If you love LA like I Love LA, then you should put this running tour of Los Angeles on your marathon bucket list. I finally had the opportunity to run in the Skechers Performance Los Angeles Marathon, or SPLAM for short. I have to say that it was everything that I thought it would be, and did not disappoint. The SPLAM course is also referred to the Stadium to the Sea course because it takes the participants from Dodger Stadium, with Randy Newman's "I Love LA" serenading the athletes through the Starting Line, before snaking it's way through DTLA, Chinatown, Hollywood Blvd, the Sunset Strip, Rodeo Drive and Brentwood, to the Finish Line at the world famous Santa Monica Pier 26.2 miles down the road. The logistics of getting to the Start Line can be a nightmare if you don't plan accordingly and leave home early. I suggest parking in one of the many parking structures that are within walking distance of the Finish Line and taking one of the free shuttle busses from Santa Monica to Dodger Stadium. The shuttles begin running at 3:30am. You can catch a a little cat nap on the way to the stadium, you won't get stuck in traffic, and your car will then be waiting for you after the race. The SPLAM is produced by Conqur Endurance Group, which also produce the Santa Monica Classic and the Pasadena Half Marathon and the LA Road Runners (LARR). Btw...their races have the best finisher medals. 16/100 read more

Los Angeles Marathon - Conqur Endurance Group is the gold standard with the Finisher Medals for their races. #LARR #werunLA - Races & Competitions Near Me - Los Angeles, California

This was the 2nd marathon I've done & I finally see why the LA Marathon is such a big deal. With the course starting at Dodger Stadium and ended at the Santa Monica pier you end up running through some notable parts of LA, parts of downtown, the Sunset strip, Hollywood blvd, & Beverly Hills. The course itself isn't too brutal despite being 26.2 miles, there's only a slight incline/hill around mile 4-6 in downtown, and another small incline around mile 20-23. Other than that it's mostly flat/downgrade since you're heading toward sea level at the beach. With 20,000 + participants in this race there's always a crowd of runners around to keep you motivated & energized, especially with the support from the run clubs, sponsors, & spectators on the sidelines throughout the course. When you start to feel like you're hitting that wall around mile 18 the people out on the course cheering everyone on with the funny signs and all gives you a nice boost to keep you going. If the LA Marathon is a race on your bucket list, I say you go for it. It's a cool experience that's even better once you finally get that medal at the end. read more

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I was fortunate enough to participate in the LA Marathon on 3/20/22. I love the big city road races and this was my 4th marathon. Lots to love about this race along with a few critiques. Feel free to message me with any questions if you are considering running this one! Pros: 1) The course is pretty awesome for the first 20 miles (see my "con" note below for thoughts on the last 6 miles). It was amazing because this year, The Oscars were pushed back into March, so we ran the race the week prior to the Oscars. So we literally ran right past the Dolby Theater as they were setting up for the show. They had life-size Oscar statuettes everywhere, even a glimpse of the red carpet. So freaking cool! I also loved Rodeo Drive and felt really awesome running through it. Mile 7 was also a favorite since it felt mostly downhill and was nearby a serene park. 2.) Loved the merchandise! I didn't think I would since I am not an Asics fan. But what I appreciate is that the apparel for sale at the expo is timeless/classic. It doesn't say "2022" anywhere on it. I can't stand when these marathons have the years listed on the apparel/merch. They become outdated just one year later and I'm not spending $70 on a hoodie for it to become dated so quickly. 3.) Porta-potties everywhere! Like literally at every mile. It's rare, but sometimes I get stomach issues on my runs and it's always given my anxiety not knowing where the next restroom may be. So I loved that this race made me feel comfortable/confident knowing there was a restroom at practically every mile. 4.) Transportation to the start line very seamless if staying in one of the downtown hotels. I stayed at the Westin and the pickup station was right down the street. There were plenty of busses driving back and forth and more than enough room on each bus. It's just a quick drive (less than 10 mins) to Dodger Stadium. 5.) Friendly volunteers! Always gotta appreciate them! Cons: 1) As much as I enjoyed the course, I have read some reviews (and heard personally from those who ran it in the past) that the old course ending in Santa Monica was much better. Even as I was running the last few miles of the race, I was thinking about how much better it would be to continue along and end in Santa Monica. With the current course, you turn around mile 20 and then see all of the people passing through mile 25 (literally right across from you). It made me anxious seeing many runners at mile 25 when I'm at mile 20. It's like that for the last 5 miles or so of the race. You get to run past people that either are faster/slower than you (depending on what mile you're on). I feel like it made it tough mentally to just see how much farther you have to run. If they ever bring back the old course, I would for sure run this race again. Also, finishing downtown is just weird (if that's even where we were?). I heard that finishing in Santa Monica was magical because you're right in the heart of the boardwalk, right by the beach, etc. So I really hope they bring it back. 2.) They need to stop using city water for the hydration stations. I ran the Disneyland 5K/10K/Half in 2017 and I realized that Southern California City water is disgusting and can really wreak havoc on your GI system. So drink at your own risk. Luckily I had a hydration belt, but I would have liked to partake in some of the sports drinks they had at the stations. 3.) The first 5 miles or so can get pretty bottlenecked. They start ALL corrals at the same time (which makes no sense to me. Why have assigned corrals if you won't use them?). I am going to assume it impacted my time by about 3-5 minutes, so if you're running to PR, then think twice (or at least try to get to the very front). Only other thing I'd add is that it's hillier than I expected. But I still set a PR by 8 minutes. Woohoo! Thank you City of Los Angeles for an enjoyable marathon! I'd potentially run again in the future if they were to bring back the old course. read more

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This is my 3rd time participating in the LA marathon and honestly I can say I don't see a single reason why I won't register every year to come. I've even said in the past I'd love to run this course preggers. It's flat, it's comfortable and the finish is always rewarding. It's a hometown race and such a great one. My friend and I ran the course together this Valentine's Day and made a bunch of stops. Stopped at mile 3 for the restrooms (with lines at this point), Mile 7 to see friends, mile 10 to see my family, mile 13 to stretch, mile 17 to stretch, mile 18 to see my boyfriend, mile 22 to stretch and mile 23 to see another friend. The past two years I haven't trained for it due to a few different reasons. I know, not safe but it is what it is. I can't complain about my finishing time because when you don't train you must play it safe, but after analyzing my Garmin data our moving time on the course was pretty solid for two individuals just waking up and going to run a marathon :) I'm pretty proud of it, our stops did cost us 20minutes and some change but were totally worth it. As with Chicago my Garmin clocked 26.80. My friend didn't wear a water pack and we played it extremely safe - sipping a little Gatorade through each water stop. We ran the entire course and had a nice time. I think it was our stops to say Hi and take pics that tacked on some additional time. We joke that we are pretty decent at running a few miles two weeks before a marathon and finishing it but really I wouldn't recommend that. I very much look forward to putting myself on a training schedule and PR'ing the way I am use to when I train right for a race. The expo never impresses me. I think it's ridiculous to charge $15 to park to breeze right through it. I didn't like the bibs or the shirts much but holy moly the medals are massive!!! I was happy to see it at the finish. Course support seemed very positive through the water stations, lots of encouragement. Thank you to all of the volunteers! There wasn't any cloud cover so I applied sunscreen generously. The unseasonably warm temps didn't cause the problems I anticipated but again we played it safe with hydration and stopping to stretch when we felt we needed to. I did try the cold beer on the course this year. Yum! and skipped on the chili dogs which are always amazing to see. We didn't run through Veterans Park this year and honestly I felt miles 18-22 were some of our strongest so our bbq chips snack paid off :) I can't wait for us to actually train and run LA. It's such a fun run, especially for Locals. I love being in my city, on it's streets and having that perspective the entire race. Knowing where I started, and where I'm going and being familiar with every block in the process of getting there surely works in your favor if you're from around here. Mentally it's definitely one of the largest pluses to this race. Drop off at Dodger stadium was also a breeze this year. Looking forward to 2017! Congrats to all finishers! You're amazing. 26.2 miles is 26.2 miles regardless of how fast you run them and to all the bandits I simply ask, why? Seriously, if you want to participate or train someone who is running, pay the registration. read more

