The UCLA and USC rivalry will be on full display tomorrow morning at the We Run The City 5k run hosted by the Special Olympics.  

Athletes register and pledge allegiance to either USC or UCLA and are categorized into student, faculty, staff and fan groups.  

USC and UCLA receive points based on three categories: the team with the most registered runners, the team that makes the most money through donations, and the first team to have 100 runners cross the finish line.  

The school with the majority of the points will be crowned champion.  UCLA won last year.  

“As of now, we have about 1,100 runners registered and are hoping for a few hundred more come Sunday,” said Brandon Tanner, Special Events Manager for the Special Olympics of Southern California.

The We Run The City 5k race creates awareness and raises funds for the Special Olympics of Southern California.  

The Special Olympics provides year round sports training in competition for people with intellectual disabilities.

“In 2015, the Special Olympics World Games is coming to Los Angeles, and UCLA and USC will host many of the venues for the sports competitions and house many of the athletes in the dorms,” said Tanner. “More than 7,000 athletes from over 120 countries will be competing in 2015 and there is going to be a need for about 30,000 volunteers.”

“Without the Special Olympics, people with disabilities wouldn’t have that chance to compete, they wouldn’t have that chance to make friends, they wouldn’t have that chance to be part of a team and to be part of the community,” said Tanner.    

Participants can look forward to post-race festivities including live music from student groups and interactive games from the LA Galaxy and the LA Kings.  

Athletes will also receive a Team USC or Team UCLA finisher shirt and a medal presented by a Special Olympics athlete.  

The We Run The City 5k costs $35 and athletes can register online.  

Reach Staff Reporter Michael Nystrom here.