through scenic Santa Monica, with both races culminating at the Santa Monica Pier. (Photo: Photo courtesy)

*Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on May 5, 2007.* [Read the original PDF.](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/050507.pdf?ref=smdp.com)