Vaughn Races to Victory

NEWPORT BEACH —  It was a day when winning the race was not of the utmost importance to the athletes competing. For many, just crossing the finish line was the biggest victory as thousands of women participated Sunday in the Fifth Annual Race for the Cure at Fashion Island.

The 5K race, conducted to raise money to help find cure for breast cancer, drew not only world-class athletes, but women who have survived the deadly disease, as well as families and friends of those who didn’t.

Costa Mesa resident Valerie Vaughn won her second Race for the Cure title, breaking the course record, with a time of 15 minutes 51 seconds. It was her personal best in a road race. The previous record was set in 1994 by Jody Hawkins (15:52).

“I took the lead at three-quarters of a mile,” said Vaughn, 29, who used to coach track at Mater Dei. “The third mile was really long. We went out so hard at the beginning.”

Vaughn, who won the event the first time she participated in 1993, is a native of Ireland and trains in Alamosa, Colo. She hopes to make the Irish Olympic team for the 2000 games. She didn’t make the team for the Atlanta Games.

Vaughn was followed closely by second-place finisher Sylvia Mosqueda of Los Angeles, who crossed the line in 15:56. In third was Menlo Park’s Patti Sue Plumer in 16:05. Also competing was former Olympian and UC Irvine standout Ruth Wysocki, who finished sixth in 16:17.

One of the most inspirational performances of the day came from long-time Laguna Beach resident and breast-cancer survivor Sandi Carter, who won her fifth consecutive race in the survivor division. Carter, 51, finished in 20:25.

“I ran a little slower this year,” Carter said. “But I’m also a year older.”

The race not only marks her fifth consecutive victory, but also her fifth year of being cancer free.

“I run for them,” said Carter, pointing to her daughters. “So they don’t have to go through what I did.”