George Vanner, information technology manager at the Contra Costa Times and an avid runner, collapsed and died while participating in the Mercury News 10K race on Sunday, the Merc reported this morning. Vanner, who has been with the Times for two decades, was a father of two. He completed the 6.2 mile race the previous year and also enjoyed step aerobics. “I used to make fun of him because I’m the worst couch potato and eat junk food. He was very fit — running, aerobics, the conventional taking care of yourself,” said Mona Hatfield, IT director at the Times.