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Submitted by Scott Devine
March 17, 2015
Review
RACE: Asics 2015 Los Angeles Marathon
DATE: March 15th, 2015
DISTANCES: Marathon (Sunday)/5K (Saturday)
LOCATION: Los Angeles, CA
START TIME: 6:55am (moved up from 7:25am)
WEATHER AT START: 69° and hot.
FINISHERS: 21,589 (12,569 Men/9,389 Women)
(Updated from 2014 Review)
Hot! Hot! Hot!
Mother nature seemed to take the spotlight at the 30th running of the Los Angeles Marathon. The 2014 race was one of the warmest on record and this year’s edition seemed hellbent on breaking that mark. A week before the race, the 26,000 participants learned the awful truth. We were going to apparently be running a marathon on the surface of the sun.
As a result, the focus of the race race became more about “the experience” than going for fast times. And big kudos to the race officials for taking steps to minimize the heat’s impact. For starters they sent out numerous e-mails telling runners about the impending heat and how to best prepare.
In addition, they increased the course support (improved water stops) and even moved the start of the race up 30 minutes in order for runners to get a few miles in before the heat hit. I have a feeling the marathon start time will permanently shift earlier. As it turns out, some lingering cloud cover helped shave a few degrees off of the temperatures, but it was still one of the hottest races I’ve ever run.
And now the rest of the info…
REGISTRATION/PACKET PICK-UP
Registration costs for the LA Marathon are pretty standard for a big city race. And since the race sold out again this year (about a week before race day), it’s wise to purchase your spot early, lest you be relegated to being a spectator. Packet pick-up for the race was at the marathon expo located at the LA Convention Center.
The LA Marathon has one of the better expos out there and it’s worth stopping by to check out the vendor wares and freebies. One little tip, rather than shelling out $15 for expo parking or similar costs at one of the nearby lots, just drive 3-4 blocks away and you can find ample meter parking (more cash for race souvenirs).
TRANSPORTATION/PARKING
Since the LA course is a point-to-point race, parking/transportation is a little complicated. Racers have the option of being dropped off or parking at Dodger Stadium (traffic can get a little crazy as the start time approaches; get there early). The other option (and better option in my opinion) is to park in Santa Monica and take one of the race shuttles/buses to the start line at Dodger Stadium.
You can pay for a parking spot ahead of time (which is a good idea) and it will set you back $20, but the shuttle is free for all runners and it’s a pretty painless process. Although, be warned that the shuttles tend to run “early early” in the morning in order to guarantee you getting to the starting line with plenty of time to spare. I had a 4:30 am shuttle that got me to Dodger Stadium at 5:00am and ample time to relax (and then get anxious for the race to start).
T-SHIRT/MEDALS
For swag fans, the 2015 LA Marathon T-shirt featured a black shirt with light blue side panels and featured a retro “LA 30″ design on the front. It’s a more subdued look than last year’s shirt and it worked for me. As for the medal, this year’s design displayed a big “30” logo in metallic blue with the cityscape and finisher ribbon beneath it. A nice piece of bling to add to the collection.
COURSE
Back in 2010, the LA Marathon ditched its downtown course in favor of a point-to-point “Stadium to the Sea” path and it has transformed an average marathon into a destination race. It truly is a spectacular route that hits numerous LA Landmarks.
Starting at Dodger Stadium, the course travels through Chinatown and parts of downtown before heading up into Hollywood and past the Chinese Theater. Then you head down Sunset Blvd and into West Hollywood before a jaunt along Rodeo Drive, Beverly Hills and a turn toward the ocean.
A quick run through the VA Hospital grounds (seemingly the toughest and least attractive part of the course) follows and then heads out onto San Vicente Blvd along residential streets before a final left at Ocean Blvd. The last mile of the course is run along the ocean and ends just a few blocks away from the Santa Monica Pier. It truly is a magnificent course that shows the heart of The City of Angels.
COURSE SERVICES
As mentioned before this year’s race was run in extreme heat and as a result the race’s already solid course support was improved even more. Water/Gatorade stops were at every mile (although they got a little less organized in the last few miles of the race). Cliff also was on the course, providing gels at various stops for runners. Medical personnel were even more present this year and I saw several of them tending to any downed runners along the course.
The biggest shout out though has to go to the fans. Knowing that this was going to be a challenging race because of the heat, the citizens of LA turned out in force. And they all seemed to be carrying goodies. From water (in cups and squirt guns), to ice, to fruit and salty snacks, the fans and charity groups showed the runners just how much they love the marathon. One runner I passed told me he’d never seen so much ice in his entire life.
I think I speak for all of the 26,000 participants when I say “Thank you LA for your love and support.”