Today was my first LA Marathon and my experience was awesome (even though my time wasn't). I had heard the LA Marathon is a completely different experience than the Beach Cities marathons and you ain't kidding. Just the sheer number of runners - all doing 26.2 was just mind boggling. And the community support through the whole course was just amazing. I didn't think Angelenos have this in us. Starting with the shuttle service from SM to Dodger Stadium, it was so smooth. Just hop on and we were on our way. No wait whatsoever. Next time though, I will choose the nicer stage coaches. I hopped on a shuttle bus which had low backrest so I couldn't rest my head and catch a snooze. At Dodger Stadium, complimentary water, banana, and bagels were provided. The stadium was open for you to hang out. It wasn't the most comfortable but no complaints. The course is an A+. I loved the diversity of neighborhoods. It made the race go by faster as I looked forward to see where each turn took me. But the support . . it really did blow me away. They were of all ages and ethnicities. I'm sure many or most of the those out there cheering and providing aid are not even runners and yet they're out there supporting us. Due to threat of high temperature again this year, there were more water stations. They seemed to be around every corner, And they were so well manned and many of the volunteers were cheering us on too. As the weather seems to be an issue every year. It did get hot in the direct sun in the late morning but thankfully the fog/marine layer stuck around in SM for us and made the finish more pleasant and the huge crowd roaring us on gave me the last ounce of motivation I needed. The last 3 miles being downhill didn't hurt either! At the finish, I was a little disappointed at the post race rations. It's pretty basic - water, banana, energy bar, crackers and thermal blankets. I was craving some coconut water or chocolate milk. But what was nice is the volunteer wrap the blanket around me and tied it for me. Also the wet towel was nice! For tracking runners, the app and the text alerts were so effective and easy to track everyone. Having your pace timed every 5k means the alerts come at regular and frequent intervals. Lastly, the Expo was pretty generic. But the traffic was horrendous due to the road closures for the Olympic Trials. I do really like the t-shirt. It's one that I'll definitely wear again. Also, everything was discounted 25% on Sunday so I also picked up a jacket and another t-shirt. Even though it was a struggle at times, I just enjoyed the race so much. I look forward to participating in the race in the future, either as a runner or a fan. read more

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No longer Asics, Skechers is the new title sponsor of the LA Marathon. After 5 years of regularly running half marathons, I decided this would be my first full marathon! When I found out it was to take place on Valentine's Day, I was all in. There was an abundance of orange slices, pretzels, and Red Vines throughout the whole course and maybe even too concentrated in some areas. I even got ice pops two separate times. To my surprise, chili dogs were offered. I would have stopped for one but by the time I realized what I just passed up, I didn't want to bust a u-turn and run against traffic. Plus, looks like they were full sizes and I wouldn't want the whole thing. In my opinion, it was just too early in the race for chili dogs but I will look out for them if I run it again and maybe ask for half size. For anybody who has not seen much of LA, this would be the ideal race. As a native Angeleno, I was already familiar with the sights of Chinatown, Koreatown, and Little Tokyo to start off. Hollywood Blvd was pretty cool to run on, along side the Walk of Fame. I did see a film crew but too bad I didn't realize it might have been for Jimmy Kimmel's show. You must see the Cousin Sal bit on youtube (a yearly thing) if you haven't already: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HUr6posZ6lY I came prepared for heat but never really felt it. There was one stretch after mile 20 where it was just warmer, no breeze and probably why there were no supporters along that area. It was under the freeway underpass and my guess it's where the course rerouted away from the VA building. At the finish line, I wish we got a small plastic bag for our refreshments like they do for Long Beach and OC. It sucks having to carry a water bottle, banana, bag of Goldfish, and couple bars at the same time while covering yourself with the mylar blanket. I'm so glad I didn't have to check in any gear. I read it was a huge cluster you-know-what. It's recommended to prepay parking in Santa Monica and take the shuttle to the start line. For those driving their own vehicles to Dodger Stadium or getting dropped off, off-ramp traffic coming from the 5S was ridiculously backed up. When I passed all that mess up, exited, got back on the fwy and came in from 5N to Acadamy, there was no traffic at all and I was able to park right away, considering I was in an open corral. SRLA (Students Run LA) is a great program and I commend each and every finishing student but some of those kids need to be aware that they shouldn't be walking more than 2 abreast. Oh, and to the guy who called out to a running Sikh "Nice hat", you are rude! I'm likely to run this again, knowing what slowed me down and what to do differently for next time. Thanks to all the supporters and volunteers! See ya in March 2017. read more

This years la marathon was on St. Patricks Day. Got a neat medal and a highlighter color race shirt! Started at Dodger Stadium and end at the Santa Monica Pier. I was hoping the weather would be a little cooler, but the sun decided to come out early this day. Couldn't believe I actually did this. Running and a healthy diet saved my life. I lost 50 lbs with it. Friends were critically of me by asking why you would "Pay to run". My answer was because the adrenaline and running with other people. I kept telling myself every year I was going to do a marathon, I would save money for this event, but every single year for the past 4 years luck was not on my side. This year I told myself.... This will be the year I did a marathon! Lone behold, I followed through! Trained for 5 months for this bad boy, but got injured 2 weeks before the race while playing basketball (stupid idea). I could have sold off my marathon voucher, but decided to gut it out. Day of the race came, ankle was not fully healed. No excuses.... GO BIG OR GO HOME! Wasn't willing to take a lost of $150. I was so nervous that I only had three hours of sleep and boarded the bus around 340am near my house. Got to union station where they had a free shuttle to take you to the start line at Dodger stadium. Shouldn't have drank so much water when I got there. Literally had to go to the restroom 3 or 4 times before the race. The marathon route went through many historic sites: Chinatown Olvera Street City Hall Little Tokyo Pantages Theater Grauman's Chinese Theater Rodeo Drive Route 66 The race was very organized and loved the support of fellow racers, supporters along the route (gave you free food to sustain your energy). Have to give it up to all the volunteers at the race without them there wouldn't be a race. Didn't even need my headphones for this race. We became our own support group. Urging each other on and giving us hope that we made a good decision to do this. After about mile 13, I started cramping and my ankle was starting to hurt again. From that point on, I was in so much pain. The runners that ran past me told me that there is a medic station up ahead and to get some aspirin... haha Aspirin doesn't do jack shi**. It's all in the head, that day I think I took about 11 aspirins... I also was able to get my ankle wrapped up. Felt uneasy as the race went on.... now I saw a lot of runners on the ground with cramps, sprained ankles, and some medic ambulances driving by. I was literally thinking... oh crap... am I okay?... am I breathing?... Yup, still alive and kicking! The mile markers started coming down as I would approach them... haha that's not good for the mind.... Normally, it tells you that you are to slow and that they are going to kick you out... :( Eventually, I ran into some friends that were doing the race also and finished strong! RECAP OF EXPERIENCE - Don't decide to play basketball... play it safe.... don't want to get injured. -I was able to finish the marathon in 7 hours. Crap that's like a whole days of work.. -I got my neat medal and knocked out for 13 hours.... Took me a week to recover.... hated them stairs I had to go up to work. -Loved my first marathon! THE END! *Next marathon..... Watch out san fran. I'm coming for you! read more

