At the 5th edition’s awards ceremony on Sunday, May 1, 2016, local leader and legend will be recognized and honored by Race SLO and County Supervisor Adam Hill; register today to be part of the "Endurance Town USA" experience on April 30-May 1, 2016
SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. - (April 6, 2016) - Race SLO, the organizer of the San Luis Obispo Marathon, Half Marathon + 5K presented by LeftLaneSports.com, is proud to announce that Sean Ricketts and the late Dr. Paul Spangler, a senior Masters running pioneer and legend, will be inducted into the event’s Hall of Fame on Sunday, May 1, 2016 during the race day awards ceremony.
"We warmly welcome Sean and the late Dr. Spangler to our 5th Hall of Fame class. Both have led by example and have made noteworthy and inspirational contributions to our sport, particularly locally to help make the San Luis Obispo area such an ideal running and endurance community for all," said Samantha Pruitt, Race SLO Founder & CEO.
Sean Ricketts, PE & Health teacher and 10-year cross country and track coach at Arroyo Grande High School, has produced many championship teams in his career so far and his influence on young runners is exemplary and inspirational. A Cal Poly-SLO graduate with Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees, Ricketts, the 2003 Big West Cross Country champion, also has been a local meet director and founded Central Coast Runners, running camps open to all students aged 7 through 18, especially those without track programs at their schools. At age 35, Ricketts will be the youngest inductee into the SLO Marathon Hall of Fame.
Dr. Paul Spangler, who will be inducted posthumously, died in 1994 at the age of 95, while on a run in San Luis Obispo, doing what he loved. Together with his friend Warren Hansen, the pair designed and built the original fitness course at Laguna Lake Park that has been enjoyed for generations and was renovated in 2013 by volunteers.
Dr. Spangler took up running in his late 60s to lose weight and relieve stress, and over the next 25-plus years, he set numerous world and U.S. running records including holding every U.S. track record from 800 to 10,000 meters for the 90-94 age group. USA Track & Field (USATF) later named its annual award for the outstanding Masters Long Distance Running athlete after Spangler. Without a doubt, Dr. Spangler was instrumental in creating the traditions of fitness that define the SLO community today and many San Luis Obispans have followed him onto the road of physical activity and health.
The induction ceremony will take place as part of the awards ceremony of the 5th SLO Marathon + Half Marathon on Sunday, May 1 beginning at 10:00am on the grounds of the Madonna Inn. During the ceremony, on behalf of San Luis Obispo County, Supervisor Adam Hill will present Hall of Fame certificates for Sean Ricketts and the Spangler family as well as two past inductees Roger Warnes (2014) and Stan Rosenfield (2015).
SLO Marathon Hall of Fame inductees:
- 2012: Pete Dorn and Brian Waterbury
- 2013: Greg Hinds
- 2014: Roger Warnes
- 2015: Stan Rosenfield
- 2016: Sean Ricketts and Dr. Paul Spangler
For more event information or to register for the 5th anniversary edition, go to: SLOMarathon.com.
ABOUT RACE SLO
Established in 2010 to bring world class sporting events to the beautiful California Central Coast, the Race SLO family of annual events includes the 5th SLO Marathon + Half and Family Fitness 5K (Spring 2016), SLO GranFondo cycling event (Fall 2016) and the inaugural SLO Ultra trail races at Wild Cherry Canyon (Fall 2016).
The Race SLO Team organizes and produces both fun and competitive running and cycling events that create a positive impact on both our participants and local communities.
Come experience the best the California Central Coast has to offer: year-round sunshine, rolling green hills, unspoiled open roads, first class finish lines and more. Come Race SLO: #EnduranceTownUSA!
Visit RaceSLO.com for more information.
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