FINISH LINE SERVICES/POST PARTY
The finish line for the LA Marathon was what you’d expect for a large race. After you received your medal, you were given a Mylar blanket (aluminum side out to reflect the heat as opposed to keeping it in) and access to various snacks and water. An incredible post race treat was the small hand towels soaked in cold water and available to each runner.
After surviving a 26.2 mile run in a virtual sauna, being handed an ice-cold towel is an absolute slice of heaven. One little picky note is that racers could really benefit from bags to hold their post-race snacks. I know for a fact that my dexterity was totally off and holding three different bags of snacks and a bottle of water was a virtual impossibility (I again used my hat as a makeshift sack).
I will say the final walk to exit the “secure area” was really long (or maybe I was just really tired). There were plenty of other amenities available such as “cooling buses” for overheated runners. And if you didn’t feel like hanging around the course once you have your medal in hand, the 3rd Street Promenade and beach were just a stone’s throw away (but please don’t throw stones, you might hit a runner or spectator).
RECOMMENDATION
Put simply, when I think of what a high-profile marathon should be, Los Angeles now comes to mind. With its wonderfully scenic “LA” course, fantastic fan support and other amenities, the LA Marathon deserves to be mentioned in the same breath as many of the other established A-list races. This is another race I’m more than a bit biased toward (it was my very first marathon), but it has been a near annual tradition for me since I first ran it back in 2009 and will remain on my “to run” list for every year to come.
NOTE: Next year’s LA Marathon will be run a month earlier (Feb. 14th, 2016) in order to coincide with the Olympic Marathon Trials.
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Submitted by Gatorsgochomp
March 16, 2014
Review
This was my first marathon so I don’t have anything else to compare to, but I have run upwards of 10 halfs and a Ragnar so I do know a little something about races. Anyhow, I thought the Expo for this race was great. There were tons of booths and millions of things to buy including gear and food. Packet pick up was super easy but I didn’t like that there was no option to have someone get your packet for you. Race day shuttles were easy to get to and there were plenty. I arrived at Dodger stadium with plenty of time taking a 5:30 am shuttle from Santa Monica. Port-a-potty lines and gear check lines were long as expected at the stadium. Race started on time. First few miles were filled with a lot of dodging and elbows but once we hit about mile 5 things tended to thin out a bit. Crowd support was amazing throughout the race and each neighborhood offered unique music and performers to give us weary runners something to look at. There were kind souls passing out food and drinks all along the course which was amazing. Course was extremely sunny and insanely hot–especially from about West Hollywood on. I think it would be nicer if they started this race sometime between 6am-6:30am so that it didn’t get so darn hot and sunny so fast. End of the race was great with plenty of supporters in the shoot. Post-race stuff I did not participate in much (as usual) but it seemed great to have cooling vans, beer garden (although I heard it was closed early), and massages. Finish line support could have been a little more compact. Medal is awesome. Race shirt is kinda ugly but I will still wear it. Loved the giant billboards along the route with people wishing runners well. Would have liked to have Gatorade and Cliff products before miles 21, 24. Will do it again next year!
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Submitted by lbclove
March 16, 2014
Review
Packet Pick/ Expo
We took the metro to the expo which made getting there an absolute breeze. The Asics booth was awesome and a live D.J so the energy was high right away. They also had a ton of interesting photos on the wall for you to take your picture with. You did have to show I.D to pick up your bib and get a band for the beer garden. ( more to come regarding the beer garden) The expo was kind of weird I guess I expected to be bigger and have better vendors. The nutri bullets booth was a lot of fun. It was a pretty small expo just spread out in a large area. Finisher shirts were not as nice as the ones from last year. They are charcoal grey with a Giant version of the medal on the front. I have not worn it yet but I can already tell that vinyl is going to heat up while running in and make the shirt not so comfy. I have other finishers shirt from other race like that and I never wear them just for that reason. It’s a really big bummer. Plus orange and grey do they really match? Not so much.
Pre-Race
I liked pre race they had a tons of porta potties and we sat inside Dodgers Stadium before the race to hang out. They also so had bathrooms open inside. Clif was giving out packages of shot bloks pre race and I also saw a tent with bagels.
The Race
It was very hard to get in to corrals and very crowded. Students run LA are all over the place and didn’t move too much when you needed to get by but they are just kids and I kept telling myself that the entire race each time one cut me off or came to a dead stop in front of me. The waves actually take off pretty quick with only a minutes in between each one. As you are leaving Dodger stadium its humbling to see such an amazing sea of athletes beginning a great journey. I was in awe several times by the sight.