Los Angeles Marathon - Souvenir! - Races & Competitions Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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My second year! Will I do it again? A big YES. This is my most exciting running event by far because I had to deal with the record-high temperature of 90's. I found out that there was 26K runners who joined with 100+ runners got injured and 1 runner had cardiac arrest on mile 21-22. Despite of all the risks,I am still joining 2016 LAM,this time on Valentine's Day!!! Coincidence? Heart day and cardiac arrest. Avoid cardiac enzyme tests after the Marathon. Seriously. read more

Los Angeles Marathon - 2014 and 2015 medals. - Races & Competitions Near Me - Los Angeles, California

I love LA! I love this marathon! The current course starts from Dodger Stadium and ends on Ocean Ave near the Santa Monica Pier. With a point to point course, most runners will have to park their cars in Santa Monica and board one of the many buses to Dodger Stadium. They open up the ballpark so you can wait in the bleachers. If you're running the race for a charity, they treat you even better by letting you into the luxury suites. You do have the option of parking at the Stadium, but you'll have to find your own way back to your car. While I personally loved the old course where it started and ended in Downtown LA, this current course is loved by almost everyone. It is by no means an easy course since there are some big hills and long steady climbs. At least the major climbs are in the first half of the race. The expo is currently back at the LA Convention Center in Downtown LA next to Staples Center. When they first changed to the Stadium to the Sea course, they moved the expo to Dodger Stadium. If you're looking for a marathon to run as your first or your 100th, you should seriously consider this one! It is very walker friendly in case you're having a bad race. The aid stations are well stocked and there are plenty of spectators out to cheer you on. read more

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26.2!!! This was my first time running a marathon and it had to be LA Marathon! This has been a bucket list goal of mine. Driving and parking is a bit difficult since you start and finish in different locations. They offer shuttles from Union Station and Santa Monica Pier but you have to pay to park in these lots and you have to head in super early. Dodgers Stadium is where you start. You start in the parking lot. The setup is pretty badly set up and unorganized. The corral entrances are small and the signs are tiny. You are basically crammed between two fences. The open corral was terrible. 20k people trying to fit in such a small tiny area. You have to stand and wait for 30+ minutes before you even start. There is barely enough space to stand, let alone stay warm and loose. TIP, bring an old sweater or cheap blanket to stay warm and toss it on the fence before you start. A lot of people did this. Starting was fast, they basically say go and everyone just marches to the start. The course was a good mix of incline and decline. You pass by Chinatown, Downtown, Hollywood, Beverly Hills, Brentwood, and end at Santa Monica. There were water stations at basically every mile. They handed out gels twice and had oranges randomly. There were potties at almost every other mile. FYI, Nike App was off by 1 extra mile. I was really surprised how much support there was. You feed off that energy. And there were so many people handing out snacks and water. Thank you to whoever had oranges and apple sauce. Saved my butt. Running down Santa Monica at the end was awesome. Great crowd up until the last stretch. Once you cross the finish line, you get your medal. The snacks after were a disappointment. You do not even get a baggy to hold anything. They just lay it all out and you have to hand hold water and everything. Very unorganized family greet area. Everyone is just in a crowd and you cannot even walk out smoothly. The beer garden was super packed. The line to get your runners beer was a joke. You have to wait 30+ minutes to get your beer. They should have streamlined this process a lot better. The entire Santa Monica Pier area was just jam packed. Very difficult to walk around and expect all the restaurants to be packed. I am so glad I finally did it. It was fun and exciting and SUPER TIRING. The run was a blur. I only remember bits and pieces. Probably won't do it again but I am happy I did it once. read more

I finished it in a little over 1 hour ! ! (on my bicycle). It was a great early morning ride with a few thousand of my friends. Thanks to the Mayor and all the City Agencies for permitting the pre-race cycling event. [Although getting up at 3.30 am on a Sunday for a dark 5.30 am start was an unusual experience.] read more

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Please bring back the old course!!! Myself and several others have decided that we will not run this unless they bring back the old course. Please get your sh!t together, the out houses were locked at several places where they were supposed to be open. read more

Loves this event!! This year I ran my 18th consecutive LA Marathon!! Yes I have been running this race every year since my first one in 2001!! I really love the Stadium to Sea course, you have so much to see on the course you just want to take your time and enjoy everything that has to offer. I especially love the people who were serving chili cheese dog at Mile 5!!! I always grab one every year!! Love the hoodie that they give us runners who finish this race for 10+ straight year. That was awesome. Made my money worth. Can't wait to run again next year for my 19th straight year!! read more

This was my first full marathon. I was a bit nervous going into this but it turned out great. First and most importantly the weather was perfect. What was expected to be a hot day turned out to be comfortable, at least for me. Secondly if you're going to run in a marathon please train and prepare yourself. This is no joke and if you run while not prepared you put yourself at risk of injury. I prepaid for parking in Santa Monica. I arrive at SM around 5 am and there is traffic galore. I easily find my parking structure at the civic center and park. I then follow the crowd to the shuttle. Long lines but they move quickly. Lots of shuttles to accommodate everyone. Quick ride to Dodger stadium then exit the shuttle. Lots of Porta potties. There is a band playing and i did not get there early enough to enjoy my time there, relax or grab a snack. The race started on time and were off. First landmark Chinatown, echo park, hollywood, rodeo drive and so much more!!! So many wonderful people out supporting all the runners. Family with their children handing out water, oranges, candy and more. High fives and hugs were being offered too. The volunteers were amazing. I know they put in a lot of work and time to be there and I appreciate them so much. I had my bottle refilled with gatorade twice. All the water i used to pour on myself to keep cool would not have been possible without the volunteers. The community came out to support i heard the words of encouragement and it helped keep me going when I needed it most!!! After the race boy was i happy. I did have a difficult time finding the festival and beer garden. But when I did there was snacks, vendors and giveaways. I did wish there was a protein drink offered at the finish line. I enjoyed this race and I think I may make this an annual event. If you are considering this for an upcoming year register early for a price saving. Start your training now and prepare for possible hot weather. 26.2 miles 25,000 runners One memorable day!! read more

