We’re now four years into the LA Marathon finishing in the concrete/glass of Century City instead of at the beaches of Santa Monica. Thanks, McCourt Foundation. But seriously, please fix … MORE
We’re now four years into the LA Marathon finishing in the concrete/glass of Century City instead of at the beaches of Santa Monica. Thanks, McCourt Foundation. But seriously, please fix this… As long as you’re prepared for the annoying out-and-back final miles, plus a painful uphill finish, then the city of Los Angeles’ amazing landmarks and supportive crowds still make this a good race.
Expo / pick-up:
-The expo and packet pickup was hosted at Dodger Stadium, the first of the marathon’s LA landmarks. The outdoor setting of the famous ballpark adds festive energy for the sponsors, food trucks, various displays, and photo opportunities. Parking was free, too. If you’ve run the marathon in consecutive years, remember to pick up your LA Loyal bonuses (depending on the number of years: bib, pin, hat, etc.). Asics was the official shoe and apparel sponsor, and the purchase of any of their shirts and hoodies also included a free heat press of several custom decals. Pretty cool.
Parking:
-If you’re driving to the race, be sure to book the free early-morning shuttles from the Century City finish area to Dodger Stadium. There’s also a shuttle from Union Station, but no return shuttles back. While I didn’t use them this year, the shuttles are very convenient. I was instead dropped off at the Golden State Gate of Dodger Stadium where traffic was heavy.
Pre-race:
-The snack tent featured Over Easy breakfast bars, 3 flavors of Gu (Vanilla Bean, Strawberry Banana, and Salted Watermelon), bananas, and water. But the later you get there, the longer the lines will be! Port-a-potties were plentiful, but there were no portable faucets. Either pray that the hand sanitizer doesn’t run out, or bring your own. When it comes to bathrooms on race day, you gotta treat em like American Idol -voting: go early and often! Pre-race temperatures at Dodger Stadium started in the low-50s, so bring extra layers like jackets, blankets, or even garbage bags to stay warm. When you’re ready, head to the gear check trucks so you can stash away your extra layers or any items you’ll need. Gear check is located on the far east side of Dodger Stadium in Lot K. When the corrals begin to fill up closer to start time, it becomes harder to navigate crowds—especially if you need to get back to the seeded corrals near the north of the Stadium in Lot H. I wish the organizers set up more signs and giant maps of the venue. Yes, I had the venue maps on my phone, but I’d rather not be draining my phone’s battery just before a multi-hour race.
Course:
-They advertise this as the “Stadium to the Stars” course, but that’s pure Hollywood marketing because there’s nothing starry about looping back to Century City, and it’s a downgrade from the beautiful “Stadium to the Sea” course that used to end in Santa Monica. Seriously, we need to lock the McCourt Foundation and the City of Santa Monica in a room until they get a deal done. For now, we’ve got 20 good miles out of 26, and huge, supportive crowds.
-Miles 1-5: The start of marathons can be a rowdy experience, but the good ones like the LA Marathon pump you up with good, nervous energy. It’s a thrill to weave through runners and walkers of various paces, all of you sharing a special day together. If you need a quick break, there are a few rows of port-a-potties on your left shortly after the start, then also at Mile 1 on Sunset. Otherwise, it’s a downhill plunge out of Dodger Stadium, with the first few miles through Chinatown and its lion dancers, Downtown LA, past City Hall, and Little Tokyo. This opening bit features memorable landmarks, multiple turns, mini hills, and moments in urban canyons where you’re dwarfed by towers on both sides. The steepest hill of the course rises at Mile 4, and it’s one of my favorite parts: the epic sound of taiko drums, courtesy of Koshin Taiko Drummers, propels you up 1st Street before you turn onto Grand Avenue. You’ll get peeks of Bunker Hill, Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, the Civic Center, and Walt Disney Concert Hall as a bonus for conquering that climb.
-Miles 5-9: The course calms down a bit with a pleasant run through Echo Park, Silver Lake, and Los Feliz. Some generous supporters were offering free hot dogs at Mile 5, just after crossing the freeway. How adventurous are you and your stomach on race day? Echo Park lake at Mile 6 is a pleasant sight, accompanied by some official race photographers, so smile! This is followed by gentle rolling hills easing you past arts/music/hipster-focused bars, theaters, and shops along Sunset Boulevard. Compared to Downtown, you’ll see more residents around here cheering you on, often with very creative posters. You’ll also get your first glimpse of the famous Hollywood sign in the distance.
-Miles 9-15: Sunset Boulevard has turned into Hollywood Boulevard, and you know what that means? It’s time to shine because you’re in Hollywood! The crowds grow livelier, music gets louder, and landmarks look like they’ve popped off a tourist postcard: the Pantages Theater, Capitol Records Tower, El Capitan Theater, TCL Chinese Theater. Big flashy billboards tout movies like Godzilla x Kong, Dune: Part Two, Road House, and The Holdovers, as well as shows like Shogun, Curb Your Enthusiasm, and 3 Body Problem. The Oscars just concluded, so now the Hollywood spotlight’s on you and your marathon! Dance through West Hollywood and its festivities, and keep those legs moving.
-Miles 15-18: It’s time to window-shop in one of the world’s most famous zip codes: Beverly Hills, 90210. The glitz and glamour of show business transitions into luxury storefronts and fashion labels. The elevation dips a bit, in contrast to the high prices of goods you’ll see along Rodeo Drive. I think I saw a little orchestra playing around here as well?
-Miles 18-22: Skyscrapers peek out on the horizon as you approach Century City. Around Mile 18 on Santa Monica Boulevard, the elite runners return on the other side of the road. It’s exciting and inspiring to see them sprint to the finish line, but also slightly deflating to realize the out-and-back part of the course is just beginning. It helps that the crowd support in this stretch is TREMENDOUS—raucous cheering, the biggest and best signs (hit that 1-Up mushroom!), confetti blasts, piñatas in the air, taiko drums again, running clubs with refreshments, hip hop DJs, marching bands, inflatable dinosaur costumes… It’s like a city-wide block party. At several points, the crowds squeezed the road so tightly that it felt like running through a guard of honor on both sides.
