Human Race hauls in $930,000; down 7% from last year

El Molino High School junior Micah Shaw-Henderson raced to a first place finish in the 29th annual Human Race in Santa Rosa on Saturday in just over 34 minutes, but the fellow in the phone suit worked up a bigger sweat.

Rob Read, dressed as a flip-phone to promote dial 211 support services, danced in front of an appreciative crowd at the race’s festival grounds at Slater Middle School, all so he could win the coveted “Best Mascot Award.”

He beat out two giant drops of blood, a bright green tree and an alligator on Rollerblades.

“It was supposed to be to the macarena, but nobody brought the music for macarena,” Read said, still glowing from the win. “All of a sudden it was a shoot from the hip dance off. I’m pretty excited, I’m not going to lie.”

Such is the Human Race in Sonoma County.

In its 29th year, the Human Race is equal parts foot race, festival, parade and party. Above all, it’s a massive engine for fundraising for about 250 non-profits across the county.

Despite the festive nature of the gathering of an estimated 10,000 people, it was not enough to withstand a faltering economy. The total raised was $930,000, about seven percent less than last year. Individual pledges also were lower, organizers said Saturday.

Nonetheless, Sonoma County still managed to pull off the biggest Human Race in the country, said Eunice Valentine, director of the Volunteer Center of Sonoma County which coordinates the race.

“Several agencies told us this was their main or only fundraiser this year because they don’t have money to do an event of some other kind,” she said.

“Our local companies really come out to support local organizations in tough times. From the bottom of my heart I’m deeply grateful,” she said.

But on Saturday, the mood was mainly focused on fun.

“We look forward to it every year,” said Sarah Lawrence, owner of Sarah’s Group Home who turned out with about 15 developmentally disabled residents who were decked in all manner of gaudy costumers.

The crew didn’t run the 3k or 10k race, choosing instead to move along the route to cheer runners on. It was the only way they could avoid winning the most spirited group award for the sixth year, Lawrence said.

“We have won five years in a row, we wanted to give somebody else a chance,” she said.

Shaw-Henderson’s Human Race was only his second at the 10k — or 6.2 miles — distance. He shook off some stomach upset midway through the course that winds through Howarth Park and the Montgomery Village neighborhood to sprint out a gritty win on the Carley Road finish.

“The last half mile my stomach started feeling better so I just gunned it,” he said.

Santa Rosan Melanie Lovrin sliced about two minutes off her 2008 time to become the fastest woman in the race.

“I have been doing this race since before I was a runner,” she said. “It’s a great course, a lot of great people, bands and everyone cheering you on.”

Perhaps the biggest cheering section of the day belonged to those wearing navy blue t-shirts emblazoned with pink letters: “Team Cath Run!” for Catherine DuBay, the 2006 Human Race winner.

Famous in running circles for her commitment to the Girls on the Run program and her dominant string of about 12 wins in past Human Races, DuBay was diagnosed with breast cancer in February.

Her friends and running partners rallied to form a 120-member team Saturday that raised funds for the Susan G. Komen For the Cure and Girls on the Run.

It marked a poignant shift for a runner who has, over the years, raised funds for The Bird Rescue Center, Hospice and the American Cancer Society to honor her mother, who died of breast cancer.

“It’s humbling, when they all showed up. To look out and see a sea of blue, it was touching,” said DuBay, who is coming off surgery and her first rou