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Just ran the 2013 Asics Los Angeles Marathon today on St. Patrick's day. Had a great time. Pre-Marathon Expo/Registration: Very user friendly and did not appear to be chaotic at the Convention Center. Shuttle service to Dodger Stadium was good (well I didn't have to stand) but not so good for those who had to stand. That didn't seem right forcing runners to be on their feet during that time. This applied to the Downtown Hotel Shuttles. Once at the Marathon, there were plenty of porto-potties. The cool part about the pre-race area near the starting line was that Dodger Stadium was open, so many runners, like robins looking for a place to nest sat in the bleachers. I even sat near the left field foul line. I found that all too amusing for some reason. The race had well organized corrals. I was in corral C and simply huddled to the ground for 30 minutes until it was just about start time. The Course: Mile1: starts off going up the Dodger Stadium entrance and then drops fairly steeply while going out of the park. Runners turn left onto West Sunset Blvd.where it's still pretty fast and you'll be at your projected pace right off the bat. The streets are wide which prevents the 'huddled runners' effect. Mile 2: More downhill along West Sunset with a little dip upwards. Mile 3: Seemed pretty easy. Mile4: just around the 4.5 mile mark there's that steep hill on Temple St. that leaves the runner cruising right away from the Disney Music Hall. Love the drum pounders that carried me up this hill. Mile 5: Is pretty much the run away from downtown. Mile 6-14: After passing Echo Park at mile 6.5, The next 7 miles on Sunset Blvd/Hollywood Blvd. are reminiscent of the New York City Marathon run along 1st/2nd Avenue in Brooklyn. The crowd support was amazing. The spectators of LA are by far the coolest/friendliest of any marathon I've ever run. Somewhere around Hollywood was the worst part of the course when, while running on Hollywood Blvd., we were going uphill and passed an Arco Station that reeked of petrol. That pollution stench was very off putting. I nearly threw up. But at least there were still lots of supportive spectators. What I love about the LA Spectators was that none of them were annoying. They were all genuine. Mile 15: Somewhere upon leaving the Kodak Theatre area in Hollywood, there is this nice steep coasting downhill where the runner is eventually introduced to Beverly Hills. Miles 16-17: I found Beverly Hills a bit humorous. There is a decent uphill stretch and my sarcastic side couldn't get over how clueless (but caring, I'll give them that) the wealthy Beverly Hilliites were as they offered silly freebies like granola and I think one was passing out cupcakes. To the residents of Beverly Hills, please: pass out GUs or Electrolyte Fluids or Bananas. Still, it was a sweet gesture and the crowd support was awesome. Mile 18: Is along Santa Monica Blvd and is boring but surprisingly easy. It's just a main stretch that has lots of supporters cheering away. Mile 19: Is cool because while crossing some kind of overpass on Santa Monica, there's a negotiating incline at the mile 19 marker and there were these cute throngs of cheerleaders cheering us up the hill. That actually put a smile on my face. Mile 20: To get to mile 20, there's another long boring stretch and after crossing the 20 mile marker, there was this dark, eerie yet peacefully blight like tunnel. It reminded me of the Red Hot Chili Pepper song "under the bridge" for some reason. At around 20.5, there's a GU station and then there's: HELL!!! Mile 21: To get to mile 21, you have to go up a steep winding hill. Mile 22-23.5: It's just a tough long exhausting incline. Mile 23.5-25; I think this is where the runners find themselves in Santa Monica. The best fans were here cheering us on to the finish line. The final mile: Hitting Ocean Ave is like hitting an oasis. The crowds, the cheering and that finish line staring at yah from about 3 quarters of a mile away. It looks like forever but the cheering was second to none. The friendly spectators of Los Angeles carried me on their wings those final steps and I will never forget them. Other notables: Post race flow was very good. The complimentary shuttle back to the hotels (if you stayed at an official LA Marathon Hotel) was located away from the crowds by Santa Monica City Hall and I didn't have to wait at all. The runner dressed as Batman, lol. The cheerleaders dressed in drag in West Hollywood looked creepy. Many great sites and distractions to get the mind off of running. The music was perfect: lots of songs with great beats, but the dude who was singing Jumping Jack Flash was a bit off in his vocals. There was one guitar band playing the Star Wars theme. There was one annoying runner with a horribly gnarly and distracting voice singing and talking loudly. That dude was the primary reason I hit the wall. High fiving the spectators, so fun! read more

This was my first marathon, and I smashed it at 3:49:48 , placing 1610 out of 18865 + finishers. If you are in the open corral , you will have a difficult time as you're lumped in with the other 20,000 plus participants In order to compete; so I'd recommend you break away earlier. Only downside: first eight miles will consume a lot of your energy. I was aiming for 3:30, but I exhausted my stamina from the first eight miles just trying to break away from the 1st timers running en masse. Big but a necessary mistake to break away! Race starts at dodgers stadium, but you're gonna have to shuttle it from union station if you want to get in an hour before and on time! Wouldn't recommend uber or lyft to dodger stadium. Congested , too many cars! The route is somewhat non-linear. You start st dodgers stadium, go through chinatown,parts of downtown, echo park, east Hollywood, Los feliz, Hollywood, West Hollywood , Beverly Hills, Westwood, Brentwood then Santa Monica. I wish I knew a more concise route, but I was too focused on finishing, sorta faded back into the recesses of my mind to accurately recall, sorry! Hardest miles are from 16-20. Once you get to mile 22 it's smooth sailing, since you're essentially running downhill from thereon out. Next time, I will definitely try to pace myself to add more tempo later on. Open corral sucks though. Next year will definitely be better as I will be seeded. Various refuel stations throughout. You're definitely gonna want to hydrate yourself and eat something either at the halfway or multiple times. I made a pit stop at least three times from mile 16-21. Consumed some cookies, cliff gel bar, gummy bears, Gatorade, water. You will burn close to a lb of calories (3500) Various events thereafter. Quite a zoo. Free beer and food in "beer garden" if you're 21 or over. Too tired to participate in the festivities. In fact, once I finished, they had to shuffle march me to recuperate and gather my belongings. Don't bother uber or lyft back. Those fares will be 7x plus! Take the expo line to downtown, then a bus. Transportation will be tricky, so plan accordingly ! read more

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You don't become a marathoner until you actually do one so just click that submit button and register. 2017 date is on March 29, 2017 so set your calendars! I never imagined myself doing a marathon but I just randomly decided to register and do it so that I can check this off my bucket list. I have so much respect for all of those that do this year after year. Mad props to the legacy runners. As for the race, you get to visit most of the communities throughout LA. A great way to see what makes LA the west coast best coast. From Dodger Stadium, you see Chinatown, Downtown, Silverlake, Hollywood, Beverly Hills, Westwood, Brentwood, and finally Santa Monica. It's a one way marathon but they provide shuttles if parked back at the start line. The race was organized pretty well in comparison to other races I've participated in. The volunteers were great; water/gatorade at pretty much every mile; energy shots at pretty much every 3-4 miles near the end. The crowd is electric at some parts; mainly near the end when you are dying to finish the last handful of miles. Oh finally, if you are running for the bling, the medal is super heavy and worth the pain (maybe...) A few things I would prefer changed: 1) Ensure that police or traffic guards are there to direct traffic to the start. It's bad when one of the LA Marathon-sponsored buses is stuck in traffic and barely making it to the start line... 2) Making use of the corrals. Having people in an earlier corral should mean that they start earlier than the other corrals. Having everyone start at once defeats the purpose of corrals. 3) Make the finish area more compact or have the food earlier. After running 26.2 miles, need to walk about 3 blocks to grab a banana is no bueno... In the end, the LA Marathon was great and even though you say you will never do it again, you always have that inclination to want to do it again... You've caught the bug... read more

