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Sports

Elite Runners, Elves, Kids Come Out for Christmas Run

Saturday's race sees its highest number of runners in 20 years–and crazy costumes to boot.

Spirits were high at the 33rd annual , which had well over 4,000 runners–its highest number in 20 years.

"It's just absolutely fun. Everybody's having a great time," race founder Bruce Mitchell said. "The weather is as good as you can have it for running. Perfect temperature. ... We're very thankful, especially compared with last year, when we had an absolute deluge on the day of the race."

The festive atmosphere was evident in the number of holiday outfits on display. Jerad Slagle, who ran for the second year as an elf, sported a red shirt, green shorts and red-and-white striped stockings. He said there were far more costumes than last year.

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The Hermosa Beach resident, who ran the Christmas Run for the first time last year with friends, says dressing up for the race is a tradition of theirs now. "It was a lot of fun. And the course is nice and flat," he said.

Pat Schaffer and Joel Werner, both of Santa Monica, wore matching elf outfits, from their velvety pants to their pointy hats. "Everybody loves it. I've never been so popular," Schaffer said. "The vendors in Venice loved us. They were calling out, 'Santa's gonna get you!' "

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After they finished, the two men waited for other members of their group, who were also dressed as elves. "Except they're sexy elves," Schaffer said of his female counterparts.

Mitchell said race organizers encouraged different running groups to come dressed up. For next year's race, they're considering a team-running competition, with teams dressed in matching holiday costumes.

As for those who were there more for the running than the costuming, Tony Okelio, 25, won the 10K race with a time of 29:39.5. The top female was Erika Aklufi, 34, who finished eighth overall in 34:48.3.

Santa Monica resident Thad Reichley, 36, wowed the crowd by winning the 10K's unofficial race of people running with strollers. He finished 13th overall with a time of 36:26.7 while pushing his daughters Gabby (3 and a half years old) and Hannah (1 and a half), and their 30-pound stroller.

"They're my reindeers today," said Reichley, who sported a Santa hat. "They wouldn't wear the antlers, though."

Since it was his first time racing with both daughters, Reichley opted to start in the back, so they wouldn't be in anyone's way. But that resulted in a first-mile time of 11 minutes, and he spent the rest of the race struggling to get to the front. "Next time I'm going to be a little more bold and start in the front," Reichley said.

In the 5K, Mike Karsoske, 25, won the race in 14:54.8. The top female was Laura Mickelson, 24, who finished with a time of 17:35.0.

The race's profits will go to Partners in Malawi, which focuses on HIV/AIDS and supports a hospital in Malawi. Santa Monica's Harvest Home, which supports homeless pregnant women, also benefits through runners' pledges. 

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