This October, Kehaya will look to spread that fervor and inject his zeal for healthy living into downtown Solvang.
Kehaya is the director for the inaugural Solvang Mile, a 1-mile foot race scheduled for Oct. 6 in the heart of Solvang. The race, which he hopes will become a yearly fixture, will be the centerpiece of a family-friendly festival that will take place throughout the day at Solvang Park.
“Our goal with this is to promote fitness and local businesses here in the community,” said Kehaya, who is promoting the race through North American Athletics, a San Diego-based company run by his brother, James. “We really are working hard with local businesses to make this beneficial to them and the rest of the community. We’re trying to build relationships with people. We want this to be an annual event, so we’re working hard to make sure it’s beneficial to everyone involved.”
The competition will begin and end on Copenhagen Drive and will be run in 12 heats – the first 10 age-based – split by 15-minute intervals. Following the first 10 heats, there will be a fun run for people to walk or run the 1-mile course and then an elite men’s and women’s heat for professional athletes who will be competing for cash prizes. Kehaya said he has an idea of what he wants the prizes to be, “but a lot of that is going to depend on what we can get for sponsorship for the event.”
Kehaya, a North Carolina native, moved to the Valley last August when he landed his teaching position at Dunn. He also coaches fitness, swimming, mountain biking and rock climbing at the school and said that coaching is a central part of his life. Alex isn’t the lone member of his family who puts a great emphasis on staying in shape.
His brother, James Kehaya, ran track and wrestled at the University of North Carolina before starting North American Athletics. James’ wife, Alice Schmidt, is a runner who is vying for a spot on the U.S. track team at this summer’s London Olympics.
“They’re really connected with that world, and this was just kind of a natural progression,” Alex said of his brother and sister-in-law. “That led to this. We thought, ‘We can do this. Let’s put on races.’”
He said that Solvang was a natural choice for him. The setting and atmosphere are already aesthetically pleasing, and the city itself will provide a unique backdrop for such an event.
“I’ve done 5Ks, and I’ve done track and field and half marathons, but this is just something a little different from what the area is used to,” Kehaya said. “And one of the good things is it keeps the competitors and the participants in a really localized area right there on Copenhagen and near the expo area.”
Kehaya is still working on acquiring vendors for the festival in the park. He said he is in talks with several local businesses and gyms that promote healthy lifestyles. There will also be entertainment, as he said he is working to iron out the details on getting live music and a beer and/or wine garden.
Kehaya said he is also hoping to get the local schools on board, including Santa Ynez Valley Union High, Dunn Academy and UC-Santa Barbara. Students could work as volunteers or run in the actual race.
Brian Wallace, who coaches the track and cross country teams at Santa Ynez, said he hasn’t spoken with Kehaya yet, but the race could be of interest to him and the Pirates athletes. The only drawback, he said, is that the cross country teams will be in full swing in October and have several key competitions to focus on at that time.
“It’s something we’d have to discuss in detail,” he said.
So far, while promoting the event, Kehaya said he is having a blast beating the street and making connections with many of the businesses that he hopes will benefit from having a new race in town.
“I’m really about working with the businesses and I want to develop long-term relationships with them,” he said. “I’m going to be in the Valley for years – working at Dunn, hopefully – and I’m really passionate about road races, business and fitness, and those are the things that I’m promoting in this race. It’s been pretty fun to go meet the local business owners.”
The most important aspect, though, he notes, is bringing people – locals and visitors alike – to the Valley for an enjoyable and healthy celebration.
“The whole thing is just about having fun competition, but also just being there in downtown Solvang for the day and enjoying the festival and checking out what the vendors have to offer,” he said. “I just want it to be super fun for all the participants and all the spectators, and hopefully profitable for all the businesses.”
For more information, or to register for the race, visit NorthAmericanAthletics.com, Active.com, or contact Alex Kehaya at alex@northamericanathletics.com