It’s a nice send-off before you tackle the most challenging section of the marathon. It starts with a tough hill climb around Mile 20 up Sepulveda Boulevard. Then cross under the 405 freeway, an underpass which seemingly drains noise, energy, and joy from the race. Emerge on the other side on the Wilshire Boulevard bridge, and it’s just quiet, barren asphalt. This VA Hospital area has no crowds, no scenery, no shade, just the pained faces of cramped/dehydrated runners returning on the other side of the road. There’s supposed to be a turn-around point coming up, right? Is it here? No. There’s a sinking feeling when you realize that you’re running further and further AWAY from the finish line.
-Miles 22-26.2: You push up San Vicente Boulevard and arrive in Brentwood, home of the most gorgeous sight in the history of the entire world: the turn-around point! Here, you’re also boosted by strong crowd support—run clubs and DJs and volunteers with freshly-sliced oranges. You just did the “out” of the out-and-back, now it’s time to go “back” on aching legs. What looked like small hills earlier now feels like mountains the size of Everest. It’s ugly, and it seems like half of all runners have slowed to a gimpy shuffle-walk, or are stretching out cramps and aches on the side of the road. The final 1.5 miles is an uphill slog up Santa Monica Boulevard, but the mega-crowds from earlier are back, and they really help you fight on. A small improvement to the course is that the finish line is actually on Santa Monica Boulevard now. In prior years, the course would slow for a hard-right turn into Avenue of the Stars, then suddenly end after 0.1 mile or so. It was anticlimactic. Now you can actually see the end in sight and build momentum for a final sprint. I still miss the old Santa Monica beach finale: the smell of sweet ocean air, the sight of green palm trees and blue ocean waters. But it’s nice that the race organizers at least made some much-needed adjustments to this finish.
Scenery/Weather/Support:
-The LA Marathon boasts so many memorable landmarks. It’s hard to beat a lineup of Dodger Stadium, Chinatown, Disney Concert Hall, Echo Park, Hollywood, the Sunset Strip, and Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills. The last 8 miles are stingy in scenery though, and I wish we still finished by the beach. Race day temperatures were pleasant for running, starting in the low-50s, and ending in the mid-60s. Heavy clouds covered most of the skies, and I’d rather have that than scorching heat. Aid stations serving water and Electrolit were spaced out at roughly 1 to 1.5 mile intervals. Gu gels were served around Mile 12 and Mile 18. I think more aid stations would be helpful in the final few miles, as well as more trash cans at the middle aid stations. Some entertainment/cheering around the 405 and VA area would be helpful. But overall, the local residents, supporters, and run clubs who came out to cheer this year were immense. The crowd support was loud, energetic, FANTASTIC, and louder than I’ve ever experienced. Thank you also to all the volunteers at the water stations, you were lifesavers!
Post-race:
-Cross that finish line, smile for cameras, and grab that shiny finisher medal (or medals, if you did the Double Play with the 5k). Wipe off with the wet towels, a nice new addition this year! Wrap up in a foil blanket and stay warm—post-race hypothermia is a thing! Chug down bottles of water and Electrolit, get rehydrated! The post-race refreshment lineup included Arrowhead water, Electrolit, TruMoo chocolate milk, bananas, Siete Grain Free Tortilla Chips (Sea Salt, and Dairy Free Nacho), Pocky (Chocolate, and Cookies & Cream), Solely: Organic Mango Whole Fruit Gummies, Ritz crackers, Annie’s Organic Friends Bunny Grahams (Chocolate Chip), Kellogg’s Scooby-Doo Baked Graham Crackers (cinnamon), Chex Mix, Cheez-Its (original), and Over Easy breakfast bars (oatmeal raisin). Rest, stretch, then mosey over to the FinisherPix photographers, and flash a victorious smile and celebratory pose. Remember to grab your stuff from Gear Check, then meet up with family and friends at the reunion area.
Swag:
-The 2024 LA Marathon was held on St. Patrick’s Day, so the official race shirt from Asics this year came in green, with lime green graphics of Dodgers Stadium, City Hall, the Hollywood hills, the Capitol Records tower, the Route 66 sign, and the Chinese Theater, with the “Los Angeles Marathon” text centered in navy blue. The finisher medal is a circular golden disc, with “Los Angeles Marathon” and “26.2 FINISHER” etched in the upper-left. The right-half of the medal is a giant green shamrock with the “LAM” and Asics logos in the shamrock’s left leaf, “3.17.2024” on the right leaf, and a lucky rainbow swooping underneath the right leaf. The bottom-left third of the disc has etched graphics of palm trees, the Hollywood sign, stars from the Walk of Fame, Rodeo Drive, Los Angeles City Hall, the Santa Monica Route 66 sign (a cruel reminder of what was, or a tease of things to come?), the Capitol Records tower, the Dodger Stadium scoreboard, and the TCL Chinese Theater. The bright shiny medal was looped in a green ribbon with white text. A nice little bonus: a tiny pot of gold is etched on the medal loop where the ribbon attaches to the medal.
The Bottom Line:
-The LA Marathon is memorably strong for 18 or so miles, and the crowd support was stronger than I’ve ever seen it. I might run it again only because it’s my hometown race. But I need the organizers could fix the out-and-back, hilly finish to the race. It’s a drag. LA is a magnificent city, with so many sights to behold—why build a course with an out-and-back portion where runners have to see some of the same sights twice? Please bring back the Santa Monica finish line! Bring back the “Stadium to the Sea”!
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Super crowds, amazing city, subpar end
We’re now four years into the LA Marathon finishing in the concrete/glass of Century City instead of at the beaches of Santa Monica. Thanks, McCourt Foundation. But seriously, please fix … MORE
We’re now four years into the LA Marathon finishing in the concrete/glass of Century City instead of at the beaches of Santa Monica. Thanks, McCourt Foundation. But seriously, please fix this… As long as you’re prepared for the annoying out-and-back final miles, plus a painful uphill finish, then the city of Los Angeles’ amazing landmarks and supportive crowds still make this a good race.
