The only negative about the race would be the pot holes all over the streets of LA which can be a distraction to running a faster race. Other than that … MORE
The only negative about the race would be the pot holes all over the streets of LA which can be a distraction to running a faster race. Other than that the production of the race was well executed and you get to run on the streets that you would usually drive on. The crowd was great and cheering all race long. They also did a good job on security which is important especially when you have this much gathering of people.
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Scenic race in through the streets of LA
The only negative about the race would be the pot holes all over the streets of LA which can be a distraction to running a faster race. Other than that … MORE
The only negative about the race would be the pot holes all over the streets of LA which can be a distraction to running a faster race. Other than that the production of the race was well executed and you get to run on the streets that you would usually drive on. The crowd was great and cheering all race long. They also did a good job on security which is important especially when you have this much gathering of people.
Great Experience for my first marathon
LA Marathon does it right - The course highlights are incredible, from starting at Dodger Stadium, through downtown LA, Hollywood, Beverly Hills, and Santa Monica finish - it is an … MORE
LA Marathon does it right – The course highlights are incredible, from starting at Dodger Stadium, through downtown LA, Hollywood, Beverly Hills, and Santa Monica finish – it is an awesome course!
I took the shuttle from Santa Monica which smooth, they could add more portapotties, but what race couldn’t have more? Start was a bit hectic, but probably as organized as could be with 24,000 runners participating.
One of the highlights had to be the crowd support and aid stations. All throughout the race, it felt as if the entire LA community came out to support, and was instrumental in me finishing the last 10k. There is more than enough aide throughout the course; I only had to carry a few extra gels but hydration was taken care of.
The first early hills are not bad as they come early in the race (miles 3-6), but what really hurt me was after mile 20, the long gradual uphill parallel to the 405 freeway slowed my pace down drastically. However, with some better training and hill work, you should be able to have enough strength to take advantage of the long 2 mile downhill towards Santa Monica and the finish.
Medal was HUGE! I’ll definitely run this one again! It was a great experience exceptionally ran by the volunteers and directors.
Crowd support was awesome!
Almost everything went off without a hitch. transportation from Santa Monica to Dodgers stadium was fast, Snacks were set up by the time I arrrived to start line (420ish AM) … MORE
Almost everything went off without a hitch. transportation from Santa Monica to Dodgers stadium was fast, Snacks were set up by the time I arrrived to start line (420ish AM) 2 things before start couldve been better. More port a potties (lines were ridiculous once more) and Open corral was a nightmare. there was a fence separating corral from general open area, which somehow became part of the open corral as well, so everyone who line up to the left of the fence, ended up at the very back of OC. Course itself was once again fantastic. Aid stations and volunteers were plentiful, crowds were once again energetic. At mile 23, they did kind of spill onto the course so It was kind of tough to zig zag around everyone. Appreciate the love, but it did get alittle hectic there. Hills in the first 5 or 6 miles are not too bad. The ones that seem to get everyone are down on Santa Monica Blvd. Mile 22-26 is the best part of the course as its all downhill so you can make up some time, you feel the ocean breeze (even though you cannot see it yet) and you know you are literally just around the corner from the finish line. Medals were beautiful as was this whole experience. Will def be back next year to try and PB once more.
LA Done Right!