Los Angeles Marathon - 2016 Medal - Races & Competitions Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Cynthia Y. vs LA Marathon Round 2 Result: Cynthia Y. = 2, LA Marathon=0!!!! My second time completing the LA Marathon (yep all 26.2 miles!!) Last year my time was 5:11. This year, I completed it in 4:53!!!!!!!! WoOOOoHOoo!! Let's see, I started training in November 2009. This second time around, I felt like I overworked my body & I began to feel the impact from all the running. I knew that this would be my last marathon. Expo: not as well organized as last year when it was held at the LA Convention. This year was at Dodger Stadium, it was a bit unorganized, everything was all over the place, a little cramped, and there weren't any signs telling you which way to go in the parking lot. However, got a buncha goodies :D Marathon day, Sunday, March 21, 2010: On the way to Dodgers Stadium to get dropped off was hectic, traffic everywhere, so me & my friend had to be dropped off from the freeway =x So I do suggest that if you get dropped off, get to the startline at least 1 hour before the race. Got to the stadium alright, was super duper packed, and I thought the startline wasn't well organized. I didn't get to see the guest speakers like Mayor Villaraigosa & Chef Ramsey =( The race: The first 2 miles, we ran around Dodger stadium's parking lot, ran through Downtown LA, and got back onto Sunset Blvd. There were a few inclines which slowed me down a little. Running along Sunset, we passed Echo Park, Hollywood, West Hollywood, Beverly Hills, and got onto Santa Monica I think.. Passed through Westwood, Santa Monica, and then the finish line!! Powerade & water station very well organized. Pretty cool route, lots of things to see, but of course I didn't pay much attention. Amazing volunteers and spectators cheering you on! Lots of people calling out your name and people giving you high fives :D Amazing turnout this year! You see people of all age, size, and shape. People in unique customes. I was kind of hoping the penis guy would show up this year. lol OH and you'll see some crazy people running barefoot! Cool signs I saw: "You're on mile 5, the Kenyans are on mile 15" "Run, you're in LA bitch" "If it were easy, we'd be running it too!" "Pain is temporary, victory is forever" Ohh and did any see Shia LaBeouf??? Would I do it again? MAYBE.. I loved the route & the crowd, but I don't think my body can handle it anymore. I think 2 marathons are enough. I would totally recommend every runner to run the LA Marathon at least once. It's a great experience & the greatest city ever... I love LA...WE RUN LA :D read more

Los Angeles Marathon - My shiny LA Marathon medal =D 03.21.10 Stadium to Sea! - Races & Competitions Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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The 2013 LA Marathon: 26.2 miles, from Stadium (Dodger) to Sea (Santa Monica) on St. Patrick's Day. For a town notorious for its traffic and car-loving population, the idea of a marathon in the City of Angels may seem kinda ridiculous. However, the opportunity to run through the streets of Los Angeles, past famous landmarks and through diverse, vibrant neighborhoods was one that I could not pass up. Even though I grew up in SoCal, this was my first time doing the race. Lulled by good running weather, the course, and the fact that I had somewhere to stay for free right downtown with one of my brothers, I registered for the event and this is how my race weekend went down: FRIDAY: drove into town from Vegas and went straight to the expo at the LA Convention Center (South Hall) to get my race packet (bib number and swag bag). $12 for parking there--whut?! I must be in LA. The expo itself was not as huge as that of other events. I've seen more vendors at Rock N Roll events, for example. But, there was still a good selection of the essentials for participants and non-participants alike, including Asics official race gear and several vendors hawking running shoes, apparel, supplements, marathons in other cities, and items that are supposed to make you bigger, stronger, faster. The expo was also held on Saturday. SATURDAY: I basically spent this day taking it easy, walking around, and eating downtown like Yelpers do. The cool race-related event was that the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels held a special ceremony in the plaza where race participants could bring their running shoes for a special blessing. I showed up at noon with dozens of other runners where tables were set up to place our shoes upon and a priest blessed our shoes as well as us; I need all the help I can get. SUNDAY, RACE DAY: At 5:30am, I walked less than a mile to Union Station from my sib's apartment and hopped on one of the free shuttles for racers that took us to the start line at Dodger Stadium, so much easier than trying to drive through streets that were already blocked off for the marathon. There were also shuttles offered from Santa Monica, where racers could park their cars so they'd have transport when the race was over. When we arrived at the stadium, there were port-a-potties everywhere, as well as music pumping to get everyone amped up. I had an hour to kill before the start time and I spent most of it in line for the potties, twice--there's really nothing else to do except make sure you empty your bladder as much as possible so you don't have to stop once the race starts. It's also fun to observe the thousands of fellow marathoners from all walks of life, ages, shapes, and colors who are about to spend several hours running and walking 26.2 miles with you. The feelings of excitement, anticipation, and even a little dread are those you can only experience at events and this is the main difference between training for a race and the actual race. After the national anthem was sung by a former American Idol contestant, the gun went off to indicate the start. With 24,000 runners from all over the world registered, it took about 15 minutes for me to get to the start line from where I was in my corral and then we were off. THE COURSE: Some of the places that we ran by/through: Chinatown Olvera Street City Hall Little Tokyo Dorothy Chandler Pavilion Pantages Theater Capitol Records Tower Hollywood & Vine Grauman's Chinese Theater Chateau Marmont Whisky a Go Go Beverly Hills City Hall Rodeo Drive Route 66 For a race of this size and the amount of participants, LA hosted a fantastic event. I cannot say enough about the volunteers who manned the water/aid stations along the way. They cheered on the participants enthusiastically, kept us hydrated, and were numerous--events like these don't succeed without people who are willing to give up their own time to work. There were bands along the way to keep us entertained and pumped up. My favorite group was the taiko drummers at the top of one especially steep hill; I could hear the pounding and it certainly helped motivate me. Other cool sights along the way were the cute firefighters cheering outside of their firehouse and posing for pictures with runners, the transvestites giving high-fives and water in West Hollywood, running past the "Pretty Woman" hotel on Rodeo, and residents from Chinatown to Brentwood out on their lawns, clapping, cheering, cow-belling for us even though we monopolized their neighborhoods and streets. I highly recommend this race; you'll get to see and experience LA and its citizens in a way that you can't from a car. (Reading this review is like a marathon--if you got this far, I'd give you a medal if I could.) read more

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As a spectator, I thought the race was not spectator friendly. The Century City area was absolutely horrible! I hate the area & hope I never have to return! The parking availability was horrible & parking fees absolutely outrageous! It was difficult to figure out where your person was at towards the finish line & many were unable to see their person cross the finish line. Many of the barricades were not showing up on Google which made getting out of Echo Park, Angelino Hts, Silverlake a nightmare! I thought it was disorganized from a spectator point of view. I prefer the run to Santa Monica, that is, as a spectator. read more

This was my first Full! It was really fun! I got a little bored between mile 18 till mile 21, but then I cheered myself up buy tasting all these energy drinks and bars they give away on the track. LOL. I really enjoyed the the course through the most interesting streets of LA. I definitively will participate next year again. read more

Los Angeles Marathon - Races & Competitions Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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A few years ago, during lunch break I rode the Metro because it was free and walked the route with some guy. I think that was when I started to fall in love with the city, when I began to explore the neighborhoods. I was a volunteer at a hotel basement where we stored runners' luggage. The organizers had even arranged a couple of school buses to transport my group. Today after four hours, my brother said his nipples bled. "Haven't you seen Andy on The Office?" I asked. He made rookie mistakes like putting sunblock on his face so it ran into his eyes. It makes me think of when I ran Cross Country in high school and a hurdler once tried to motivate me for an invitational by saying that success tastes like sweat... but maybe the runners' high is only limited to the first couple of hours. read more

