Brian Sturgeon Run

Race History:

The Fresnan, once an avid runner, doesn’t run anymore because of chronic cerebral palsy and an arthritic back. But he will walk the 2-mile route at our annual event that raises money for United Cerebral Palsy of Central California.

Sturgeon has been a fixture at every race since the first one in 1979. Then, the race was a two-mile run in conjunction with the UCP telethon. Now, it is part of the valley's Runner-of-the-Year series.

"Brian has taken part in every race as either a runner or walker," race director Ken Takeuchi said. “People really admire him. He inspires them "I walk now," said Sturgeon, who also has a voice impediment caused by his cerebral palsy. "I’ve slowed down. I have a really bad arthritic lower back, and it slows me down. But I’m still out there every year, rain or shine. I do as much as I can with whatever I have. We all have something."

The race has moved a few times over the years; we're thrilled that our event has been combined with the St. Patrick's Day celebration run in March. Brian still remembers a wet day in January when the race was in its infancy."Everybody quit but me," he said. "I was determined to finish. The race is named for me. Not many people have a run named after them." As a member of the Divisadero Jr. High School Cross Country Team in Visalia, Brian enjoyed running up to nine miles a day. Stuart Rose, a family friend and a Broadway performer, often joined Brian. It was their years of running together that inspired Mr. Rose to start an event to benefit UCP in honor of his running partner. The men started the benefit event as a timed run, raising money from per-mile race pledges and again when the run was rebroadcast on the telethon. The race committee included members of the UCP Board and Brian's parents Ed and Vonny Sturgeon. In 2002, Brian was honored as an Olympic Relay Torchbearer Salt Lake City, Utah Olympic Games. He, his family and friends traveled to Squaw Valley, California where Brian proudly carried the Olympic Torch on its 13,500 mile-plus journey across America. Brian became one of many to help "Light the Fire Within" his community and our nation. Brian is a member of the Fresno High School Class of 1971.

Our event includes six divisions: a quarter-mile/half-mile/eighth mile children’s run, a 2-mile walk, a 2-mile run, 5-mile walk & a 4-mile run that awards 30 points towards the Valley Runner-of-the-Year.