Course support
They have lots and lots of course support. It was weird to see a neighborhood handing out hotdogs on mile three and I think stranger to see people running and eating them but each to there own. Going through Downtown was fun. We passed all of landmarks but some were hard to see because of the crowds. Right away the course was out of Gatorade from the beginning. Now here is my thoughts on this it wasn’t very hot YET and they were already out on mile 3 and4. My run coach was in corral C she had Gatorade the entire time and we were in the last corral just after E. That tells me they just didn’t have enough not that it was so hot that they had not planned well enough. The first time I saw Gatorade was mile 24. It really started to heat up when we Sunset and you could feel that it was at least 80. Runners were going down and I was happy to see LOTS of medic tent along the way it was just weird to me that each one was filled with runners and had a line to get in. West Hollywood was the best part. I will never forget the West Hollywood Cheerleaders.
Beverly Hills was like a ghost town it seemed to me like they don’t like the marathon too much in that city or perhaps they all went to Palm Springs for the day. Mile 20 at the VA hospital has tons of supports and they were selling ice cream cones ect. I appreciated all the open fire hydrants along the way. I made sure to jump into each one. Brentwood by far was the very best support area. They had free beer, snow cones, people helping you along the way. If you needed hug someone would give you one. If you had a cramp someone will run up with a roller. They were giving out sugar cookies and probiotic drinks. This is also where I finally found Gatorade. After Brentwood it was a quick down hill shot to the finish line.
Post Race
I thought they ran out of medals I had to walk so far to find them Then WTH finisher photos BEFORE water. Then another really long walk to get water and a longer walk to get food but nothing to hold the food so a made a makes shift bad out of mylar blanket. Then another long walk for gear check. The finishers chute had to have been a 1/2 mile long. It was nuts and all out of order. I kind of really hated it. Next over to race beer garden but it was closed because they were out of beer! Okay now my friend and I did qualify for Boston that day but we finished with the average runner. They marathon still had a few hours left to go and the beer garden was closed. Post Race was a HUGE disappointment.
Overall
The medal was nice, the shirt was ok, the course is scenic and I wish they had Gatorade before mile 24. Maybe next year will be better.
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Submitted by Scott Devine
March 10, 2014
Review
“I love LA!” Yes indeed. Randy Newman’s “unofficial” city anthem got plenty of play this weekend at the start of the 2014 Asics Los Angeles Marathon. An annual tradition since 1986, this year’s race featured a “sold-out” field of 25,000 runners dashing along the popular “Stadium to the Sea” route. Other events included the “Big 5 LA 5K” on Saturday as well as the option to run the marathon as a 2-person relay (handing off at the midway point). This year’s race also featured two unexpected twists to give the race a little “added drama” (and boy does this city love drama). First off, this year’s race coincided with “Daylight’s Savings Time” (“Spring Forward” everyone) robbing us of an hour of much-needed pre-race sleep and guaranteeing that everyone set numerous alarm clocks to ensure they didn’t oversleep. In addition, “Mother Nature” decided to overdo things a little (okay, a lot) on the California sunshine, but more on that later.
REGISTRATION/PACKET PICK-UP
Registration costs for the LA Marathon are pretty standard for a big city race, starting around $140 early in the season and getting more expensive as race day approaches. And since the race sold out again this year (about a week before race day), it’s wise to purchase your spot early, lest you be relegated to being a spectator. Packet pick-up for the race was at the marathon expo located at the LA Convention Center. The LA Marathon has one of the better expos out there and it’s worth stopping by to check out the vendor wares and freebies. But even if you’re not a fan of expos, you still needed to venture downtown as this year several new security policies were put into place (as a result of the last year’s Boston tragedy), the first being that you had to pick up your own bib and shirt. No sending your friends or family members in your place to grab your bib. One little tip, rather than shelling out $15 for expo parking or similar costs at one of the nearby lots, just drive 3-4 blocks away and you can find ample meter parking (more cash for race souvenirs).
TRANSPORTATION/PARKING
Since the LA course is a point-to-point race, parking/transportation is a little complicated (and boy does this city like to make things complicated). Racers have the option of being dropped off or parking at Dodger Stadium (traffic can get a little crazy as the start time approaches; get there early). However, there is no shuttle back to Dodger Stadium after the race, so this option is not without a wrinkle. The other option (and better option in my opinion) is to park in Santa Monica and take one of the race shuttles/buses to the start line at Dodger Stadium. You can pay for a parking spot ahead of time (which is a good idea) and it will set you back $10 or $20 depending on where you go, but the shuttle is free for all runners and even with added security (they check your bags) it’s a pretty painless process. Although, be warned that the shuttles tend to run “early early” in the morning in order to guarantee you getting to the starting line with plenty of time to spare. I had a 4am shuttle that got me to Dodger Stadium at 4:30 and ample time to relax (and then get anxious for the race to start).