This was an exceptional race in so many ways. The organization was first rate. I received a good amount of emails ahead of time (not too many, not too few). … MORE
This was an exceptional race in so many ways. The organization was first rate. I received a good amount of emails ahead of time (not too many, not too few). I felt prepared for all the logistics I needed. Race pickup was a piece of cake. No line, got my bib in less than 1 minute. The expo was good sized with lots to look at. The race itself was first rate. Dodger Stadium is a great place to start. Runners have access to the stadium so you can use the bathroom, stretch, etc. It wasn’t windy or rainy that day, but it would have been a nice reprieve from the elements if needed. Having Randy Newman’s “I Love LA!” blaring on the speakers was a great way to get me amped up to run. The start is a little congested at first, even with the wave start, but not too bad. I was running my pace within about 1/3 of a mile. There is a steep downhill to get out of the stadium parking lot, and a steep uphill around mile 4, but for the most part, the course is not hilly. Definitely more downs than ups. Perhaps one of the best parts of the race is the course itself. You see so many LA highlights. The race runs through Chinatown, Thai Town, Little Armenia, and you see tons of various Latino influences, and some Korean and Japanese influences as well. I loved that diverse aspect of the race. You run by some of the iconic images as well, City Hall, Disney Concert Hall, Echo Park, the Sunset Strip, Hollywood, Pantages Theater, Beverly Hills (including Rodeo Drive), with the icing on the cake being the finish at the beach. Once you finish, you continue along Ocean Ave. in Santa Monica and get your medal (I have 14 marathon medals so far and this one is by far the coolest!), space blanket, and lots of fuel. I had a couple bananas, some chocolate milk and passed on a lot of other food as well. Tons of good options to replenish. Most of the fans are waiting a few blocks after the finish. That is probably the only thing I would change about the race. There weren’t very many fans the last mile of the race since they were almost all gathered after the finish line. My family that met me there said that is where police were asking them to stay. The police also shut down cell service so make sure you have a location planned out ahead of time to meet your supporters. This is my second big race (I’ve done NYC) and 12 other mid to small races. This one ranks at the top for being first rate all the way around. If you want an authentic Los Angeles experience, the LA Marathon is an excellent pick.
Another Great LA Marathon!
Another great LA Marathon that ends in amazing Santa Monica. Great course was the same as the past 3 years. Excellent staff, supporters and volunteers. I will do it again … MORE
Another great LA Marathon that ends in amazing Santa Monica. Great course was the same as the past 3 years. Excellent staff, supporters and volunteers. I will do it again in 2020! My 4th in a row for this race.
Another Great LA Marathon!
The race went off without a hitch - Lucked into great weather after a rather wet SoCal winter. Same course as last year. Not my best finish but I had … MORE
The race went off without a hitch – Lucked into great weather after a rather wet SoCal winter. Same course as last year. Not my best finish but I had a great time and met great people. Thanks to the support staff, organizers and volunteers. I will be in it again next year!
Memorable sightseeing course
This is a deceptively challenging course; the elevation map lures you into thinking it is primarily downhill, but there are plenty of long slow climbs that are fairly brutal. Really … MORE
This is a deceptively challenging course; the elevation map lures you into thinking it is primarily downhill, but there are plenty of long slow climbs that are fairly brutal. Really great course support, really enthusiastic crowds along the way, and really unique scenery make it a fun course — it’s basically a sightseeing tour of LA. Not sure why, but the course seems to be a quarter mile longer than it should be. Maybe just GPS/elevation induced errors, but I carefully started and stopped my watch (Garmin) on the start and finish pads and it reads 26.46 miles. All during the race the mile markers were consistently 0.25 miles beyond where my watch was indicating the mile transitions. Everyone I’ve talked to had the same problem — Garmin, Fitbit, whatever. That sort of thing can mess with your head late in the race, so just beware.
A Excellent Run
The Aid Stations were awesome. The volunteers were very helpful. The race could be improved with more variations in the course route. The course was excellent. MORE
The Aid Stations were awesome. The volunteers were very helpful. The race could be improved with more variations in the course route. The course was excellent.
Wow can't miss race
A true running tour of LA - from Dodger Stadium to Santa Monica. Some hills in the first 5 miles and then rolling hills from that point on. A classic … MORE
A true running tour of LA – from Dodger Stadium to Santa Monica. Some hills in the first 5 miles and then rolling hills from that point on. A classic that can’t be missed in my opinion. I live in the area weather this time of year can vary greatly from heat wave to hard rain – be prepared for whatever the weather is that year.