First off, THANKS TO ALL THE VOLUNTEERS BRAVING THE WEATHER & SUFFERING WITH US!!! There are a few improvements from my last review, the 2009 marathon, but still needs improvement. The course is definitely much better and more scenic, but Orange street was just utter crap with potholes all over. I do missed hearing the Japanese drummers at the end. I skipped the carb loading dinner this time around. Really $35!? Obtaining my bib and shirt were much easier. I didn't ordered a customize shirt--don't think that was an option...so didn't need to deal with the waiting drama like last time. I thought the expo fair was much smaller though w/ less vendors. Don't blame people for not participating since it was outdoors. I was searching hard for a vendor to sell rain protection apparel / gears. The water resistant jacket I ended up purchasing was soaked within minutes on race day... No one has control of the weather but there are things that the organizer could have done better like starting on time. We could have at least an additional 30 mins of no rain. They knew it was going to rain-rain hard, in fact it hailed and it was pure hell; they could have at least given us ponchos. They've done it in the past. They should have provided ponchos for the volunteers too. Hell, they should have provided tents for the volunteers. There were parts where it was just so windy and raining heavily that there would be just one or two volunteers at a water station. I don't know how much these events cost, but there were at least 25,000 sign ups, that's at least $3.6M, at registration fee at $145 and $155 for late signers (2009 registration fee $120). Everyone lost on the organizer being cheap. Photographers could have made more money if the organizer provide us clear ponchos. The finish line "festival" should have been in a "closed tent" with heating lamps. Do I really want a massage in the open (ok it was slightly tented but still freezing) with the wind and rain blowing on me? No, I just want to warm up and be dry. There might have been volunteers at the gear pick up if it was in a "closed tent." No one was there! WTF! Seriously, WTF! After running in the cold wind, rain, hail, suffering from hypothermia I now must go search for my bag!? Utter chaos. Luckily I found my bag within 10 minutes. I met a lady and it took her 45 minutes to find her bag. Others couldn't find theirs. Granted that the organizer is now going to send emails to runners who couldn't find their bag but WTH if you're not going to have any volunteers there then you should make prior arrangements with us. Just to annoy me even more, I had to go back to Dodger Stadium for my car, and they closed the entrance that we had to enter in from the morning! Luckily there was someone who knew how to enter from the side that was opened... Thanks again for all the volunteers that showed up, cheered, provided us water, gatorade, coconut water, orange etc! Thanks again to the brave spectators cheering us on! Hi to the cute guy on Sunset & Larabee in a black peacoat jacket....Thanks to the musicians and everyone who blasted their boombox --I really needed music, my ishuffle broke at mile 1. Thanks to all the nearby hotels for letting us use your bathroom so we can get out of our wet gears and defrost since the organizer can't seem to do that! Thanks to Doubletree and John who gave me the warm coffee even though you guys were closed! Cheers to the 19,760 finishers! We walked, we ran, we swam, we conquered, and a big cheer to the last person who crossed the line at 12:23! WOW, you go girl! read more

The 2013 LA Marathon was my first LAM and it was a great experience. LA really knows how to put on a world class event. I chose to pick up my packet on Saturday around 10am after eating a light breakfast at LA Market. I parked over at LA Live and walked to the convention center. There was no line to speak of to get my packet and exchanging my shirt for a different size was easy. I didn't see too many samples being handed out so I got out of there pretty quickly. On race morning I arrived early in Santa Monica to catch the 4am shuttle to Dodger Stadium. I signed up for LAM on the first day registration was open and specifically chose the 5:30am shuttle and my receipt shows it. However, my bib said 4am and I was paranoid I wouldn't be able to board a later shuttle. The shuttles were very efficient and coming and going constantly. I think the entire ride was 25 minutes. It was a bit chilly at Dodger Stadium but luckily they opened up the stadium to runners so I was able to sit in the seats and enjoy the Eggo waffles I brought with me. In hindsight, I should've brought a gear check bag because there was so much down time and I only wore a tank and skirt. Atleast I know for next time. The corrals were being monitored like crazy and I got into my C corral. The race got underway right at 7:25am and I didn't have any walkers to go around due to the fact that they were VERY strict about the corral adherence. All races should be this efficient! I'd say that the first 2 miles or so around Dodger Stadium are the most crowded and made hitting the tangents almost impossible. The course finally opens up and there's a pretty significant hill going up to Disney Concert Hall. There were so many spectators on the course, it was amazing. All different groups of people were handing out chili dogs, oranges, bananas, pretzels, red vines, cups of beer (near the VA hospital), gummy bears, pb&j sandwiches, bottles of water, etc. The signage and support was top notch. I must've heard my name called out atleast 20 times since it was on my bib. It got me pumped and made me run a little faster each time. Running through Silverlake, Brentwood and Santa Monica were my favorite parts because the crowds were so spirited. I enjoyed the WeHo cheerleaders and wished there were more of them! The finish on Ocean Ave seemed to go on forever because you can see the finish line in the distance but it seemed so far away. I knew I was gonna PR and just kept pumping to the finish. The weather was cool and overcast and my calves wanted to seize but the long walk from the finish line to the space blankets to the water to the snacks gave me plenty of time to stretch. My biggest issue with the event was lack of real food. There were bananas, chocolate graham cookies, animal crackers, mini Clif Bars, bottled water and that was about it. I wanted a Jamba Juice (I guess I was spoiled by RNR and SF) and something salty. I would've brought some cash with me to hit up a restaurant in the area if I knew the postrace food would be so weak. I walked about a mile back to the Civic Center parking garage which was far but helped me stretch my legs out. I chatted with some other finishers along the way. The garage itself was really close to the freeway so I didn't encounter any traffic coming or going. I'd definitely run this course again. It's always a roll of the dice with the weather at LA though, some years it pours, some years it's windy and this year was perfect. New PR: 4:05:16 Overall: 3390/19505 F 35-39: 99/941 read more

Los Angeles Marathon - Billboard spotted on 2/23/13 on Cesar Chavez and Grand - Races & Competitions Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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This was my 12th marathon and it was one of the better ones but also had some drawbacks. PROS: Great course, best way to sightsee there is - run through your city on foot and traffic free Good crowds all along the course kept me motivated Last 2.5 miles are DOWNHILL Abundant massage tables at the end Well-organized pace team by Clif Bar Lots of water stations Shuttle bus from Santa Monica to Dodger Stadium before start was hassle-free Varying terrain changed up which leg muscles I was using Ran a PR! (3:29.10) CONS: No gels/bars/nutrition along the course. Some self-appointed volunteers had oranges and bananas but definitely bring any nutrition you want Randomness to water stops - sometimes water first, sometimes gatorade first, sometimes no gatorade at all. Lots of rolling hills and uphills wear you down over time If the wind is blowing from the west (which it was) you have a headwind the ENTIRE RACE since you run west the whole way. (I guess this would be a pro if it was blowing form the East.) Cold, long wait at Dodger Stadium before start. Blah post-race food. Overall: I definitely recommend! Woot woot! read more

Los Angeles Marathon - Beautiful but windy race day in 2012! - Races & Competitions Near Me - Los Angeles, California

AMAZING experience! Though crossing the finish wasn't all that I imagined it would be, I have to admit that it was one of the best ways I've ever experienced touring a city! Wish there was a bit more entertainment along the course but it was scenic enough to keep you distracted from noticing the stiffness creeping into your legs. Pre-race at Dodger Stadium was slightly hectic (poor signage to start corrals) and WAYYYYY too chilly but at least there were restrooms, food and space to settle in until it started. Post race was much better: clear, open space to stretch out. Def recommend having a plan in place to meet up w friends and family afterward because the cell networks get crazy! Literally, took me 15-20 minutes to send a text or get a call to connect; which, naturally, got dropped after a few minutes! read more