T-SHIRT/MEDALS
For swag fans, this year’s LA Marathon T-shirt featured a brightly colored orange “LA” logo placed over top a muted gray shirt. I’ve heard some mixed thoughts on the shirt, but I liked it and any shirt that isn’t white in color is typically a win for me. As for the medal, it featured the same LA logo (along with LA landmarks). The medal felt very “LA” and was a decent bit of bling, although it was a bit on the small side.
COURSE
Back in 2010, the LA Marathon ditched its downtown course in favor of a point-to-point “Stadium to the Sea” path and it has transformed an average marathon into a destination race. It truly is a spectacular route that hits numerous LA Landmarks. Starting at Dodger Stadium, the course travels through Chinatown and parts of downtown before heading up into Hollywood and past the Chinese Theater. Then you head down Sunset Blvd and into West Hollywood before a jaunt along Rodeo Drive, Beverly Hills and a turn toward the ocean. A quick run through the VA Hospital grounds (seemingly the toughest and least attractive part of the course) follows and then heads out onto San Vicente Blvd along residential streets before a final left at Ocean Blvd. The last mile of the course is run along the ocean and ends just a few blocks away from the Santa Monica Pier. It truly is a magnificent course that shows the heart of The City of Angels.
COURSE SERVICES
Like most big city races, the LA Marathon has plenty of support for its runners. Water stops were frequent and fairly well staffed with ample volunteers, although the water stops did seem to be in shorter supply in the last few miles (often where water is needed the most). Arrowhead provided the water and the energy drink of choice was Gatorade Endurance lemon/lime (thank you, thank you). In addition Cliff provided gels several times along the course and there were plenty of charity groups and awesome spectators who took it upon themselves to offer up drinks, oranges, bananas, pretzels and the like. The fan turnout was fantastic and thanks to the many cheerleaders and support groups who lined the entire course to cheer on the runners. Medical tents were located all along the course and there were certainly plenty of support personnel, which brings me back to my earlier point about Mother Nature being a little too generous with the sunshine. Yesterday’s race featured record-breaking temps that hit well into the upper 80s before the race was done. Almost 1,000 of the racers sought medical support at some point and almost two dozen runners were transported to local hospitals for heat exhaustion. I saw several downed runners during the race and there were always multiple support personnel tending to them, making sure they were okay. Kudos to all of the wonderful medical personnel and volunteers who braved the heat to ensure the safety of the runners.
FINISH LINE SERVICES/POST PARTY
The finish line for the LA Marathon was what you’d expect for a large race. After you received your medal, you were given a Mylar blanket (aluminum side out to reflect the heat as opposed to keeping it in) and access to various snacks and water. An incredible post race treat was the small hand towels soaked in cold water and available to each runner. After surviving a 26.2 mile run in a virtual sauna, being handed an ice-cold towel is an absolute slice of heaven. One little picky note is that racers could really benefit from bags to hold their post-race snacks. I know for a fact that my dexterity was totally off and holding three different bags of snacks and a bottle of water was a virtual impossibility (I used my hat as a makeshift sack). I will say the final walk to exit the “secure area” was really long (or maybe I was just really tired). There were plenty of other amenities available such as “cooling buses” for overheated runners and a beer tent for thirsty runners. And if you didn’t feel like hanging around the course once you have your medal in hand, the 3rd Street Promenade and beach were just a stone’s throw away (but please don’t throw stones, you might hit a runner or spectator).
RECOMMENDATION
Put simply, when I think of what a high-profile marathon should be, Los Angeles now comes to mind. With its wonderfully scenic “LA” course, fantastic fan support and other amenities, the LA Marathon deserves to be mentioned in the same breath as many of the other established A-list races. This is another race I’m more than a bit biased toward (it was my very first marathon), but it has been a near annual tradition for me since I first ran it back in 2009 and will remain on my “to run” list for every year to come. I too, love LA.
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Submitted by pgage99
April 7, 2013
Review
The L.A. Marathon was my 8th full race and I was excited for all of the sights and sounds of the different neighborhoods. We decided to stay near the finish line and take the early morning shuttle to the starting line at Dodger Stadium. The expo was pretty good with your standard stuff. It was sponsored by Asics so most of the gear there was Asics logo. The free shirt was an “almost” green technical shirt which meant that you had to fork out some money if you wanted a shirt that you might actually wear in public and not just for running. For the money, I was hoping for a long sleeve technical shirt of higher quality but realize that it was probably pretty expensive to put on the race.