Expo / pick-up:
-The expo and packet pickup was hosted at Dodger Stadium, the first of the marathon’s LA landmarks. The outdoor setting of the famous ballpark adds festive energy for the sponsors, food trucks, various displays, and photo opportunities. Parking was free, too. If you’ve run the marathon in consecutive years, remember to pick up your LA Loyal bonuses (depending on the number of years: bib, pin, hat, etc.). Asics was the official shoe and apparel sponsor, and the purchase of any of their shirts and hoodies also included a free heat press of several custom decals. Pretty cool.
Parking:
-If you’re driving to the race, be sure to book the free early-morning shuttles from the Century City finish area to Dodger Stadium. There’s also a shuttle from Union Station, but no return shuttles back. While I didn’t use them this year, the shuttles are very convenient. I was instead dropped off at the Golden State Gate of Dodger Stadium where traffic was heavy.
Pre-race:
-The snack tent featured Over Easy breakfast bars, 3 flavors of Gu (Vanilla Bean, Strawberry Banana, and Salted Watermelon), bananas, and water. But the later you get there, the longer the lines will be! Port-a-potties were plentiful, but there were no portable faucets. Either pray that the hand sanitizer doesn’t run out, or bring your own. When it comes to bathrooms on race day, you gotta treat em like American Idol -voting: go early and often! Pre-race temperatures at Dodger Stadium started in the low-50s, so bring extra layers like jackets, blankets, or even garbage bags to stay warm. When you’re ready, head to the gear check trucks so you can stash away your extra layers or any items you’ll need. Gear check is located on the far east side of Dodger Stadium in Lot K. When the corrals begin to fill up closer to start time, it becomes harder to navigate crowds—especially if you need to get back to the seeded corrals near the north of the Stadium in Lot H. I wish the organizers set up more signs and giant maps of the venue. Yes, I had the venue maps on my phone, but I’d rather not be draining my phone’s battery just before a multi-hour race.
Course:
-They advertise this as the “Stadium to the Stars” course, but that’s pure Hollywood marketing because there’s nothing starry about looping back to Century City, and it’s a downgrade from the beautiful “Stadium to the Sea” course that used to end in Santa Monica. Seriously, we need to lock the McCourt Foundation and the City of Santa Monica in a room until they get a deal done. For now, we’ve got 20 good miles out of 26, and huge, supportive crowds.
-Miles 1-5: The start of marathons can be a rowdy experience, but the good ones like the LA Marathon pump you up with good, nervous energy. It’s a thrill to weave through runners and walkers of various paces, all of you sharing a special day together. If you need a quick break, there are a few rows of port-a-potties on your left shortly after the start, then also at Mile 1 on Sunset. Otherwise, it’s a downhill plunge out of Dodger Stadium, with the first few miles through Chinatown and its lion dancers, Downtown LA, past City Hall, and Little Tokyo. This opening bit features memorable landmarks, multiple turns, mini hills, and moments in urban canyons where you’re dwarfed by towers on both sides. The steepest hill of the course rises at Mile 4, and it’s one of my favorite parts: the epic sound of taiko drums, courtesy of Koshin Taiko Drummers, propels you up 1st Street before you turn onto Grand Avenue. You’ll get peeks of Bunker Hill, Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, the Civic Center, and Walt Disney Concert Hall as a bonus for conquering that climb.
-Miles 5-9: The course calms down a bit with a pleasant run through Echo Park, Silver Lake, and Los Feliz. Some generous supporters were offering free hot dogs at Mile 5, just after crossing the freeway. How adventurous are you and your stomach on race day? Echo Park lake at Mile 6 is a pleasant sight, accompanied by some official race photographers, so smile! This is followed by gentle rolling hills easing you past arts/music/hipster-focused bars, theaters, and shops along Sunset Boulevard. Compared to Downtown, you’ll see more residents around here cheering you on, often with very creative posters. You’ll also get your first glimpse of the famous Hollywood sign in the distance.
-Miles 9-15: Sunset Boulevard has turned into Hollywood Boulevard, and you know what that means? It’s time to shine because you’re in Hollywood! The crowds grow livelier, music gets louder, and landmarks look like they’ve popped off a tourist postcard: the Pantages Theater, Capitol Records Tower, El Capitan Theater, TCL Chinese Theater. Big flashy billboards tout movies like Godzilla x Kong, Dune: Part Two, Road House, and The Holdovers, as well as shows like Shogun, Curb Your Enthusiasm, and 3 Body Problem. The Oscars just concluded, so now the Hollywood spotlight’s on you and your marathon! Dance through West Hollywood and its festivities, and keep those legs moving.
-Miles 15-18: It’s time to window-shop in one of the world’s most famous zip codes: Beverly Hills, 90210. The glitz and glamour of show business transitions into luxury storefronts and fashion labels. The elevation dips a bit, in contrast to the high prices of goods you’ll see along Rodeo Drive. I think I saw a little orchestra playing around here as well?
-Miles 18-22: Skyscrapers peek out on the horizon as you approach Century City. Around Mile 18 on Santa Monica Boulevard, the elite runners return on the other side of the road. It’s exciting and inspiring to see them sprint to the finish line, but also slightly deflating to realize the out-and-back part of the course is just beginning. It helps that the crowd support in this stretch is TREMENDOUS—raucous cheering, the biggest and best signs (hit that 1-Up mushroom!), confetti blasts, piñatas in the air, taiko drums again, running clubs with refreshments, hip hop DJs, marching bands, inflatable dinosaur costumes… It’s like a city-wide block party. At several points, the crowds squeezed the road so tightly that it felt like running through a guard of honor on both sides.
It’s a nice send-off before you tackle the most challenging section of the marathon. It starts with a tough hill climb around Mile 20 up Sepulveda Boulevard. Then cross under the 405 freeway, an underpass which seemingly drains noise, energy, and joy from the race. Emerge on the other side on the Wilshire Boulevard bridge, and it’s just quiet, barren asphalt. This VA Hospital area has no crowds, no scenery, no shade, just the pained faces of cramped/dehydrated runners returning on the other side of the road. There’s supposed to be a turn-around point coming up, right? Is it here? No. There’s a sinking feeling when you realize that you’re running further and further AWAY from the finish line.