LA Experience
It was a cool course. Got to see the famous and beautiful sites of Los Angeles. Definitely not a flat course. A few challenging hills. Well organized and great support. … MORE
It was a cool course. Got to see the famous and beautiful sites of Los Angeles. Definitely not a flat course. A few challenging hills. Well organized and great support. Wonderful volunteers out there too.
Bucket list: ✔
This race in my bucket list for a while and finally I had the courage to do it. I couldn't be happier. Running through the streets of my own city … MORE
This race in my bucket list for a while and finally I had the courage to do it. I couldn’t be happier. Running through the streets of my own city was awesome, the aid stations were amazing and all the entertainment along the race was so overwhelming.
Great Way to Tour L.A.
The Stadium to the Sea course is amazing, starting at Dodger Stadium and ending at the Santa Monica Pier, and passing by many major L.A. landmarks. The course is tough … MORE
The Stadium to the Sea course is amazing, starting at Dodger Stadium and ending at the Santa Monica Pier, and passing by many major L.A. landmarks. The course is tough at the beginning, but flattens out and even ends on a gradual downhill. Since being taken over by the Conqur Endurance Group, the overall production, support, and perks are top of the line for sure. I participated in 2016, part of the Olympic Trials weekend so getting to watch that race was an added bonus. Definitely a bucket list race.
I love my city!
So much fun to run in my back yard. The crowd support makes this race what it is. So touching to see so many individuals and families out cheering on … MORE
So much fun to run in my back yard. The crowd support makes this race what it is. So touching to see so many individuals and families out cheering on runners not just organizations. Great variety of foods people hand out; I snagged a bag of jelly beans near the end. Some people had freeze pops but they were at the other side of the road and I didn’t want to stop. Maybe the most smoothly run race I’ve ever done. I really appreciate the seeded corrals and that they were actually monitoring people’s qualification bibs; made for SUCH a smooth start. Will definitely do again!
My 11th, I'll continue to come back
The race course and scenery is among the best. The Start Line chaos is a mess and one of the worst I have experienced and it is this way every … MORE
The race course and scenery is among the best. The Start Line chaos is a mess and one of the worst I have experienced and it is this way every year. Every year, trying to get out of Santa Monica is a nightmare because of the one-way traffic and congestion. This year the Family Reunion area at the Finish Line was not organized by first letter of last name. Holy crap! Trying to meet the family was an absolute nightmare. Come on! You can do better.
Great 1st marathon location
Before I give my full review, the thing that stood out most about this race was the amount of support of spectators along the course, handing out extra water, fruit, … MORE
Before I give my full review, the thing that stood out most about this race was the amount of support of spectators along the course, handing out extra water, fruit, candy, and just general cheering on the runners. This was truly special and made my injury plagued run more fathomable.
This was my first marathon and I picked it based on a suggestion by our RaceRaves leader Mike. Living in MD there are obviously closer marathons but due to life things, I needed one in March timeframe and this seemed like the best one and did not disappoint. I’ll skip over the fact that I was injured a few weeks before the marathon and did not get to compete at my training pace but I’m ok with that. The weather was perfect for running a marathon. Couldn’t have worked out better, after hearing about some of the years prior.
-The location was excellent. Was very cool to hang out at Dodger stadium at the start and relax (even though I’m a Nats fan). I think they needed more portapotties. Lines before the race were very long. But overall the race starting point was very good and easy to get to.
-the course i found medium. MAKE SURE YOU TRAIN ON HILLS. A couple of early steep hills (mile 4 going up to Disney Hall which is a beautiful building), but after that, a nice course. Knowing there were all these sites along the way, made it fun as a tourist to run through. I wish they had signs at some of the landmarks so it forces you to take in your surroundings more. Would have been nice to have a sign that says look up, there is the Hollywood sign. Tons of water stops along the way on the course. That was very helpful.