We arrived at Dodger Stadium very EARLY. I started in corral B which took a really long time to get into because of the crazy number of people who weren’t aware that the race was seeded. I think that some signage above the fences would help people to understand where they were supposed to be who may not speak English. Even with the seeding, there will still a crazy number of people in the corral. The first couple miles of the race were downhill and I was definitely trying to maneuver through people to keep my target pace intact. First mile 8:02 which was mildly disappointing. The first part of the race goes through the city and I have to say that the drummers at the top of the hill during mile 5/6 were one of the best parts. The race continued through Echo Park and down into Hollywood. The support on the course was excellent throughout. After cruising through Beverly Hills and Century City, you go into this weird part around mile 19/20. People were definitely struggling through this area and crowd support was sparse after the cheer leading competition part. Then, we got to Santa Monica where the marine layer kicked back in. The breeze off the ocean was great and the final downhill allowed me to push the pace. The final left turn and you’re almost home. The finish line crowd was loud and raucous and I finally caught the 3:25 pacer at the finish. This pacer was clueless throughout the race and dropped his whole group by going out too fast. He was standing at the finish line waiting to cross. Beware these guys, they can ruin your race.
The finish line was nice. There was lots of stuff and the beer garden was great. Good big city race. Be prepared for lots of traffic as it is L.A. and there are 25,000 other participants.
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Submitted by AngelaNguyen85
April 3, 2013
Review
Expo – was so much fun! I really enjoyed myself there and got to meet Josh Cox and hear him speak. That was amazing. This was my first year running the LA Marathon and I was so excited because I’ve never run in such a large race before.
Pre- race – Also had a blast! There was lots of bagels and bananas as well as water for everyone. I really appreciated this since I got there a few hours early and had plenty of time to digest. There was a stage with music and it really had me pumped up for the start. I loved the corrals and that helped a lot for the beginning of the race.
Race- The start was a little tough, and so congested but it really opened up rather quickly, and I felt pretty comfortable by a mile in. The course was fun and there were lots of cheering and entertainment along the way. I mean the crowd support was just insane! It was incredible. It was much more than I was really expecting. The end of the course was pretty tough. I’m not sure if it’s because I made the mistake of going out too fast (which I did) or if those climbs in the end are just enough to do anyone in, but the end was definitely a struggle.
Post race – After crossing the finish line it definitely left something to be desired. We got our medals from less than enthusiastic people, and then got our finisher pictures, then to get a very small goody bag with hardly anything in there to eat and help in recovery. Then it was just a very long, long walk to find our families. I did not see any family reunion areas that they spoke of, but rather just a ton of people standing outside of the restaurants just outside of the runners area. If I hadn’t had my phone with me I would have never found my family. Traffic trying to get out of Santa Monica was horrendous. It took about 45 minutes just to get to the freeway.
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Submitted by Gregg Condon
March 25, 2013
Review
This was my second year doing the LA Marathon. It remains one of the most well organized races I’ve run, an amazing course, second to none course support and obviously the thrill of crossing the finish line.
This year however there were a couple of issues.
As with last year, Dodger stadium is open pre-race. However, due to construction going on in the Stadium it was VERY dusty inside. Not really the best thing for runners (especially ones like myself with Asthma) to be breathing before the race. A little warning prior to the race would have been nice. I noticed quickly, hopefully others did as well.
The start was fine, I do wish they’d space out corrals a bit better and that people would learn to not drop their sweatshirts in the middle of the course and that non-runners should stay out of the corrals. They should really make some announcements regarding this.
The course is great. Course support is great. Other than twisting my ankle at mile 6 and having to run 20 miles on a bad ankle I have no complaints.
The finish remains one of the big issues with this race. Getting your blanket, medal, bag-check and post-race picture is pretty easy. Yet spectators continue to crowd the finish and not let runners get through to family members who actually utilize the family reunion area. It’s kind of rude that the runners that just ran 26.2 miles have to then fight through crowds who don’t want to let you through.
Other races don’t tend to have these issues, it’s something that should be addressed.
Overall, it’s a great race. I’ll be running again next year for sure.
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Submitted by onerunningmama
March 25, 2013
Review
I ran the 2013 2-person charity relay. I didn’t like how they set up the corrals at the start. There were the seeded corrals (A through D, I think) and then signs for 8-min. mile, 9-min. mile, etc. No real organization and no REAL corrals. (I’ve previously done Rock N Roll marathons where the corrals are assigned and VERY organized). After the elite men, everyone started at the same time so there was TONS of traffic. First mile was super-slow because there were far too many people on the course. (Why not start corrals one at a time to spread people out??) The course was awesome and spectator support was THE BEST I’ve ever seen anywhere. Tons of fluids and fresh fruit. AMAZING. But then, they finish line. SO, SO, SO BAD. The last quarter mile (or so) of the course was lined with 6-foot tall chain link fences with black mesh stuff on them. It was basically preventing spectators from seeing their runner finish. WHY?? It still pisses me off. Why would they purposely make it difficult to cheer for your runner and see them cross the finish line? Then at the end of the “finish line chute” all runners were spit out into a massive sea of people. It was just a complete mess. While the course & spectators were the best, the race organization and finish line were the absolute worst I’ve ever seen. Add in LA traffic and it’s not a race I’ll ever do again.
