Newlyweds' 'Just Married' Photo at Manhattan Beach 10K Captures Hearts

Photo by Tara Altenhofen

Just a week after exchanging vows at the Trump National Golf Club in Palos Verdes, Kara Jeong, and Alvin Zhao laced up their running shoes to participate in the Manhattan Beach 10K. The couple, both 27, donned matching "Just Married" shirts and held hands as they ran, capturing the hearts of fellow runners and spectators alike.

Among those charmed by the couple was Tara Altenhofen, who was also participating in the race. 

"When I saw this couple running in front of me not too long after we started the race, I knew I had to snap the photo," Tara said. "My hope was that I could somehow get it back to them, but if not, it just made me smile. What an awesome start to marriage—setting fun goals and working together to achieve them, in this case, running the MB10."

The couple’s joy resonated deeply with onlookers.

"The in-person reaction was a lot of smiles," said Tara. “People love seeing other people happy—at least, people at the MB10K sure do."

For Kara, a finance professional who grew up in the South Bay and now resides in Redondo Beach, running is a cornerstone of her life. 

"We both love running—it's our lives, essentially," she said. "We [Alvin] started running together every morning on the Green Belt or the Strand. It's a nice way to spend time with each other and do what we love."

Alvin, who works in healthcare and hails from Arcadia, found his way into running after college when he wanted to join Kara. 

"I got into running because I didn't want to stay at home and get bored," he said. "I wanted to join her, and I fell into it by accident."

The couple also participated in the Chicago Marathon just two weeks after tying the knot.

Running quickly became more than just a pastime—it transformed into a shared passion. 

"I think it's important to have someone that understands the grind of running training," said Alvin. "Marathon training isn’t easy on the body. We’ve run three marathons in the last 12 months. The 26.2 miles is nothing compared to the hundreds of miles you run beforehand in training. Having somebody to wake up at 4:30 and do that training with when it’s pitch black—it’s great having an accountability partner."

The Manhattan Beach 10K holds a special place in their hearts. 

"It's our favorite race of the year," said Kara. "We decided to stay in town for that race, so we postponed our honeymoon until November so we could continue running and run the races that we signed up for."

Their honeymoon destination is as unique as their story. 

"We wanted to go somewhere really unique and really special," Kara explained. "Antarctica is on our bucket list, so why not go for our honeymoon?"

During the race, the couple received an outpouring of support. 

"A lot of people congratulated us," said Kara. "It was just very positive responses, and it's pretty interesting and cool that people can still congratulate and say good things and happy things while they're running a race."

Alvin added, "We got quite a bit of congrats in Manhattan Beach."

Tara, the photographer, echoed the sentiment, saying, "I hope they have a full lifetime of joy, happiness, adventure, and running together—on the pavement and in life."

The couple also emphasizes the importance of community in their running journey. 

"We've been going to Hermosa Run Club lately, and everyone is very friendly, very nice," said Kara. "We love meeting people with the same hobbies and interests."

For those considering taking up running, Kara offers simple advice: "Just get out there and do it. The hardest part is walking out the door. For me, running is kind of therapeutic, and it's a way where we can literally think about nothing and escape the stressfulness of our lives and just enjoy ourselves."

Alvin highlights the value of having a running partner. "It's good to have a buddy with me," he said. "We always run together and train a lot together. She’s an accountability partner."

When it comes to gear, the couple trusts local expertise. 

"We go to Village Runner and Road Runner," said Alvin. "They're good at eyeballing how you walk, and they're good people."

As they look forward to their upcoming adventure in Antarctica, Kara and Alvin continue to embrace the joy of running, community, and shared experiences. Their Manhattan Beach 10K run was not just a race, but a testament to their partnership and the local running spirit—celebrating milestones, setting goals, and moving forward together, one step at a time.