-the finish area was my only slight disappointment. They don’t have spectators for the last couple of blocks. Not a big deal since I did get to see my wife several times along the way and before the finish. It could have been that i was tired, but it felt like a long walk to get a bottle of water after running the 26 miles. The snacks they provided were good. But don’t stop to rest. they rush you out of the finish area. There is no good meeting area for family afterwards. Would have been nice to have some alphabet letters to try to meet up. Since its just a big crowd of 20,000 people trying to find each other. TAKE ADVANTAGE of the free massage tent afterwards. Worth waiting in the long line. I wasn’t looking that hard but i couldn’t find any food trucks, not that i was that hungry. but a slice of pizza would have been good.
-Extras. The medals were great. ( I ran the Big5K the day before with my wife, so i ended up with 3 medals for the weekend). Marathon medal was large and heavy. The Sketchers clothing that you could purchase at the expo or after the race, were colorful. Picked up a few things to remember my 1st marathon.
I would definitely recommend this race to everyone. It was my first marathon so i have nothing to compare it to, but I’m really glad I participated. Even though my injury and ultimately my legs didn’t allow me to finish in my planned time, I still had a good time.
The City of Angels from all the angles
I’ve lived in Southern California for 5 years, and 2018 was my third time running the LA Marathon. I’d recommend my 2016 review and blog post for more details, but … MORE
I’ve lived in Southern California for 5 years, and 2018 was my third time running the LA Marathon. I’d recommend my 2016 review and blog post for more details, but the TL;DR version is: I’ve run Boston, Chicago, Houston and New York City, and from both a scenery and production perspective, Los Angeles is as good an urban marathon as I’ve run in the US.
If you’re a marathoner (or would-be marathoner) who lives outside SoCal, I’d love to convince you to give my hometown race a chance. The Stadium-to-the-Sea course is among the most scenic urban routes in the country, starting at Dodger Stadium with the playing of Randy Newman’s “I Love LA” and culminating in Santa Monica just steps from the Pacific Ocean. Along the way you’ll see the City of Angels in a way that few of its residents ever do, with your foot tour including the Golden Dragon Gateway of Chinatown, City Hall, Little Tokyo, Hollywood Blvd and the Stars Walk of Fame, Sunset Blvd with its hillside view of the Hollywood sign and iconic nightclubs like the Whisky-A-Go-Go, plus Beverly Hills and Rodeo Drive, to name a few of the route’s many sightseeing opportunities. It’s an inspiring course that will happily distract you from the fact that 26.2 miles is a long way to run. If you’re in it for the scenery, LA won’t disappoint.
Not only is the Stadium-to-the-Sea course one of the best in the nation, but the Conqur Endurance Group’s hefty, classic-looking medals are consistently among my favorite. If you’re in it for the bling, LA won’t disappoint.
On a normal day, Ocean Ave in Santa Monica is tourist central with a small footprint and a lot of foot traffic, so you can imagine what it’s like on race day. With that in mind, the post-race festival is held in a parking lot just off Ocean Ave and isn’t much to write home about. But there were a few food trucks along with the Angel City Brewery beer garden offering one free beer to runners. Plus, the Skechers Performance tent was a cool opportunity to get some great gear/apparel — much of it created specifically for the LAM — at 50% off retail (and I happily took advantage). All the while you’re a short walk from the beach, the Santa Monica Pier and the Pacific Ocean.
LA weather on race day tends to be on the warmer side, but this year was perfect: clear skies and starting temps in the high 40s, rising only into the mid-50s with a comforting sun by the time I reached the finish in Santa Monica. In other words, a perfect day to run a marathon.
One other notable that sets LA apart from other marathons: the course profile. With a few rolling (but manageable) hills in the first half and a 2.7-mile downhill to the finish, this is the ideal course to negative split. In fact, in 31 marathons I’ve run only two negative splits, and both happened in LA (2016, 2018). There are few more feel-good accomplishments as a runner than finishing a marathon faster than you started it. And doing so enabled me to hit my “A” goal of 3:39:59 and improve my corral seeding at the upcoming Comrades Marathon in June.