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Submitted by Ricky1833
March 18, 2013
Review
This was my first time running the LA Marathon and I was pleasantly surprised! The race expo was nicely laid out with plenty of freebies and deals( let’s be homest we love the freebies!). Race morning was much quicker than I ever expected, the runner dropoff was easily accesible and well run. The corrals were a bit rough and a wave start would have allowed for a much less congested course though. The spectators and race support were fantastic! Myself and the other running Elvi had a great time singing and cheering on our fellow runners with their help! The biggest downfall for the race was the mile long finish line stroll. It felt like a way to torment the already suffering finishers. I would definitely run this race again in the future.
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Submitted by pasadena13
March 16, 2013
Review
This was my first time running the LA Marathon 5K, and it seriously made me want to run the full marathon next year. I don’t know why.
Registration: I registered at the Expo for $40, which included a race bib and a blue cotton tshirt. The full marathoners got large goodie bags. The 5k-ers didn’t get goodie bags at the expo and I had to find a vendor who was handing out free reusable grocery bags in order to carry all of the stuff I got at the expo.
Expo: Was held at the LA Convention Center. It was easy to access from the Blue Line (Pico Station). There was hardly any wait in line to get registered and to pick up my bib and tshirt. I went early on Friday afternoon and the vendor area was packed! I spent about an hour wandering around and trying samples. There were well over 150 vendors and most were giving out free stuff of some sort. I was also able to sign up for some future races at great prices.
Race Day Parking: The 5K was held at Dodger Stadium. I got there around 6:30AM for a race that didn’t start until 8AM. I just didn’t want to hit traffic, especially since 4000 runners were expected. I had no wait at all to park. There was about a quarter of a mile walk from the parking area to the start line.
Start Line: Great announcer and National Anthem singer, but little crowd control. Despite efforts made by the announcer for the 5 minute milers to be up front and the walkers to be in the back, there were lots of walkers in the front:( There were NO pace grouping signs and NO wave starts. With that many runners, they really need a better starting line.
Course: The course was pretty packed. The grounds at the stadium were full of cracks and potholes. There were crowds of people, it was rolling hills so it wasn’t a PR course. I only saw mile markers at Mile 1 and Mile 3. There was a water station around Mile 1.5.
Finish Line/Post Race Eats: The finish line came before I knew it and the only spectators (mostly volunteers) on the course were there. At the finish line, each runner received a medal. It was a pretty nice medal for a 5k. We finally got a goodie bag…a small Big 5 grocery bag that was filled with a Big 5 baseball cap, an LA Marathon/Big 5 bracelet, discount coupons, and some food. There was also more food at the tables (apples, oranges, cups of water, granola bars, etc).
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Submitted by Blush
April 24, 2012
Review
This is a wonderful marathon. I really enjoyed the course!!
The expo was good with lots of open spaces and some people giving directions to packet pick up. It was unfortunate that the expo was set up outside though because it was raining.
The fact that you had to wake up so early and get to the bus at 4:30 am is a daunting. The race course was awesome though. I really liked seeing the Hollywood sign, go down sunset blvd, pass beverly hills and end in Santa Monica.
There were lots of goodies at the post-race. Gear check pick up was very easy too.
Overall, a definite A for this race. I will be back!
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Submitted by phrankyc
April 10, 2012
Review
If you are planning to run a marathon in Southern California, this is the ONE marathon that you must do. The atmosphere is electric! The streets are lined with people cheering you on. The course is very scenic and hits all of the major landmarks that Los Angeles has to offer. At the finishline the spectators cheer for you like you are a movie star.
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Submitted by eddied26.2
April 3, 2012
Review
I ran the Los Angeles Marathon twice, first in 2009 and then again in 2010. I will focus on the 2010 race as that was the year where some major improvements were made and the Stadium To Sea course was introduced!
The start of the race was a pretty big cluster if I am being honest. The traffic was terrible and the shuttle buses didn’t make it on time. Also since the only place to park was in Santa Monica there were more runners taking shuttles which complicated the traffic situation even more! Many runners, like myself, had to get off on the freeway and walk the rest of the way to Dodger Stadium. If that sounds ridiculous to you then imagine how we felt!! The other issue was with Porta Johns. There were plenty available, but when everyone rolls in late right before the race is going to start there will be a mad rush for the potties. Many decided to go in the bushes, I decided to wait and I paid for it with my stop a mile into the race. I’ve spoke to runners who have ran this race in 2011 and 2012 and the shuttle issue has been resolved.
