Ellie Sorter, 5, of Riverside stood on a small knoll as she clapped and cheered for her brother, Perry Elerts, 14.
Perry, a member of Moreno Valley Calvary Chapel Christian School’s cross country team, was among about 100 people taking part in the school’s third annual 5K Valley Pride event for walkers and runners in Moreno Valley. Valley Pride is a charity event to raise money for the school’s junior and high school cross country teams. Ellie wasn’t the only member of Perry’s family cheering on the runners. The family dog, a large mastiff named Edison, wore a green Valley Pride t-shirt as he barked his encouragement to entrants running along the dirt trail behind the school in Moreno Valley’s east side. Students, parents, teachers and community members ran or walked the course that measured just over three miles. Calvary Chapel Principal Tim Hamilton also entered the event. Larry Miquelon, 47, of Moreno Valley, was the only runner on the course not wearing shoes.
“I’m a barefoot runner,” Miquelon said. “It’s superior. I was born this way.”