Dammit Run back for 41st year–will Fullove, Azevedo return, too?

Shaluinn Fullove joined an impressive list when she competed in the 40th annual Los Gatos Dammit Run last summer. Fullove became one of only a handful of runners to repeat as a winner in the rugged race.

Fullove stopped the clock at 35:03 to claim her second Dammit victory. Fullove, who outran 16-year-old Jenny Xu (35:42) to the finish line in the women’s division, had previously won the race back in 1997.

The overall winner last summer was Andrew Azevedo, who crossed the line in 27:51 to finish just two seconds ahead of Justin Valdez (27:53). Azevedo was no stranger to the Dammit, having finished second the year before, but 2013 marked his first ever win in the tough 5-miler.

So now the question is, will Azevedo and Fullove each be back to do it again in 2014? And if not, who will dominate the 41st Dammit Run when runners hit the trail on Aug. 9 in the race that begins at 8:30 a.m. on the Los Gatos High School track?

Should Azevedo return to defend his title, he’ll be attempting to join the list of runners who are multiple Dammit winners.

Jason Balkman, a former cross country and track star at Lynbrook High School and later at Stanford, is a three-time Dammit winner (1997, ’98, ’05), along with Homestead cross country coach Kenrick Sealy (1995, ’96, ’01). Matthew Petrillo, a former Los Gatos cross country and track champ, won twice (’06, ’07), along with former Leland star Richard Ho (’10, ’12). Bob Tapia and Kevin Pierpoint are also two-time winners.

In women’s competition, Fullove became the fourth two-time winner with her victory last August. In addition to Fullove, former Presentation star Melissa Grelli, a resident of Cupertino, is a two-time winner (’04 and ’08), along with Barb Acosta and Yvonne Lund.

All of the past winners and others who are veterans of the Dammit Run can attest to the rugged nature of the 5-mile course.

The race starts tamely enough at the high school, and it will finish in the same location. But in between, runners had best be prepared for the rocky, dusty trip into the foothills and up to Lexington Reservoir. Runners will race down the trail next to the high school’s lower field, past Forbe’s Mill onto the Los Gatos Creek Trail and make the climb up to Lexington. Runners continue up St. Joseph’s Hill (Jones Trail), loop around and head back down the hill to College Avenue, and race back to the finish line on the Los Gatos track.

All finishers will receive ribbons and the top finishers in 13 different categories for male and female runners will receive awards. Race day registration begins at 6:30 a.m.

The pre-registration entry fee is $30 ($45 with a T-shirt), and the fee is $35 on race day ($50 with a T-shirt). T-shirts alone are priced at $15 and will be sold at the track on race day and in advance in Los Gatos at Athletic Performance, 55 W. Main St.; Runner’s Factory, 51 University Ave.; and Sportissimo, 786 Blossom Hill Road.

For more information, visit www.losgatosdammitrun.com. Proceeds from the Dammit Run benefit the Los Gatos High School.