Home » Sports Articles » Hermosa 24 Ultramarathon Showcases New World Record Holder, A First-Time 15-Year Old Ultramarathoner Placing Second, And Thousands Of Dollars Raised For Local Schools
Hermosa 24 Ultramarathon Showcases New World Record Holder, A First-Time 15-Year Old Ultramarathoner Placing Second, And Thousands Of Dollars Raised For Local Schools
New Guinness World Record Set By Patrick Sweeney For Greatest Distance Run On Sand In 24 Hours
HERMOSA BEACH, CA, June 29, 2011 /Sports PR News/ -- Christian Burke, a Southern California native who embarked on a 24-hour ultra-marathon sand run, setting a Guinness World Record in the process, turned over his World Record to fellow athlete and friend, Patrick Sweeney during "The Hermosa 24", held June 18-19, 2011.
Known as "The Hermosa 24," this remarkable endurance event took place over Father's Day weekend, attracting scores of curious onlookers to the beach in Southern California. While it is noteworthy for Christian to be able to hand over his World Record title, the ultimate goal of the event was to raise money for local schools, a mission Christian accomplished to the tune of more than $10,000.
"The Hermosa 24" ultramarathon took place on what is considered to be an exceptionally difficult course due to the softness of the sand. Athletes participating in the event ran from the Hermosa Beach Pier to the Manhattan Beach Pier and back, a 3.4 mile lap. The field of athletes included eight teams of relay runners and 10 solo runners - in total more than 80 runners competed, covering more than 3.36 miles of beach during the 24-hour period. In addition, solo runners could sign up at any point during the 24 hours to take a lap and post time, with the strongest time winning cash and prizes.
"I think we've really established a blueprint for raising a significant amount of money for education with an event that is effective, encourages community involvement and gets people moving in a healthy way," said Christian Burke, organizer of The Hermosa 24. "School districts everywhere are plagued by budget shortfalls, and what we've accomplished with The Hermosa 24 can most certainly be replicated in communities across the country."
Record Setting Run
With the help and encouragement of Christian, seasoned athlete Patrick Sweeney, 32, of Manhattan Beach, Calif., turned in an impressive overall distance of 87.36 miles in 24-hours. The previous World Record of 83.04 miles was held by Christian, which he set over Labor Day weekend in 2010 on the same grueling course Patrick ran. Patrick surpassed Christian's distance at approximately the 21-hour mark, and continued for one additional 3.4 mile lap, even though he had the record in his pocket.
"I still had one more lap left in me," noted Patrick Sweeney about his Guinness World Record sand run. "Ultimately, I committed to 24 hours and I was going to meet that commitment fully. This was a significant event in my life, but also the greater goal of raising money for education was accomplished, and I'm so proud to be a part of it."
First-time, 15-year old Ultramarathon Places Second
At just 15 years of age, Alex Mendoza was the youngest solo runner participating in "The Hermosa 24". Relatively new to competitive running, Alex completed his first marathon earlier this year, posting an impressive time of 3:16. Alex had never run an ultramarathon before, much less competed in a soft-sand run but that wasn't going to stop him from helping his mentor Christian Burke, raise money for his school system. In the end, Alex shocked his fellow competitors and Christian alike, covering the second longest distance of more than 60 miles during the 24-hour period.
Said Christian: "I am awe-struck by what Alex did during The Hermosa 24. He did more than post the second fastest time; he did so with the grace and tenacity of someone twice his age with three times the experience. He is inspiring."
Michael Monaghan of Manhattan Beach, Calif. was among the field of runners who signed up to post a single lap time. With the fastest time of 27:45, Michael generously donated his winnings back to The Hermosa 24. Added Christian: "Michael is both an exceptional athlete and a class act!"
An Ongoing Fundraising, World Record Setting Event
"The Hermosa 24" founder Christian Burke is looking to make this ultramarathon challenge an annual event. He has already set his sights on reclaiming the World Record title from Patrick Sweeney, and more importantly, ensuring the fundraising mechanism of the event continues to be effective and sustainable.
Christian would like to thank the field of competitors, their friends and families, and the supportive crowds who came out to cheer the runners on. Furthermore, he would especially like to express his appreciation for the tremendous support he received from local businesses, namely Impact Gym, FeedTheMachine.com, SportMulti, Lunarpages, ABC Solar, Sangria's Restaurant, The Beach Reporter, The Beach House, cdrollout.com, SpyderSurf, Good Stuff Restaurant, By Hand Granola, NUUN, Jol Design Inc., Aqueous Life, Fluid, Zico and Skechers.
For more information on "The Hermosa 24" visit www.hermosa24.com
About Christian
Christian is known amongst his friends, family, and fellow athletes as a person who takes on mind-numbing, over-the-top physical challenges for reasons unclear. He's travelled the world to take part in extreme multiday endurance events that cover hundreds of miles over unspeakable terrain on very little or no sleep. Christian has found that his new given title as Guinness World Records holder for Greatest Distance Run On Sand in 24 Hours, has provided him a unique opportunity to raise even more funds with the challenges and exposure that this year's event can offer. Christian's 11-year old daughterŽ Halle attends school in Hermosa Beach, Calif.
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