-Miles 22-26.2: You push up San Vicente Boulevard and arrive in Brentwood, home of the most gorgeous sight in the history of the entire world: the turn-around point! Here, you’re also boosted by strong crowd support—run clubs and DJs and volunteers with freshly-sliced oranges. You just did the “out” of the out-and-back, now it’s time to go “back” on aching legs. What looked like small hills earlier now feels like mountains the size of Everest. It’s ugly, and it seems like half of all runners have slowed to a gimpy shuffle-walk, or are stretching out cramps and aches on the side of the road. The final 1.5 miles is an uphill slog up Santa Monica Boulevard, but the mega-crowds from earlier are back, and they really help you fight on. A small improvement to the course is that the finish line is actually on Santa Monica Boulevard now. In prior years, the course would slow for a hard-right turn into Avenue of the Stars, then suddenly end after 0.1 mile or so. It was anticlimactic. Now you can actually see the end in sight and build momentum for a final sprint. I still miss the old Santa Monica beach finale: the smell of sweet ocean air, the sight of green palm trees and blue ocean waters. But it’s nice that the race organizers at least made some much-needed adjustments to this finish.
Scenery/Weather/Support:
-The LA Marathon boasts so many memorable landmarks. It’s hard to beat a lineup of Dodger Stadium, Chinatown, Disney Concert Hall, Echo Park, Hollywood, the Sunset Strip, and Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills. The last 8 miles are stingy in scenery though, and I wish we still finished by the beach. Race day temperatures were pleasant for running, starting in the low-50s, and ending in the mid-60s. Heavy clouds covered most of the skies, and I’d rather have that than scorching heat. Aid stations serving water and Electrolit were spaced out at roughly 1 to 1.5 mile intervals. Gu gels were served around Mile 12 and Mile 18. I think more aid stations would be helpful in the final few miles, as well as more trash cans at the middle aid stations. Some entertainment/cheering around the 405 and VA area would be helpful. But overall, the local residents, supporters, and run clubs who came out to cheer this year were immense. The crowd support was loud, energetic, FANTASTIC, and louder than I’ve ever experienced. Thank you also to all the volunteers at the water stations, you were lifesavers!
Post-race:
-Cross that finish line, smile for cameras, and grab that shiny finisher medal (or medals, if you did the Double Play with the 5k). Wipe off with the wet towels, a nice new addition this year! Wrap up in a foil blanket and stay warm—post-race hypothermia is a thing! Chug down bottles of water and Electrolit, get rehydrated! The post-race refreshment lineup included Arrowhead water, Electrolit, TruMoo chocolate milk, bananas, Siete Grain Free Tortilla Chips (Sea Salt, and Dairy Free Nacho), Pocky (Chocolate, and Cookies & Cream), Solely: Organic Mango Whole Fruit Gummies, Ritz crackers, Annie’s Organic Friends Bunny Grahams (Chocolate Chip), Kellogg’s Scooby-Doo Baked Graham Crackers (cinnamon), Chex Mix, Cheez-Its (original), and Over Easy breakfast bars (oatmeal raisin). Rest, stretch, then mosey over to the FinisherPix photographers, and flash a victorious smile and celebratory pose. Remember to grab your stuff from Gear Check, then meet up with family and friends at the reunion area.
Swag:
-The 2024 LA Marathon was held on St. Patrick’s Day, so the official race shirt from Asics this year came in green, with lime green graphics of Dodgers Stadium, City Hall, the Hollywood hills, the Capitol Records tower, the Route 66 sign, and the Chinese Theater, with the “Los Angeles Marathon” text centered in navy blue. The finisher medal is a circular golden disc, with “Los Angeles Marathon” and “26.2 FINISHER” etched in the upper-left. The right-half of the medal is a giant green shamrock with the “LAM” and Asics logos in the shamrock’s left leaf, “3.17.2024” on the right leaf, and a lucky rainbow swooping underneath the right leaf. The bottom-left third of the disc has etched graphics of palm trees, the Hollywood sign, stars from the Walk of Fame, Rodeo Drive, Los Angeles City Hall, the Santa Monica Route 66 sign (a cruel reminder of what was, or a tease of things to come?), the Capitol Records tower, the Dodger Stadium scoreboard, and the TCL Chinese Theater. The bright shiny medal was looped in a green ribbon with white text. A nice little bonus: a tiny pot of gold is etched on the medal loop where the ribbon attaches to the medal.
The Bottom Line:
-The LA Marathon is memorably strong for 18 or so miles, and the crowd support was stronger than I’ve ever seen it. I might run it again only because it’s my hometown race. But I need the organizers could fix the out-and-back, hilly finish to the race. It’s a drag. LA is a magnificent city, with so many sights to behold—why build a course with an out-and-back portion where runners have to see some of the same sights twice? Please bring back the Santa Monica finish line! Bring back the “Stadium to the Sea”!
Fun, Moderately challenging Race
The Pros: This race has no lack of spectators. I started in the elite age group division and ran it mostly by myself. I probably didn't go more than 400 … MORE
The Pros:
This race has no lack of spectators. I started in the elite age group division and ran it mostly by myself. I probably didn’t go more than 400 meters without a group of people cheering for me. The crowd was absolutely fantastic.
Additionally, the first 18-19 miles are very scenic. After a very net downhill during the first 5k you’re met with a moderately difficult 5-10k. After that, it’s pretty flat for the next 12ish miles. during this 12 miles, you get to run through some of LA’s most iconic streets and buildings. It was pretty cool.
The finish chute is long but was stocked full of snacks and drinks that were very nice after running 26 miles. The family reunification area was well run and made finding my wife and kids easy after the race. The post race festival was nice and full of things to do. Finally, parking/leaving the event was very easy. I only had to walk maybe a quarter mile to get to my rental car, and leaving the area was a breeze.
The cons:
Getting to the race. I unfortunately stayed decently far away from dodger stadium. My stepdad and I left 2.5 hours before the race. We were moving great until we got two miles from Dodger Stadium. It took an hour to move the last two miles. I think this was due to the race only having one entrance to Dodger Stadium open. I ended up hopping out of the car on the street and jogging the last third of a mile to the race. When I got to the start, a few of the volunteers didn’t know that I was supposed to be in the front of the race with my bib number. I kept getting directed to the back of the open corral when a very sweet, kind lady took me to where I needed to be. Additionally, I think the race started a few minutes early.