I can't believe I didn't write a review for the LA Marathon! Well, a year later here it is. I ran the LA Marathon in 2015 when it was still sponsored by Asics. Registration is pretty cheap for a large marathon like this. If you register early on in the first tier it is usually $160-$170ish. Now, this isn't a world marathon major, so that's one of the reasons it's not upward of $250. This is a really great price for a marathon in a city as big as Los Angeles. Be sure to select a race morning transportation time when you register as well as purchase your parking. It'll save you the hassle later on. I left at 4:45 from Santa Monica and it worked out perfectly. It's about a half hour ride to the start line. The expo is pretty awesome to say the least. It's super huge and it takes place at the LA Convention Center. You'll likely have to pay for parking unless you can snag a metered spot in the surrounding streets. The metro is also a great idea if you're close to the expo line or another where you can connect to that line. But anyway, the expo. There's tons of vendors there and they also bring out some pretty awesome speakers. We met Deena Kastor before her Q&A session at the expo. I'm guessing that's since she's an Asics sponsored athlete. I'm assuming Meb and Kara might show up in the coming years since they're both Sketchers sponsored athletes, which would be pretty awesome. There's also tons of photo spots at the expo. There's plenty of LA Marathon signs, course maps, finish line spots, etc. There's a large official merchandise area and when I arrived on Saturday, there was tons of discounted items too! But beware, the lines were pretty dang long. Even if you only plan on picking up your bib and other packet items, you'll likely end up staying there longer than you anticipated because there's so much to do, look at and shop for. It's a fantastic expo. Race morning went smoothly! 2015 was the hottest year in LA Marathon history. Temperatures topped 95° so the race start was bumped up half an hour, which was much appreciated. I wish that it could have been bumped up even earlier, but there's a lot that goes into shutting down the streets and getting police and medical personnel out there, so I understand that it wasn't possible. The corrals were a bit of a mess. It was so crowded that everyone couldn't even fit in their corrals. It was like half of the people were actually in there and the other half were on the other side of the gates. That could have been much more organized. But once we got in, we were off and running to the tune of "I Love LA!" The first half of the race was awesome. The scenery and course were great to look at and there was a ton of sights. Hollywood Blvd. was by far my favorite spot of the race. It was lined with spectators cheering their hearts out and it was really fun to run past all the iconic theaters and the stars. The second half gets a little more rough. There's not so much to look at and it got really, REALLY hot. The VA hospital was the absolute worst part of the course, but I heard that it got removed in 2016, so lucky you if it did! Once you turn on Ocean Avenue, run your heart out. The finish line isn't very far and you've put in a ton of work! Finish strong and earn that bling! Speaking of bling, the medals are awesome. I loved the 2014 medal and the 30th anniversary medal for 2015 was really great. I'm so glad that I got to take one home with me. The weather is not something that the race organizers can control, but it is something that factors into the race. The past three years it has been over 85° and that's saying something. 2014 was record heat. Then 2015 was record heat and beat that year. Then they moved the race up a month in 2016 and it was STILL hot. This is LA, so be prepared to run a hot race. The weather is unpredictable here, even in the winter. All in all, this is a great race. I had a really rough time in 2015, though. That heat was awful and I don't think I want to risk having to run in that heat again, but the course and crowd support is amazing! If you are an LA runner, this race is an absolute must. read more

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LA Marathon...round 2. This time, Asics became the main sponsor. And for 2013, the expo was at the LA Convention Center instead of Dodger stadium because of extensive repairs. The expo was pretty huge with lots of space to walk around. Received lots of free stuff from the hundred or so vendors on site. And for this year, the weather was perfect for a long run. As an Angelino, this race was very special for me since I got to run in places where I grew up as a kid, and the fact that you get to see a lot of Los Angeles all in one race was a major incentive. The course was the same for 2012, basically from Dodger stadium all the way to Santa Monica with 25 aid stations along the way. And those 25 were the official stations, with many, many more unofficial stations along the way with random people giving out water, juice, oranges and even a group gave out some beer on mile 20. The logistics with the gear check and the corral entrances could have been worked out better since it was mad and chaotic. Post-race festivities were pretty cool with a music band and free beer at the beer garden. Although the finish line at Santa Monica is a great way to finish, the placement of the actual finish line itself was very difficult for most spectators to view and as such most of those people congregated at the exit where it proved very difficult to move through. And with the point-to-point marathon, they didn't have any return shuttles back to Dodger stadium for the folks who parked there (same as last year). Some people had to take public transportation on the way to get back to Dodger stadium. But with all those deficiencies, you really can't beat running on the streets of LA where you see dozens and dozens of famous landmarks. I'll be back for 2015!!! Note to self: 4:10:17 in 2013 read more

Awesome Marathon Experience (5 stars) After running the 2012 marathon, I knew I was destined to return, and I came back running 22 minutes faster. Last year was my first marathon, then went on to do Long Beach and Santa Barbara. Overall, LA is my favorite because it's home. -Registration was nice for returnees, including the discount. -Frequent email updates -Great website with loads of important information -Fantastic Expo at the LA Convention Center -Dodger Stadium drop off (more organized this year) -Course was as expected like last year -Weather was perfect -Finish line location is the best -Beautiful Medal YES! I plan to return for my third consecutive LA Marathon. read more

Los Angeles Marathon - LA Marathon March 17, 2013 ... my second year running ... and plan to return next year. - Races & Competitions Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Not to be a boner kill to all of the people who absolutely love this race and praise it well, but I found it to have a lot of problems within. The race and everything was fine; pretty much the same as any other (aside from not being able to run without running into someone or someone into you), but I rank it the lowest of any race that I have ran. (I have ran only a few: Malibu, Death Valley, etc) Getting to Dodger stadium was a nightmare with all of the traffic and drop off was pretty easy. No information anywhere, asking the people directing the traffic was useless. They knew hardly anything. Getting to the stadium two hours early was pointless; waiting was tiresome and pointless. Being in a seeded corral was pointless. Before the race began, people piled into the corral areas, intermixing with everyone. Now we had 9 minute a mile people mixed with 15+ min a mile walkers. After start, tripping over these slower people was a problem. The bigger problem were the people beelining to the sides to defecate and urinate in plain site. Most of the first half of the race was nicely constructed (though one area had a lot of glass on road- I am a barefoot runner. The temperature was about 10 degrees hotter than planned, so sweating out electrolytes was an issue - NO WATER STATIONS OFFERED ELECTROLYTES EXCEPT FOR ONE (that I saw.) Longer into the race, water stations ran out of cups. They had water, no cups! So, running to the next and those stations had cups but barely any water! So, I was handed a cup with a cheek full of water! I actually was forced to quit the race due to extreme thirst and dehydration. I went to pick up my running partner and the end of the race had NO parking. NOTHING. Bad planning. Traffic jams everywhere; two hours for 4 miles. Then when I got there, the authorities would not allow you anywhere near Ocean Avenue to root on my partner. Those authority figures would also not tell me how to get to Ocean Avenue. Every road was blocked off, and no entry. So, the race was quite miserable. I would rather stick to smaller races where you can have fun and not be treated like cattle running to slaughter. This race is not human friendly at all. Not environmentally friendly. In fact one water station was using styrofoam cups! read more