The Course itself was fantastic! There is definitely not a lack of sights to see and the crowd support was great! The only part of the course I didn’t particularly care for was the VA Grounds and I know I’m not alone there! That part of the course was tough and there was no crowds for support. Aside from that the rest of the course was great and the support along the course was wonderful. Plenty of water and aid stations. Pacers for those who need it and lots of entertainment! Running down on San Vincente to finish the Race in Santa Monica was the icing on the cake!
Post race was also a highlight of the race, a huge party on the beach! what better place to be after a marathon! All of my friends were at this race so that was something that I really enjoyed and I didn’t mind sticking around for a couple of hours after I crossed the finish line!
Race swag was good, not my favorite t shirt but it has grown on me! The Expo was one of the better ones I’ve been to but the out door expo also lends itself to some issues as well including rain and also too much sun the day before the race.
I would highly recommend this race! The price is more than some other races but this race is worth it! You definitely get what you pay for!
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Submitted by dominiquemall1
March 22, 2012
Review
A for Pre race was great and well organized.I parked in Santa Monica and the shuttles were very well organised and on time.Pre race was very well organised.I did apreciate that The Mayor got up early to give an encouraging few words before the race.
B + for race day.The day of the race I was disappointed expecting more music bands that there were.May be it is because it was so cold.Also I frooze my little bu– off despite my 3 layers of clothing and trash can bag waiting in Dodgers stadium.It will have been a good idea to have provided us with local heaters or soups to warm us up.No good before a marathon to have 2 cold legs to start with!! Then I miss most of sight seeing and miles markings because I was looking on the ground avoiding trash not to stumble and fall.I really liked the gatorade and waterstations pretty frequent.Also I did appreciate the oranges wedges and bananas offered only the way.I wished there were more gels offered on the way but you cannot have it all.A lot of people were walking toward mid and end of marathon which is totally fine with me as long as they are not in the middle of the road slowing the runners down ! Also not enough potties on the way!I guess I was happy to rest for 10 mn waiting in line at the pottie “parlor” ;good thing i did not care about my time!
B+ for after race. I agree with everybody else that said that the post race was kind of a flop.I had to walk back to the parking lot about 3/4 mile :good thing my legs were still working good!But there were bananas and water as well as warming blanket which I think is the average.
Most of all the weather was beautiful at the end.Nothing can beat the arrival sign on Ocean blvd with the ocean on the right and a sense of accomplishment>I will be back next year,God willing to support my charity !
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Submitted by Tri118-33
March 19, 2012
Review
If you’ve never ran this race, be prepared for an extreme amount of litter, garbage, and people along the course. The new route was impressive, and fun. However, the amount of pit stops were not sufficient, and the middle was very congested. Aside from that the POST race wasn’t as grand as one might think. The medals were great, warming wraps helpful, but they were short on a few things that could have made the celebration much more eventful.
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Submitted by unionguyjake
March 18, 2012
Review
My first marathon. The logistics of getting to the race were amazing. Lots of booths at the expo the day before. The actual course was amazing. Very cool sights, lots of friendly volunteers and hundreds of cheering people. Really cool. Post-race? Bananas and cookies- that’s it. Tough getting out of the race zone because they let family crowd the exits. Overall I was pleased, but the post race was ridiculous.
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Submitted by fastrunner
February 28, 2012
Review
The course is pretty fast and scenic. It’s not as challenging as the original LA Marathon course and you miss out on the much of the flavor of the city now. It’s a point to point course which means travel logistics are more difficult. That said, it’s largely downhill, so if your quads are in shape, you can PR pretty easily on this course. Would be a good first marathon course as the slight downhill will keep you moving along.
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Submitted by gavini
February 17, 2012
Review
the new course is great, scenic, fun but the first 6 miles or so are hilly. due to the crowds and the hills this is not a good race to peg for your PR but as long as you dont get caught in a monsoon like in 2011 then this is a fun course and a great run for a first timer.
the cons are it is tough to get to the start line without waking up 6 hours before the start time. and the finish line area is cool at the pier but there are too many stairs involved for those who just ran a marathon and getting in and out of santa monica by car is tough on the best of days much less when tens of thousands are trying to do so right after the marathon
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Submitted by MissJewels212
February 10, 2012
Review
As much as I hated the weather in 2011, this was one of the best events I’ve done. The expo is held at Dodger Stadium so you never feel overcrowded. The course is fantastic as you get to see some key places in LA. There are so many places for your freinds and family to cheer along the course. As for the finish line, a bit decieving as you think you end at the Santa Monica Pier. It’s within walkign distance but certainly not a distance you look forward to treking post-marathon. The pier is a great place for friends/family to hang out while they wait. Getting to the race from a participant perspective was easy. I took the train to Union Station and took the shuttle into Dodger Stadium. I’ll be there again this year and pray for NO RAIN!