The last 8 miles. Due to things outside of the organizers control, the race no longer finishes in Santa Monica. This makes for a really mentally tough end of the race. You run past the finish at mile 18 and begin to lose the nice scenery that you’ve gotten to enjoy over the first two thirds of the race. The out and back feels like it takes forever to get to, with a really tough climb in the last few miles.
Overall, I would definitely recommend this race, and I (as a teacher who has spring break the week of the race) will be likely to make the trek all the way from Missouri to do it again. Hopefully they’re able to have you finish at the sea again in the future, but it is still a wonderful event regardless. 8.4/10
Great Start, Rough Finish
After 11 years out of the Marathon game, I decided to jump back in and run this race with a friend. Overall, I found it an enjoyable race but the … MORE
After 11 years out of the Marathon game, I decided to jump back in and run this race with a friend. Overall, I found it an enjoyable race but the finish left a bad taste in my mouth. I would do it again but need to revise my plan to leave the finish line.
I signed up for this race months ahead of time and had a good train up, following the Hal Higdon Novice 2 program to the letter. The organizers did a great job communicating and sent out a 30+ page race guide a week prior, which answered all of my questions.
The Expo was well organized and efficient, although traffic getting there was awful (go early and on Friday if possible!). The number of vendors seemed low given the size of the race, but I normally don’t buy anything.
On the morning of, getting to the race was well organized – the bus pick up at Union Station ran exactly as they said it would and was quick.
After waiting 45 minutes to use the restroom (I’d say that’s pretty normal for most races I’ve participated in), the line up in the corrals was well organized. For a race of 20k plus participants, they had me across the line 4 minutes after gun time, which was very fast.
The course is challenging – the first I’ve run with so many ups and downs. My legs definitely felt it! I knew it going in but still was a bit of a surprise.
There were plenty of water and electrolyte stations on the course, although I personally don’t care for the electrolyte they had on course. They only had two Gus on course, which is basically pointless (to be fair, most marathons only have two) – you have to bring your own energy if you’re going to last 3+ hours during the race.
Crowd support was hit or miss for the first 18 miles – if you like a crowd from start to finish, that could be disappointing. It really picks up at the end though, when you need it most.
Lots of people complain about the turnaround – be mentally ready and it won’t seem as bad.
With the increase in crowds, there was a marked increase in the number of bandits, which when they are on bikes can be frustrating and a little dangerous. I wish they had better control of the crowds.
Mile 25 and on is a gradual uphill, which is just cruel, but I still was able to finish with a PR on this course.
There were two issues at the end which made this race feel disorganized and unfortunate given how the rest seemed well run.
1) It was recommended to park near the finish line at a nearby mall. My wife and I got lunch at the mall and then planned to leave. An hour after we hopped in the car, we’d moved about 100 ft, gave up and reparked. I spend another two hours at a bar and by that time traffic was flowing. So if you plan on parking at the finish line, be prepared to be a mall rat all day.
2) I ran this race with a friend, and 72 hours later, his race time still hasn’t been posted. I’ve participated in much smaller races that have results near instantly, so this is inexcusable.
One of the Top U.S. races.
FYI, I am now 71, I have done 130 Marathons, 120 half's, , 30 Ultras. This race was my 13th time for running it, The course has changed at least … MORE
FYI, I am now 71, I have done 130 Marathons, 120 half’s, , 30 Ultras. This race was my 13th time for running it, The course has changed at least 3 times I know of. The organization did a marvelous job at putting this together. Fantastic community support and turn out. Lots of bands/drums etc. Volunteers had great attitudes. If you run this, if you park in a garage, park close to the exit, read all the race guide, take a space blanket just in case, mornings are cool.This race can turn hot later in the race. The swag is great and lots of thought has been put into this race. You will enjoy this for sure. There all hills, several so plan for it.
A Fine Race and Fun Time
The aid stations were awesome. The volunteers gave a lot of hydration when needed. The most unique aspect about the race was the newer course. The race cold be improved … MORE
The aid stations were awesome. The volunteers gave a lot of hydration when needed. The most unique aspect about the race was the newer course. The race cold be improved with more nutrition.
Would not recommend - Greedy McCourts
I did this race when it finished in Santa Monica and it was an amazing race. Now, the last 8 miles, the hardest part of the marathon, are ugly, barren … MORE
I did this race when it finished in Santa Monica and it was an amazing race. Now, the last 8 miles, the hardest part of the marathon, are ugly, barren and completely demoralizing when passing next to the finish line at mile 18. Frank McCourt, member of the McCourt foundation that sponsors the race, will forever be known by Angelenos for running the Dodgers into the ground to finance his divorce.
Like his greediness with the Dodgers, he opts out of having the race finish at the ocean, because the city wanted to charge him for it. Instead of having the picturesque beach finish, the course winds under freeways out and back, finishing in an ugly city center that requires spectators to complete a maze to get to you.
Will do it again in 2024
Everyone should run the LA Marathon especially I’d your a local to the city. It was tough for me due to the fact I dealt with leg pain through the … MORE
Everyone should run the LA Marathon especially I’d your a local to the city. It was tough for me due to the fact I dealt with leg pain through the last couple of months of my Prep and into the Marathon but we finish and that was the main goal.
Enjoy running through the Landmarks.
Runners enjoy running through some of LAs best Landmark and may just be running along someone famous. They should bring back the Santa Monica Finish Line. MORE
Runners enjoy running through some of LAs best Landmark and may just be running along someone famous.
They should bring back the Santa Monica Finish Line.
Liked but not loved it
great organization!! The only problem I saw is the route, so many uphill/downhills that is not ideal to run a marathon, and the last part of passing net to the … MORE
great organization!! The only problem I saw is the route, so many uphill/downhills that is not ideal to run a marathon, and the last part of passing net to the end line is not ideal because so many people crossing the street, in the middle of the street with chairs, etc
Bring back Stadium to the Sea!
The new course is a bit dissapointing. Retracing your steps uphill to Century City is less fun than ending at the pier in Santa Monica. I wish the McCourt Foundation … MORE
The new course is a bit dissapointing. Retracing your steps uphill to Century City is less fun than ending at the pier in Santa Monica. I wish the McCourt Foundation / Santa Monica would bring back the old course.
