The 5K race begins Saturday morning at the Mare Island Mermaid Run. (Thomas Gase – Times Herald)
A show of female solidarity inspired by the Mermaid Run's return to Vallejo on Saturday made Mare Island the perfect place for Mother's Day weekend.
The event, held in Vallejo for the second consecutive year after 20 years in Fremont, featured walkers and joggers along the island's waterfront and historic shipyards. The event featured a 5K, half marathon, and kids run, and each participant or “mermaid” received a stylish race shirt, finisher medal, necklace, and post-race food.
Race director Carlo Facchino said: “Everything is going well to bring this back here for another year.” “Everyone had a great time last year. We have all kinds of women's history here on Mare Island, especially during World War II. It's a great way to celebrate fitness and our beautiful location.”
Facchino said registration for the event is down from last year, with 460 people registered by Saturday morning. However, those who attended seemed to really like the event.
Abby Vinuelas, who took first place in the half marathon with a time of 1 hour and 28 minutes, was excited to be at Mare Island whether she finished first or not.
“I love that this is a women’s race and the camaraderie with everyone is great,” Vinuelas said. “Everyone is rooting for each other and there is more female empowerment here.”
Vinuelas said it was special to have her two daughters cheering her on. She started running in 2022 as part of her New Year's resolution, resulting in two first-place finishes, including her Napa win.
Volunteer and local ambassador Dawn Marie Waddle said she has been coming to Mermaid Series events since 2016.
“When I saw someone here with the phrase 'find your happy pace,' I knew this was the place for me,” Marie Waddle said. “There are people of all ages, shapes, sizes, and colors, and they all have a good time with each other. I love the support everyone shows each other.
“It also doesn’t hurt to hold this event near water, especially near mermaid sculptures.”
Hannah Sande was happy to complete a half marathon, her first run since becoming a mother to a baby boy less than a year ago.
“It was my first event since my child was born, and it was a wonderful event filled with a lot of atmosphere of female power,'' Sande said. “It’s friendly and it’s so beautiful to ride along the water here.”
Assistant Race Director Betsy Everett said proceeds from the run will go to beneficiaries such as Fresh Start and Girls on the Run, as well as local community organizations.
“This event is all about finishing and celebrating the joy of crossing the finish line,” Everett said. “It's about staying active and getting the chance to interact with other women. The fact that we're on Mare Island, which has a historical aspect, is also really cool. Lots of smiles everywhere.” Our goal was to come back to this venue and bring smiles once again this Mother's Day weekend.”