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Submitted by dmmovie
February 8, 2012
Review
I really enjoyed the expo.
I LOVED the course.
The water stations (even in bad weather) were properly maintained with enthusiastic volunteers.
My biggest gripe was the post race. The race organizers didn’t seem interested in the racers once they were finished. No one at the end of the race knew where we should go or where places were. No one know where the clothing pickup was. (Turns out it was a mile from the finish.) I, along with dozens of other runners, were suffering from mild to strong hypothermia. We wondered aimlessly, stopping in hotels to warm up. When I finally got to the clothing pick up spot there still weren’t race staff there to help out with the people suffering from the cold. No signs, no direction.
I think this course is fun, fast and a great run but something has to be done about the post race. Contingencies need to be in place for inclement weather. Last year it was freezing but this year it could be too hot. That’s scary.
Runners need to know that at the end of this marathon you are on your own.
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Submitted by uscgMK1
January 8, 2012
Review
This was the worst race I’ve ever participated in. It had so much potential but the organizers are not interested in running a world class race. There are so many problems with this event but I’ll try to compress my summary. I’ll start with the positives.
The EXPO was good, lots a swag, goodies, and plenty of vendors in a big area.
The course was great
Great runner tracking that posted directly to your Facebook wall so all your friends were getting real time updates.
Now for the negative
The start was a total fiasco. The race organizers obviously didn’t want to pay for cops to direct traffic coming into dodger stadium so the back up was huge getting in. The jam up was compounded due to the fact that they only had 2 gates open to get into the lot, . There were literally thousands of runners who just had people drop them off 2-3 miles from the start line and they were running into the Dodger Stadium lot. Shuttles were also stuck in the traffic jam and the race start time was delayed about 20 minutes. My in laws live 5 miles from Dodger Stadium and it took us about 1.5 hours to make the drive in.
Weather was horrible that day, but I actually thought it was pretty fun to run in those conditions.
The finish was were the real nightmare began. Once finished there was nobody there to tell us where to go, mind you it was the storm of year in SoCal that day. Turns out the post race area was a 1 mile walk from the finish and there was no family reunion area. People could not find their families and runners were starting to get hypothermic from the conditions. The people who saved the day were the Santa Monica hotels who let cold wet runners loiter in their lobbies to keep warm. LA Marathon had no contingency planning for these conditions and didn’t seem to care at all for the safety of the participants. It took me a couple hours after finishing to find my wife and daughters who were miserable and soaked as well. We then immeditately left for the car which was parked in a public garage in Santa Monica, the garage was flooded with runners trying to make their escape ,it took over 2 hours to get out of the garage because again, no traffic direction. It seems like LA Marathon Organziers didn’t care at all about the participants once they got our money. They will never get mine again.
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Submitted by The Bear
December 28, 2011
Review
My first time at this race was last year. What can I say other than it poured buckets. Putting that aside, I can’t wait for this year.
The expo is really nice. I spent a lot of time filling my goodie bag with free stuff. They had a car with all the registered participants names printed on it. It was fun to look for your name. Plenty of vendors.
This a point to point race so you have to take buses to the start line or get dropped off at Dodger stadium. I did the bus thing. Bus rides are always fun because you get a chance to meet a couple of people before the race. You also will have a chance to get to know some of the other runners as you wait in the stadium. Tons of people do this race and the crowd is pretty friendly.
Parking is in one of the city lots, which you can pre-order before the race. They sell out, so pre-purchase is highly suggested.
The race is done in pre-set corrals based on your best marathon time. I have some pretty good times so I qualified for corral B. I like to start out in front of the crowd so that worked for me.
Even though it was pouring like cats and dogs, I liked running through the city. China town, down town LA, Avenue of the stars, and down Santa Monica blvd to the beach. I was totally surprised to see how many people cheered us on in the torrential rain storm.
They had a lot of tents set up for the post race, but with the arctic weather bearing down on us, most of the runners were just trying to get to their cars and to cover..
The only real problem was the bag check, which seems to be bad at most events. There are just certain things volunteers should not be in charge of. I was warned by a friend, and I put a big, red strip of tape on my bag so it was easy to see. They found it very fast, but others were left standing in the cold weather yelling at the poor volunteers. Lately some of the races have been using Fed-x for bag check. I think this is a great idea! I have seen less complaints on the message boards when they use fed-x. I hope LA figures this out.
Great way to see the city is run through it. Also, this course is REALLY flat. I think it is mostly downhill.
I am hoping this next year that it will be a little better weather (sure couldn’t be worse). I would have really enjoyed spending the day in Venice and on the pier with the family after the race. Hopefully this year!
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