The logistics of getting to Century City in the morning were poorly managed. It was a nightmare getting there at 5am, and my shuttle got lost and took 90 minutes to drive from CC to Dodgers Stadium.
Volunteers and crowds were amazing!
Amazing crowds and sights, tough ending
This is the third year the LA Marathon has ended in Century City rather than the beautiful Santa Monica beach. The course remains tough, with a frustrating out-and-back final leg, … MORE
This is the third year the LA Marathon has ended in Century City rather than the beautiful Santa Monica beach. The course remains tough, with a frustrating out-and-back final leg, and an unappealing uphill finish, but the city’s iconic landmarks and growing crowd support make this race worthy of your time.
Expo / pick-up:
-The expo and packet pickup was hosted again at Dodger Stadium. It’s always neat to check out the sights around the ballpark, and the outdoor setting adds a more festive energy for the sponsors, food trucks, various displays, and photo opportunities. Parking was free, too. The only snafu for me was that I didn’t receive my corral assignment sticker on my bib. I’m not sure if that was related to my LA Loyal status (consecutive years of participation) and picking up my bib at a different tent, but this left me scrambling on race-day morning to get a corral sticker from the Solutions table. If you’re assigned a seeded corral, make sure it’s indicated on your bib!
Parking:
-Book ahead of time, and you can ride the free early-morning shuttles from the Century City finish area to Dodger Stadium. While I didn’t use them this year, they’re a very convenient option if you drive yourself. I was dropped off instead at the Golden State Gate of Dodger Stadium where traffic was gnarly. Budget for extra time if you plan to arrive directly at the Stadium instead of Century City.
Pre-race:
-The Pre-race snack tent featured 2 flavors of Over Easy breakfast bars (Coconut or Peanut Butter), 3 flavors of Gu (Tri-Berry, Salted Water Melon, Birthday Cake), bananas (banana-flavored, obviously) and water (H2O-flavored). The line took about 10 minutes. Port-a-potties were plentiful, but there were no portable faucets that I could see, so bring your own hand sanitizer! Pre-race temperatures at Dodger Stadium were in the mid-50s—not nearly as chilly or windy as in recent years. I’d still recommend extra layers: jackets, blankets, or modified garbage bags to stay warm. Take advantage of the gear check trucks to stow away your extra layers or any items you’ll need to use after the race ends. It’s tempting to wait until the last possible minute before checking your gear, but don’t wait! Gear check is located all the way on the east side of Dodger Stadium in Lot K. Once the open corrals begin to fill up closer to start time, it becomes difficult to navigate the crowds—especially if you need to make it back to the seeded corrals near the north of the Stadium in Lot H. Here’s where I wish the organizers set up more signs and jumbo-sized display maps of the venue. Yes, I had downloaded the venue maps, but I’d rather not be hammering my phone’s precious battery just before a marathon.
Course:
-The “Stadium to the Stars” course of the last few years ending in Century City (what’s starry about Century City?) just doesn’t measure up to the classic “Stadium to the Sea” course ending in Santa Monica. I understand the benefits of having a larger staging area at the finish line, but it really compromises the final few miles. I hope the McCourt Foundation and the City of Santa Monica find a solution next year. For now, the first 20 miles are still great!
-Miles 1-5: Blasting out of the starting line of any marathon is a chaotic experience. Even with timed corrals, you’ve still gotta weave through runners and walkers of various paces just to find a little bubble of your own. If you need to take a quick break from the madness, there are a few rows of port-a-potties on your way out of the Dodger Stadium parking lot and also at Mile 1 on Sunset. The first few miles are a downhill dive through Chinatown and its lion dancers, Downtown LA, past City Hall, and Little Tokyo. This opening stretch features so many memorable landmarks, multiple turns, mini hills, and moments where you’re in an urban canyon dwarfed by towers on both sides. Mile 4 is marked by the steepest hill of the race, yet it’s also one of my favorite parts: the epic sound of taiko drums pulling you up and up on 1st Street before you turn onto Grand Avenue. You get glimpses of Bunker Hill, Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, the Civic Center, and Walt Disney Concert Hall as a reward after conquering that tough climb.
-Miles 5-9: The course calms down a bit with a pleasant run through Echo Park, Silver Lake, and Los Feliz. Gentle rolling hills ease you past the arts/music/hipster-focused bars, theaters, and shops along Sunset Boulevard. Compared to Downtown, you’ll start to see a far more residents around here cheering you on, some with some very creative signs.
-Miles 9-15: Sunset Boulevard has turned into Hollywood Boulevard, and you know what that means? It’s time to say “cheese” because you’re in Hollywood! The crowds grow rowdier, music gets louder, and landmarks on your left and right look like they’ve popped off a tourist’s postcard: the Pantages Theater, Capitol Records Tower, El Capitan Theater, Grauman’s Chinese Theater. Billboards rise up, touting movies like Creed 3, All Quiet on the Western Front, Super Mario Bros, as well as upcoming shows like Succession and Yellowjackets. You’re in the capital of entertainment and the Oscars just concluded, so now it’s YOUR time to shine! Dance through West Hollywood and keep those legs moving.
-Miles 15-18: Stroll through one of the world’s most famous zip codes: Beverly Hills, 90210. The glitz and glamour of show biz segues into luxury storefronts and fashion labels. The elevation dips a bit, in contrast to the high prices of goods you’ll see in all the Rodeo Drive display windows.
-Miles 18-22: Skyscrapers poke up on the horizon as you near Century City. Just past Mile 18 on Santa Monica Boulevard, you see elite runners returning on the other side of the road. It’s exciting to see them reach the finish line, but also slightly demoralizing to know you’re about to begin the out-and-back portion of the course. The silver lining is that the crowd support in this area is IMMENSE—I’m talking about the rowdiest supporters, the biggest and best signs, confetti drops, piñatas, taiko drums, running clubs with refreshments, hobby DJs, dancers in dinosaur and unicorn costumes… At one point, the crowds squeezed the road so tightly on both sides that it felt like we were running through an honor guard. It’s a party and a nice send-off as you face the most difficult portion of the race. Begin an unforgiving hill climb around Mile 20 up Sepulveda Boulevard, cross under the 405 freeway, and emerge into the silent, barren wasteland of the Veteran’s Administration area. It’s whisper-quiet on the Wilshire Boulevard bridge. No crowds, no scenery. Just the gray asphalt, and the anguished faces of cramped/dehydrated runners returning on the other side of the road. Where’s that turn-around point? Is it here yet? No. Around this corner? Maybe. It feels awful realizing that you’re running AWAY from the finish line.