So do yourself a favor: set aside any preconceived notions of LA and give its marathon a shot — you’ll be glad you did. Hope to see you at the Stadium or the sea in 2019!
Great scenic race with hills
This was a great scenic race. A lot to look at so you don’t get bored. I wish I would have known more about the hills. There are a lot … MORE
This was a great scenic race. A lot to look at so you don’t get bored. I wish I would have known more about the hills. There are a lot of hills and they are big compared to what I am used to. The race was run very well. The water and food stations were everywhere and there was plenty of pre race food as well. This is one of my favorite races and I will be doing it in 2018. I will be training hills and lots of them. If you haven’t done this race it is a must do.
Third Time Not the Charm
This was my third attempt at LA. I am officially done with this course. There were major issues at the shuttles to the start line. Took about an hour to … MORE
This was my third attempt at LA. I am officially done with this course.
There were major issues at the shuttles to the start line. Took about an hour to get near the front. They were trying to do a security check through everyone’s bags/fuel vests. When they finally realized it was taking too long they started handing out red bands (that meant they had checked your bag) to everyone and told them to go the front of the line. Runners were then running to the buses in an almost panicked fashion. Very very stressful right before the race. I hope they fix it before next year.
World Class Event
The expo was held on Friday and Saturday at the Los Angeles Convention Center. I had originally planned to go on Saturday after the LA Big 5K. Unfortunately, having a … MORE
The expo was held on Friday and Saturday at the Los Angeles Convention Center. I had originally planned to go on Saturday after the LA Big 5K. Unfortunately, having a pub run the night before and not being able to sleep well, I missed that. The expo was held in the west hall this year and was noticeably smaller, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. The first step was to get my bib, but they didn’t have it at the numbered bib section. It was at expo services not too far away, presumably because we were upgraded to start line hospitality. Next up, I got my super nice Skechers race shirt and gear check bag. The race once again offered a virtual event bag, which I’m always a huge fan of. It’s way less waste and there were plenty of vendors handing samples out. The giant Skechers Performance race merchandise store was the first thing that everyone had to pass through. I don’t usually buy stuff at the expo, but this year was an exception. I grabbed two nice visors (on sale) and the official race shirt. After that, I did my usual vendor browsing. There was one handing out samples of non-alcohol beer (Erdinger N/A), which I actually liked.
The Race: My alarm went off at 2:30 and I managed to get up on time for once. All of the things I needed were already laid out, just had to wash up and get ready. I was on the road by 3:00 since my shuttle reservation was at 4:30 and it’s about an hour drive with no traffic. I got to Santa Monica and parked right at 4:00. My parking was pre-paid weeks in advance, which is highly recommended if you park here. It was about a 5-10 minute walk to where the shuttles left from, so I had plenty of time to be on one by 4:30. Or so I thought. This was the major issue I know that everyone is complaining about. The line to board the buses was insanely long and was barely moving, even with a lot of buses just sitting there. Also, the porta-potties were directly beside the shuttle line. Volunteers were slowly “checking” bags and checking to see who was wearing running vests, waist pouches, etc. They were giving out red wristbands to attach to them, but I’m not sure why. I finally got on a bus just before 5:00, cutting it close to get to the hospitality tent for the 5:30 ambassador meet-up. Once we were close to the stadium, it appeared the off ramp the said buses only was completely closed and not even letting buses exit. All of the shuttles ended up in the same line as vehicles dropping runners off. More confusion set in once at the stadium, a few buses got turned around near the academy gate. They pretty much said screw it and dropped us off there, so I got in a good warm up walk to the stadium. On to the race itself, which started at 6:45 with the elite women, followed by the elite men and the full field. It seemed as if the weather was finally going to be on our side, around 50 at the start! I was put in corral B, but in no way did I train enough to maintain that pace. Since this day