Start line for all race walk events that included the Men’s 50 km and Women’s 35 km National Championships.

Before the race could begin, safety was the underlying stipulation on this initially cold day. Check in area for screening and testing was for all attendees. The temperature (cold for Southern California) was 41 before sunrise.

And they are off in good weather for now.

There were just a couple dozen race walkers and not the hundreds or thousands that used to come to running events pre-pandemic.

On-course race leader Emmanuel “Natos” Corvera (20km) approaches end of first lap. He started fast, went faster, then gradually slowed back to his start pace.

Walkers stream by multiple lap scoring officials, who record assigned athlete on each lap as s/he passes by. Most walkers would finish before noon but a few will go beyond that. There is no natural shade, just a few canopies for race officials. Note lack of spectators.

Jorge Diaz Pineda has the fastest 50km time of the three men internationals.

Yolanda Holder (35km), an accomplished ultra endurance runner for many years, has only recently taken up race walking. Now in lap 2.

Timing tents, blue and white, are just beyond lap beginning and end. Note start area stanchions will be moved to finish area on right later.

Pineda and Adeline Johnson (10km).