-Miles 22-26.2: You run up San Vicente Boulevard and arrive in Brentwood, home of the most beautiful sight in the history of the world: the turn-around point! The crowd support here is also very strong and refreshing—lots of run clubs and DJs and volunteers with home-sliced oranges. You just did the “out”, now you gotta go “back” on aching legs. What looked like small hills earlier now feel like mountains the size of Everest. It’s not pretty, and it seems like half of all runners now have slowed to a painful shuffle-walk, or are stretching out cramps and aches on the side of the road. The final 1.5 miles is an uphill slog up Santa Monica Boulevard, but the super-crowds from earlier are back again, and they really help push you through. One nice tweak to the course this year is that the finish line is actually on Santa Monica Boulevard. For the past 2 years, the course would slow for a hard-right turn into Avenue of the Stars, then suddenly end after 0.1 mile or so. It was anticlimactic. Now you can actually see the end in sight and build speed for a final burst. I still miss the old Santa Monica beach finale: the smell of sweet ocean air, the sight of green palms and blue waters. But it’s nice that the race organizers at least made some much-needed adjustments to this finish.
Scenery/Weather/Support:
-So many Los Angeles landmarks dot the course. It’s hard to beat a list that includes Dodger Stadium, Chinatown, Disney Concert Hall, Echo Park, Hollywood, the Sunset Strip, and Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills. The last 8 miles are sparse in scenery though, and I wish we finished by the beach. Race day temperatures were just perfect for running, starting in the mid-50s, and ending around 60-degrees Fahrenheit. Cool clouds dominated about 90% of the skies, with very light drizzle on-and-off throughout the morning, but I’d rather have that than scorching heat. Aid stations serving water and Electrolit were spaced out at roughly 1 to 1.5 mile intervals. Gu gels were served at Mile 12 and Mile 18. I think more aid stations are needed in the final few miles, as well as more trash cans at the middle aid stations. Some entertainment/cheering around the 405 and VA area would be helpful. But overall, I need to praise all the local residents, supporters, and run clubs who came out to cheer this year. The crowd support was loud, energetic, and FANTASTIC. They were the largest crowds I’ve experienced in years! Thank you also to all the green-shirted volunteers at the water stations, you were all vital and superb!
Post-race:
-Cross that finish line, and grab that shiny finisher medal (or medals, if you did the Double Play with the 5k). Wrap up in a foil blanket, chug down bottles of water and Electrolit. The post-race refreshment lineup included bananas, Asian pears, Pocky sticks (Chocolate or Strawberry), Munchies Peanut Butter sandwich crackers, Annie’s Organic Cheddar Bunnies, Lesser Evil Popcorn with Himalayan Salt and Organic Coconut Oil, Kodiak Bear Bites Graham Crackers, Over Easy breakfast bars (Peanut Butter or Coconut), and Honey Maid graham crackers. Rest, stretch, then shuffle over to the FinisherPix photographers with a hearty smile and victorious pose. Don’t forget to grab your stuff from Gear Check. I thought the runner secure zone this year was better organized and less chaotic years than in years prior.
Swag:
-The 2023 LA Marathon race shirt came in a light shade of blue, with dark blue and gray hills behind white letters spelling out “Los Angeles Marathon 2023” mimicking the Hollywood sign. A couple blue palm trees decorate the bottom left of the design. The finisher medal is a chunky golden star like you’d find on the Walk of Fame, flanked by teal and red triangles. The side edges of the gold star are shaded with silhouettes of Walt Disney Concert Hall, the Hollywood sign, LAX, City Hall, and various landmarks, while the outline of the central star spells out the names of the landmarks. It’s a very nice detail that could be easily overlooked! The back of the medal features a blank spot to etch your finishing time. If you ran the 5k, then then you’ll also earn the Double Play medal: a round golden medal with overlapping red and teal stars in the center. Between each spoke of the star are silhouettes of LA landmarks, just like the marathon medal. Slightly off-topic, but I just saw the classic “The City of Los Angeles Marathon” olive wreath logo design they used for more than 20 marathons, and wow I hope they bring that logo back somehow!
The Bottom Line:
-The LA Marathon is a very strong race for 18 or so miles, and I’ll probably run it again only because it’s my hometown race with so many iconic LA sights to behold. But I sincerely wish the organizers could fix the out-and-back, hilly ending of the race. It’s not great. LA is a wonderful city, with so many things to see—why take runners on a tour of places they’ve already been with the out-and-back? What a wasted opportunity. Bring back the Santa Monica finish! Bring back the “Stadium to the Sea”!
Well organized but lackluster course
Pros: - Well organized expo at dodger stadium (with free parking) - Great transportation from century city to start at dodger stadium - no wait for a bus and tons … MORE
Pros:
– Well organized expo at dodger stadium (with free parking)
– Great transportation from century city to start at dodger stadium – no wait for a bus and tons of buses waiting
– second half of course had more people cheering than first half
– lots of aid stations
Cons:
– course after about mile 17-18 is dull with no landmarks / scenery, especially with going under overpass and to turnaround at 21/22. You’re running against people finishing starting at mile 18ish until you turnaround.
– there’s some sneaky hills! There’s some nice downhills but prepare for mile 20 hill and one at finish
If course goes back to finishing in Santa Monica, this is a no brainer and amazing race, including for out of towners. With current course, it’s fine overall but not a top race to travel to run
Challenging course with great crowds
I watched Kofuzi's recap of his 2022 LA marathon experience, so I knew this would be a tough course, and it definitely was with over 1,000 feet of elevation gain. … MORE
I watched Kofuzi’s recap of his 2022 LA marathon experience, so I knew this would be a tough course, and it definitely was with over 1,000 feet of elevation gain.