wasn’t about a PR or even a course record like the previous 2 years, I decided to go full on tourist and have fun with it. Once they announced there would be close to 40 Snapchat filters along the course, that made my decision even easier. Geo-filters are the only reason I really use SC, so I thought it would be fun. The race started with the usual shuffle out of the Dodger Stadium parking lot onto the streets of LA. The first 4 miles are in the downtown area through Chinatown and Little Tokyo. The course then went on to pass through Echo Park, Silver Lake, Little Armenia, and into Hollywood. I was trying to stop at all of the major landmarks to Snapchat and see what filters were available. It was really fun to finally just take this course in and pay attention to the sights and sounds. After passing through all of Hollywood, the course went through Beverly Hills and on to Rodeo Drive. Just after that, I spotted the first LA Road Runners aid station. I remembered seeing them post that they would have Hot Shot pain shots (like an alcohol-free shot of fireball for pain). I grabbed one and downed it, which didn’t sit well on my stomach for a few minutes. After getting water at the next aid station, that issue went away. I also tried to stop whenever I saw icy hot spray being used at medical tents. My longest run prior to this was the Pasadena Half in January, so my knees were starting to ache. The next few miles were a combination of running and walking to keep from getting an injury. This part of the course is where you really learn to appreciate the support the city shows to this race. There is never a dull moment and you will never have to worry about not having water, fruit, snacks, candy, or even a shot of beer or two. That’s the #1 reason I love this race and this city. I have never seen so much support and encouragement from complete strangers (and even fellow runner friends not running the event). The last few miles went through the community of Brentwood with a gradual downhill to Santa Monica and Ocean Avenue. The last 1/2 mile is barricaded off to keep out bandits and was packed with people cheering. At this point, the race was 5 1/2 hours old and it felt like I was coming down towards the finish line in the top 10. Again, I F’N LOVE this city. I hit the finish at 5:33 with a smile on my face. Not my best, not my worst, but without a doubt the most fun I’ve had during a marathon.
Post Race: Once I received my medals and took my picture, I went to get my stuff from gear check. This was an area the needed to be improved on from last year and they nailed it. It was done by bib number this year and not last name, which did not work very well. The sign pointing towards the finish festival and beer garden was after the exit chute to get there, so a lot of people had to turn around to head that way. Another issue I had was the number of friends and family members over-crowding the entrance to the festival, it was nearly impossible to enter and spectators were practically stepping on runners feet. They definitely need to move them further back next year. That is the last thing people need after a marathon in a cramped space like that and the risk of injury. Once in the beer garden, I could tell it was much larger than last year. We got one free beer with our bib, which I really think should be at least 2. Angel City brought four beers this year versus the two last year. Overall, it was another fantastic event from Skechers Performance and Conqur Endurance Group. The support from all cities involved and the volunteers was world class. It was an honor to work with them during the season and I hope to be back next year. If not, I’ll still Conqur LA again!
LA loves its marathon!
LA loves its marathon. It's a city wide party with 25,000 guests; it still felt like they did it just for me. The crowd support keeps you energized the entire … MORE
LA loves its marathon. It’s a city wide party with 25,000 guests; it still felt like they did it just for me. The crowd support keeps you energized the entire way.
This was my 4th time running LA. The weather was good this year, but if you can’t handle heat, you might not enjoy it. And it’s a long day! I park in Santa Monica and try to get there by 4:00, for a race that starts at 6:55. But they do a great job at the stadium, opening up the concourse if you want to sit. Nutrition is available. Plenty of bathrooms.
The course is a great overview of iconic LA. Chinatown, Hollywood & Highland, Rodeo Drive. For an urban race, it’s a great route.
They made a small tweak to the course that I really liked. You don’t run through the VA anymore. Instead it’s an even stronger, longer, decline finish that pulls you to the finish.