Thank You
We are deeply indebted to Rachel Judson for doing an outstanding job as the Manhattan Beach 10k Race Director since 2002! She came on board for our 25th Anniversary after our very first RD Russ Lesser passed the baton to her. This year she is taking on a new role as our Marketing Director and has lots of fresh ideas to keep us running into the next 45 years. Thank you, Rachel!
Meet Michael
We are very excited to have you meet our new Race Director Michael Weisberg! He is a lifelong runner and transplant from the East Coast. Check out our Q & A to get to know him.
2022 marks your 1st year as the MB10k Race Director. Welcome! How did you first get involved with the MB10k?
I have some really big shoes to fill, so I take on this responsibility with a lot of optimism and a small dose of utter fear. In the 45 years of the MB10k there have only been 2 prior race directors, Rachel and Russ before her. They have done such an amazing job of creating one of the best community races in the country. I had known of its reputation long before I moved to Manhattan Beach, so when Rachel first contacted me about joining the Race Committee, it was a no-brainer. She’s been an incredible mentor and I’m really lucky that she’s transitioned to Race Marketing Director.
You have a fun day job. What do you do?
Thanks, though it sounds more glamorous than it actually is. I am a culinary producer and food stylist for TV, film and culinary events. So basically, I produce food TV shows and live cooking demonstrations and make the food look pretty.
What is your most treasured cookbook?
I have a collection of over 2,000 cookbooks, many of which I have a relationship or have worked with the chef/author in some capacity, so it’s hard to pick just one. The first is Julia & Jacques Cooking at Home by Julia Child and Jacques Pepin. They were the two TV personalities that I loved watching as a child and fueled my passion for cooking. I’ve had the pleasure to work with them on several occasions and cherished every moment – such passionate teachers of cooking. Two of the most memorable meals of my life were with them; lunch at In-N-Out with Julia, and dinner at Spago with Jacques. They each signed the book and their inscription is very touching.
I also cherish my copies of Run Fast, Cook Fast, Eat Slow and Rise & Run by Olympic medalist Shalane Flanagan & Elyse Kopecky. Not only does it combine my love of cooking and running, but I was the professional recipe tester for both books so I literally cooked and tasted every recipe in each book.
What is your involvement in South Bay Runners Club?
I am a Co-Founder and President of SBRC. It’s an extraordinary club with an incredibly diverse membership – both in demographics and abilities. What I love about it the most is our camaraderie and sportsmanship. It’s not running faster than one another, but pushing each other to be our best and having a lot of fun doing it. I’m proud to say that we are about to celebrate our 7th anniversary and have grown to over 400 members.
You are an avid runner, what got you into the sport?
My father. He started running back in the 1970s with the running boom and I’d watch him run the NYC (and other) marathons thinking I could do that someday. I took off some time from running when my kids were born and rekindled my passion once I moved to Manhattan Beach. It’s such a wonderful place to run with The Strand, woodchip trails and lots of hills.
What is your vision for this year’s MB10k and future ones?
That’s a hard question. Running races have changed so much over the past two decades that I want to make sure the MB10k evolves as well. But it’s still a local community event with a lot of runners who have been doing this for decades.
Why should someone race the 45th Annual MB10k?
It’s an anniversary year, so there are always a few surprises planned (hint, hint). With this being the 50th anniversary of the Hometown Fair, we’re hoping that everyone will be celebrating locally. The MB10k is the perfect kickoff to a great weekend downtown. Plus the race t-shirt design is beautiful. We’ll unveil that in July but I can’t wait to see everyone wearing it.
Can you let us in on any new things planned for October 1?
We were named the RRCA California 10k State Championship and we’re giving out prize money, so that should draw a competitive field. We’ll have more cheer stations along the course, courtesy of our local Girl Scout troops, and we will have Gatorade as well as water at each aid station. The finish line expo will have even more vendors, plus a few things that I can’t disclose yet.
Village Runner Independence Day Race
We’ll have a booth set up at the 29th Annual Village Runner Independence Day 5k Run/Walk & Firecracker Dash on July 3, 2022 in the Riviera Village. Please stop by and say hello! We’ll be giving away Nuun samples and will have fun props to take photos with.
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THE MB10K IS A NON-PROFIT EVENT AND THE PROCEEDS ARE DONATED TO COMMUNITY FITNESS RELATED CAUSES & SCHOLARSHIPS. THE RACE COMMITTEE ORGANIZERS AND RACE STAFF ARE VOLUNTEERS.
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