Having run the Napa marathon two weeks prior, I treated this more as a fun run. The last 10k proved to be decidedly less fun when the 3:20 pacer–who I had been planning to cruise with from start to finish–dropped out just after mile 19. Thankfully, the crowd support was fantastic. So, too, were the volunteers at the aid stations.
After crossing the finish line, I craved liquids above all else, and there were several different flavors of Electrolit and water; for those who with an appetite post-race, there were bananas and an assortment of sweet and salty snacks.
Given road closures and LA’s reputation for traffic, I was concerned it’d be a slog getting out of Century City, but I was pleasantly surprised by how easy it was to leave the area.
Summary: if you’re looking for a well-organized big city marathon (and aren’t necessarily looking for a PR), this one’s worth a try.
A Exciting Race on a Pleasant Course
The aid stations were excellent and the volunteers communicated with me well. The most helpful and unique aspect of the race was the course and music. The race could be … MORE
The aid stations were excellent and the volunteers communicated with me well. The most helpful and unique aspect of the race was the course and music. The race could be improved with more refreshments.
Worth doing once but not a fast course
This was my second year running LA Marathon and my 2nd marathon. Weather was good and as usual, the course is scenic, taking you past many iconic LA sites and … MORE
This was my second year running LA Marathon and my 2nd marathon. Weather was good and as usual, the course is scenic, taking you past many iconic LA sites and neighborhoods which other have described. That being said, it is pretty hilly early on and there are long rolling hills in the last 8 miles. The finish this year was uphill on Santa Monica Blvd in Century City. It was nice to be able to see the finish line. Plenty of aid stations though fewer in the last 8 miles. Fantastic crowd support. Pick up bottled water if you can at the end from supporters. Worst part is the freeway overpass by the Veterans Administration- road is particularly pot holed and uneven there and it’s an uphill/downhill without any crowd support or aid stations. Medals are
Nice. Start and finish are very crowded. Get there early and have a plan for pick up/meeting family.
Definitely a race you want to experience
Definitely a race you want to experience at least once. It is a huge field and very cold and unsheltered start. The general corral areas are crowded and a bit … MORE
Definitely a race you want to experience at least once. It is a huge field and very cold and unsheltered start. The general corral areas are crowded and a bit suffocating so take advantage of early registration, submit your best recent marathon time and request placement in the up front corrals. You don’t want to get stuck in the general field.
Once the race starts and you get going and the pace picks up you leave all that behind and it’s time to enjoy. For me it was a great way to sight see up close many of the iconic LA locations. We made a weekend out of it with the family, booked a nice hotel in Santa Monica and had a terrific time.
The logistics are easy to get squared away except for the getting back to the hotel. You need to plan ahead where your going to exit the race area and call for your ride. This part was confusing for me and wasted time finding my way back.
The course itself is not very challenging. It tends generally down hill but with a couple of short steep climbs.
The last two miles you double back to reach the finish line which is a bummer for me.
I got out of there as quickly as I could.
Race is terrible since course change
It used to be a wonderful course from the stadium to the sea. Now the beautiful last 6 miles have been replaced by an out and back on concrete through … MORE
It used to be a wonderful course from the stadium to the sea. Now the beautiful last 6 miles have been replaced by an out and back on concrete through the least scenic part of course. Won’t run again till they change course
Had to do it once!
This marathon is always very hyped up so I had to try it once since I live relatively close. The production was great. Lots of booths at the expo. I … MORE
This marathon is always very hyped up so I had to try it once since I live relatively close. The production was great. Lots of booths at the expo. I bought a mug as a souvenir. Race day morning I got there plenty early because there was a big line up of cars dropping off runners. My hubby dropped me off early then went back to the air bnb to wait till my start. Waiting was kinda cold but I huddled up behind the porter potties and that worked. Plenty of toilets at the start. Just VERY crowded race of course. There was a few more hills than I expected so I wasn’t 100% prepared for that. I hit a wall around mile 20. So I did some walking before I finished. Lots of aid stations and great volunteers. My husband had a hard time getting to the first spot I told him to be at so he had to go to the next spot instead since too much traffic for spectators. Luckily I did finally see him at mile 18ish. And I found him relatively easy at the end of the race luckily. Or he found me rather. It was a great accomplishment and just exciting to be part of something that large. I would say it was a little underwhelming scenery wise but I’m not sure what I was expecting from running streets in LA. The course has changed in the last couple years and I hear the old course was better but I don’t know because I’ve never done the old one. I would say the highlight was starting at Dodger Stadium. The medal you receive at the finish is really big and awesome. I’m glad I can say I did it once but I don’t plan on doing it again.
Awesome and Most Entertaining Race
This race was the best one I participated in the past 10 years I have been running marathons. It was awesome to run through different neighborhoods of Los Angeles. The … MORE
This race was the best one I participated in the past 10 years I have been running marathons. It was awesome to run through different neighborhoods of Los Angeles. The volunteers and crowd cheering runners on inspired me to push through to the finish line. I initially registered for the half marathon but showed up half an hour hour early and ended up running the full marathon since the course did not have a half marathon finish line. The excitement, music, wonderful aid stations, and encouragement from the crowd inspired me to press on to the finish line in the time of 4:01.
Great race to see LA until mile 20
I think other runners have very thoroughly reviewed this race. I agree that it’s a fairly hilly course at the beginning and at the end though it is billed as … MORE
I think other runners have very thoroughly reviewed this race. I agree that it’s a fairly hilly course at the beginning and at the end though it is billed as a net downhill. Plenty of aid stations in the first 20 miles but essentially only one official in the last six miles. The worst part is indeed where you run up a long gradual uphill along sepulveda Blvd and under freeway overpass through the VA grounds because it gets hot, there are no crowds to cheer you on and no aid stations either. Plenty of spectators handing out drinks and snacks where there were crowds but I was hesitant to consume stuff given the pandemic etc. This was my first marathon so I had no idea what to expect but I think I would have done better during this segment if the course continued into Santa Monica as it used to prior to the pandemic as the old finish was a gradual downhill with more interesting scenery. The out and back finish was not fun! Also because you can’t see the finish line and they don’t have any distance markers, it’s
Hard to know when to push towards the finish. I say this because I live in this area and I couldn’t judge the distance to the finish. Fun race but difficult finish.