Pasadena’s Adolfo Carvalho and Elizabeth Ben-Ishai Triumph in Rain-Soaked Rose Bowl Half Marathon

The Rose Bowl Half Marathon and 5K on Sunday, Jan. 21, drew over 15,000 participants who braved the elements to tour scenic Pasadena. Running for 13.1 miles, runners passed landmarks like the Coronado Street Bridge and Caltech and finished dramatically on the football field at the Rose Bowl, with Pasadena runners Adolfo Carvalho and Elizabeth Ben-Ishai securing victory in their respective races.

Carvalho clinched victory in the men’s race with an impressive time of 1:11:26, maintaining a remarkable pace of 5:28 per mile. Ben-Ishai secured the women’s title, completing the course in 1:23:02 at a pace of 6:21 per mile.

“I’m a big college football fan,” Carvalho said after the finish line. “You can’t beat finishing in the Rose Bowl. It’s an amazing stadium. It’s particularly special being on the turf.”

Despite facing persistent morning showers, participants were undeterred. The event saw runners don wet-weather gear for the race. The weather conditions presented an added challenge, considering the typical average low and high temperatures for the date were 47ºF and 66ºF.

Organized by The McCourt Foundation (TMF), the race aims to cure neurological diseases while empowering communities to build a healthier world. A total of 140 runners raised over $70,000 for Team TMF during the event. The race also treated runners to scenic views, including a run through the stadium tunnel before concluding at the 50-yard line. 

“The finish, coming through that tunnel, was insane,” Stephanie Harris, who grew up in Pasadena and now lives in Brooklyn, said. She won the Women’s 5K in the race. “You can’t help but go fast down that hill. This is so cool. You finish on the grass, and the sky opens up in the huge stadium. It is beautiful.”

Adam Wilkinson, a 2022 Claremont McKenna graduate who lives in Santa Monica, won the Men’s 5K in the race. Participants in the Rose Bowl event came from up to 40 states and 18 countries, with locals dominating the podium.

The Rose Bowl Half Marathon also served as a convergence of local running clubs, creating an uplifting celebration of health and distance running. 

“It was fun racing and having so many friends and family on the course,” Ben-Ishai said. 

The Rose Bowl Half Marathon, despite the weather challenges, once again stood as a testament to the indomitable spirit of the participants and the vibrant running community in Pasadena, with Carvalho, Ben-Ishai, and other Pasadena runners adding local flair to an event that united a diversity of runners for a common cause.