The 41st Los Angeles Marathon took place Sunday, resulting in the closest ever finish in the race’s history.
Runners began the race at Dodger Stadium, as has been the case since 2010, and trekked 26.2 miles to Century City at Santa Monica Blvd. and Avenue of the Stars. The race previously ran from Dodger Stadium to Santa Monica in the “Stadium to the Sea” course, but changed due to “the dramatically increased costs quoted by the city of Santa Monica.”
The McCourt foundation, a non-profit focused on curing neurological diseases run by former Los Angeles Dodgers owner Frank McCourt, organizes the event annually.
American Nathan Martin crossed the finish line first after making up substantial ground on Michael Kimani Kamau — who finished second — during the final stretch.
Martin completed the race in 2:11:16.
Prisca Cherono claimed first in the women’s race, finishing with a time of 2:25:20.
The marathon came under scrutiny earlier in the week, as organizers announced they’d award medals to runners who complete 18 miles of the course to account for participants having a “tough day.”
“If you’re having a tough day and want to end your race before 26.2, you can choose to take the turn at Mile 18 and head into the finish line early,” the marathon’s website reads. “You do not need to notify anyone of your decision and can opt to take this route at any time. This option is available for this year only.”
Why Does the LA Marathon Start at Dodger Stadium?
McCourt is the key reason as to why the marathon starts at the Dodgers’ home ballpark, as he set the location while he was still the owner of the team.
We would love to see the marathon start at Dodger Stadium and finish at the ocean,” McCourt said. “From the stadium to the sea. . . . The vision is to incorporate the great icons of L.A. — Hollywood, Beverly Hills, the ocean — so that people from all over the world want to come and run a race that is totally unique. We want this to be a once in a lifetime race you’ll never forget.”
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