Los Angeles Marathon - Races & Competitions Near Me - Los Angeles, California

This was first year running the LA marathon and first full marathon. I run a lot of half marathons (usually in San Diego). It was supposed to rain and be a monsoon just like the previous year. THANK GOODNESS the weather was perfect. No water logged streets, the sun came out and there were a ton of support volunteers and spectators. THE EXPO: i was very disappointed in the expo and I would give that a one star. I know it was raining but having it outside under canopies was not fun. I think they should have held it at the convention center. Then maybe more vendors would have participated. The vendors didn't have a lot to offer and it was boring. THE COURSE: I loved the course. I'm not a fan of hills and I thought it was just right. My family and friends were able to hit about every 3-4 miles to cheer me on along the way and they said it was rather easy EXCEPT for the last couple miles and they weren't able to see me cross the finish line because of the roads that were blocked leading up to the finish line, even to pedestrians. WTF! There were plenty of water and electrolyte stations at every mile and I was able to stay hydrated. They offered oranges and bananas along the way and of course random volunteers had other types of food to offer, like OTTER POPS. YUM! The finish line was too long. I needed first aid for my knee and I had to walk about three blocks to get to an ice station. I think they should have offered first aid sooner. Usually food and water are given to runners right away after you finish. This was kind of spread out and not very organized. Maybe next year they can have tables set up in a row with specific drinks and food, not just scattered around for us to walk around aimlessly trying to find fuel. Overall, great course and great organization throughout the course. Finish line needs some work and organization. If my knees heal, I'd like to run this one again. :) Oh yeah, one more thing. They also didn't have mile markers which doesn't bother me b/c I have a GPS screaming in my ear every 1/2 mile telling me where I am and my time. But for those that don't' have that, it would have sucked b/c you would have no idea where you are in the race. read more

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LA Marathon sponsor Honda. I can't believe I haven't written about my first marathon experience. I am not going to take any stars away from my experience based on WEATHER but it definitely is worth talking about because I am still talking about that after 5 months. 3/20/11 LA Marathon Weather- MONSOON. I'm not exaggerating either- the forecast said it was going to rain but we did not expect the crazy/cold/wet winds that came out. It was so bad that thousands of people did not cross the finish line (either quit or didn't even show up) and hundreds of people got hypothermia. I couldn't even fly back to the Bay that Sunday evening because all flights were cancelled due to the weather. Now that's bad! Pros of this race: - Constant reminders and email coordinating your stay and travels for LA Marathon - Being able to stay at a DT LA Hotel- Bonaventure for a discounted pricing due do the race - Point to Point race running from Dodger Stadium to Santa Monica Pier- Stadium to Sea and hitting popular LA Iconic locations such as Hollywood - Chinese Theater, Rodeo Drive, etc - Crazy awesome support from volunteers and community members- even tho it was raining like crazy people high-fived you and gave you encouraging words- it was soo meaningful - Tech Tee and very cool medal Cons of this race: - Not necessarily a con but I was not really impressed with the Expo at Dodger Stadium. I can usually spend a couple hours at one of these but I got thru it like less than a half hour. Not enough vendors to me. I highly recommend LA Marathon if you're an LA native/visitor because when do you ever get to run thru the traffic stricken neighborhoods? My first marathon took me over 6 hours but I DID IT. That's all that matters. :) read more

My coworker asked what was wrong after observing me limp and shuffle around the pharmacy this morning. "I'm injured!" "From what?" "From running!" "Is that what they call it these days?" I actually could not sleep until 2am, 5 hours before the race; subconsciously I must have been terrified that I didn't train for this marathon because my elderly hips have been out of sorts and my feet blister when I haven't run in over a month and I was getting over a cold that had me in coughing fits the week before the race. Thus a rough start to a terrible marathon. Wait, let me start from the beginning. TIMELINE. 1. Weeks before the race: - Super detailed emails are sent out consistently but are invariably super uselessly detailed and needlessly long. Just read the FAQs on the official webpage - all you need to know. - Make sure you sign up for parking in Santa Monica for $10-$20 - Better yet, just make plans to get dropped off at the Dodger's stadium to avoid the three hour wait in the cold - Dude, train your feet so you don't blister. Train, train, train. 2. Expo. - Park elsewhere and walk into the expo for free. Bring your email confirmation. - Parking at the LA expo is $12 cash - Come late on Saturday to get the deals, unless you want to try your luck at the raffle for a nutribullet machine - No lines, quick bib pick up, decent deals on cliff shot bloks ($5 for 3 bloks, it's decent but not a steal), free energy bars. - Not exactly exciting. 3. Race day. - Get to Santa Monica right before your shuttle leaves. Memorize the streets that you are routed through because it likely won't be the address of lot that you have paid for. - Bring your LA marathon bag to put your jacket in. If you don't have a bag you can throw your jacket away on the fences at the stadium. - Bring audiobooks, music, entertainment because the wait for the start is miserably cold and uneventful. There is only so many hours you can stretch for the race. - Try to find the complimentary water, bananas, bagels without signs and fail - Bring food in zip lock bags - Bring an easily disposable plastic covering to fend off the cold 4. Race. - A good many of the runners are in green to celebrate St Patrick's day - Race finally starts at 7:30am. I am in the 10:00 min/mile open corral and cross the start at 7:35. - AM STARVING! - At about 0.25 miles in, a male runner is shouting "Almost there! You've got this! Almost at the end!" Hilarious! - People walking not even a quarter mile into the race who are somehow in the faster corrals... - Weave freely at mile 2 and the downhills at mile 1. - A line of guy runners peeing on the side of the road. Seriously?! - Got free chili cheese hot dog! "Are you sure? This is a really bad idea" "I am starving- I'll take it!" - Hardly any food on the run. I veered towards the food whenever I saw it, but I was majorly hungry throughout the race. Clif shots at mile 19.... but that is 19 miles away. - "Chaff now, beer later" a sign read. My fat thighs were chaffing against each other so much so the skin started to bleed; Thank goodness for all the people with Vaseline board signs! - Lots of cute doggies on the road! A sign pointing at a fluffy puppy read "Run! He bites!" - My favorite: "Don't stop! People are watching!" - If you want to kill your PR time, wait in line for a port-a-potty. Guaranteed. - Miles 17-18 KILL! Absolutely murderous. So many people walking. - But real talk, the scenery straight up bored the daylights out of me and I found the crowd to have less funny signs than the ones in San Francisco. Hairy men runners just aren't as appealing to stare at compared to women runners. - Landmarks are supposed to include: Dodger Stadium, Cathedral of our lady of the angels, Hollywood sign, Grauman's Chinese theatre, Whiskey a Go Go, Route 66, LA National Cemetery but I think I missed them all. Most of the run near the end went through the residential area, which was not very entertaining. 5. Post race. - Such. A. Long. Walk. to get your cute medal with shamrock in the middle.......to get a bottle of water... (walk some more)... some bananas... (walk some more).... get health snacks.... - ....Continue walking... - Ignore the intense pain shooting up your leg and killing your foot - Find massage tent and get a five minute massage - Ask clueless info desk for directions to parking lot - Clueless info desk gives some vague directions "you just need to walk a short way. It's really close." - Limp around for A WHOLE FLIPPING HOUR while getting more lost and crying because your feet are in so much pain and you are so angry that there are no signs and everybody else is as lost as you are. Absolutely unacceptable. Overall, a boring, confusing run not worth the $170+ fees. I'll probably never do the LA marathon again. read more