The Colusa Circle 5K charity fun run transformed Colusa Circle into a vibrant celebration of community spirit and environmental stewardship on Saturday, March 15. This is the seventh year we hosted the event, which benefited from perfect timing this year as clear skies replaced days of relentless rain. Runners of all ages gathered to support the Watershed Project, this year’s beneficiary organization. The Watershed Project works to protect and restore the San Francisco Bay Area watershed. Kensington is part of the Wildcat Watershed, where Wildcat Creek flows from Tilden along Wildcat Canyon to the bay.
“Protecting our creek starts with our everyday actions,” notes Juliana Gonzalez, executive director of the Watershed Project. Kensington residents can help protect the watershed through simple daily actions. Avoid spilling trash or pollutants on the ground, as they eventually reach the creek. Capture rainwater in gardens to reduce runoff and allow clean water to slowly filter into the creek. Consider installing rain gardens and bioswales, which slow water flow and allow dirt and pollutants to settle out before entering Wildcat Creek or other Kensington creeks, such as Cerrito Creek.
Numerous local businesses contributed to make the Colusa Circle 5K special for all participants. IBX Fitness led the warmups, while Spinning Wheels Forever offered free bike inspections. Well Grounded kept everyone energized with complimentary coffee and hot cocoa, and Olipop provided their healthy prebiotic soda for everyone to enjoy. Local businesses generously donated gift certificates for prizes and raffle drawings, including contributions from
Bay Area Brain Spa, Benchmark Pizza, Bridges Rock Gym, El Cerrito Natural Grocery, Fat Apple's, Fuse Fitness, Golden Poppy Florist, Hanabi Judo, IBX Fitness, Jamba Juice, Jenny K, Juku, Lift + Sprint, Little Star Pizza, Los Moles, Momletta, Pegasus Books, Raxoukoul Coffee & Cheese, Semifreddi's, Spinning Wheels Forever, Sports Basement, The Watershed Project, Well Grounded, Zaytoon, and Zip Code East Bay.
The event showcased impressive athletic performances across all categories. In the adult division, Gill Walton led the men’s field with a remarkable time of 17:45, while Adah Epson claimed the women’s title finishing in 25:37. Aspen Ross took first place in the gender-neutral division with a time of 37:01. The younger competitors demonstrated equally impressive determination. Among the 12-and-under participants, Livia Leung narrowly edged out Alexander Wetter in an exciting finish, with Leung winning the girls’ division in 20:48 and Wetter taking the boys’ title just seven seconds later at 20:55. Though no participants competed in the 12-and-under gender-neutral category this year, the enthusiasm shown by all young runners added a special energy to the event.
We extend a heartfelt thanks to all participants, volunteers, and sponsors who made this year’s Colusa Circle 5K a tremendous success. More photos of the event can be viewed here.
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