calendar icon Nov 15, 2024

City of Los Angeles Marathon (L.A. Marathon) Runner Comments

Back to City of Los Angeles Marathon (L.A. Marathon) Information & Reviews

Course Rating Course 3.8 
 
Oranization Rating Organization 3.6 
 
Spectator Rating Spectators 4.4 
 
 
Number of comments: 473 [displaying comments 241 to 251]
More Comments: [ < 1 .. 23 24 25 26 27 .. 47 > ]

 

B. M. from Redlands, Ca. (3/6/2007)
"I want the old course back" (about: 2007)

11-50 previous marathons | 4-5 City of Los Angeles Marathon (L.A. Marathon)s
COURSE: 2  ORGANIZATION: 3  FANS: 5


Greetings, this was my 11th marathon and the 4th time I've run L.A. and I was very disappointed in the new route. The new route showed too many run-down areas and not enough of the rich culture that L.A. has to offer. Ghetto does not equal culture. Also, I wasn't sure why the route included so much of the the industrial area. I will continue to run L.A. because I love the spectators, but I was very disappointed in the new route.

 

Stephanie Scott from California (3/6/2007)
"Need an earlier start!" (about: 2007)

11-50 previous marathons | 4-5 City of Los Angeles Marathon (L.A. Marathon)s
COURSE: 3  ORGANIZATION: 2  FANS: 3


An 8:30 start is way too late. Either drop the bike race or do it the day before. Marathoners don't want to eat a lot before a race, and with a late start a lot of people don't finish until after 12:30. By the time they feel like eating, it's often late in the afternoon. An earlier start would definitely help.

 

J. O. from Los Angeles, CA (3/6/2007)
"Better course than last year" (about: 2007)

11-50 previous marathons | 6+ City of Los Angeles Marathon (L.A. Marathon)s
COURSE: 5  ORGANIZATION: 4  FANS: 5


I was skeptical of the new course, starting in Universal Studios and running through Hollywood, Hancock Park, Koreatown, Boyle Heights and downtown.
But I really enjoyed it. It does have hills; but because L.A. is not a flat town, any course will have them. The inclines were more gradual than in previous years. Perhaps the steepest was the bridge going into the Eastside, but it wasn't as bad as the big hill late in the course last year.

My advice: KEEP THIS COURSE! It's a "greatest hits" tour of what L.A. has to offer, and it's not too hilly.

The weather could have been cooler, but thanks to the LA Fire Dept. for cooling people with their water hoses.

I gave the organization 4 stars because of the website. The folks from Devine Racing maybe thought that interest in the marathon ends the evening of the race, and didn't even have a photo of the winners on the home page, much less race results the day after. I would suggest they not lump their four marathons into one website. Each one is different.

Also, I expected more entertainment on the course; it seemed they had more music in previous years. I didn't see taiko drummers, and I was expecting a Mariachi in Boyle Heghts (they do have Mariachi Plaza, after all). Maybe I'm asking for too much, but that would be my request for next year: mas musica!

 

D. S. from Los Angeles, CA (3/6/2007)
"I love running marathons, and I love L.A. but..." (about: 2007)

3 previous marathons | 3 City of Los Angeles Marathon (L.A. Marathon)s
COURSE: 3  ORGANIZATION: 5  FANS: 3


They could've done a better job with the choice of location for this year's course. We have better places to show than abandoned/factory-filled streets, where nobody would dare enter to cheer. As usual, there are amazingly awesome supporters in certain areas, but in others, residents simply don't care about a race; instead they care that the course is conflicting with their morning commute. So although the course was easy, it didn't help that the streets we covered were not stellar and quite dirty, if you ask me. Maybe if it was more like the city's 1/2 marathon, I would've actually felt more inspired to keep going in those times when I just wanted to stop and grab a bite of food other than oranges. :P

 

j. d. from LA (3/6/2007)
"More water between 20 miles and the finish" (about: 2007)

1 previous marathon | 1 City of Los Angeles Marathon (L.A. Marathon)
COURSE: 4  ORGANIZATION: 2  FANS: 4


Bonked at 21 miles but still had a blast. Went out way too fast. Hydration between 20 miles and the finish was abysmal; could just have been my physical state, but felt like I was in a desert. I ran a 45-minute 1/4; 1:38 HALF; 2:25 30k; (BONK); 3:55 finish. It was a good lesson in humility.

 

Johan Van from San Francisco, CA (3/6/2007)
"Good Course, Great Spectators!" (about: 2007)

1 previous marathon
COURSE: 5  ORGANIZATION: 2  FANS: 5


This was my first marathon in 17 years... but I want to qualify for Boston, 'O8. (Call it a mid-life crisis.) I've been back into running for 18 months and trained for this race for 18 weeks, but got the flu the week of the race. Almost didn't run, but figured what the heck.

I traveled to LA for the race and the parking pass that came didn't really specify whether it was at the start or finish. (Was at the finish, of course....)

When we left the subway at the start, there was really nobody around to explain where the starting area actually was, so I just followed everyone else. It was so crowded, that I really couldn't get to an area I was comfortable starting in, so this made the start very congested.

The course was awesome, the fellow runners were great and the spectators along the way were amazing.

The finish was not that great. While the tons of people along the last .2 miles of the course were awesome, after crossing the finish line, getting through the finisher's area was a nightmare. There were so many people waiting for folks to finish that they crowded the finishers to the point that we were completely stopped at one point. That's painful after running 26.2 miles.

The post-race area in general was far too small and crowded, and not at all relaxing after running a race like that. LA is a big place... give us more room!

 

Phillip Ortiz,DDS from Murrieta, California (3/6/2007)
"Fantastic support from volunteers" (about: 2007)

First Marathon
COURSE: 5  ORGANIZATION: 5  FANS: 5


This was my first and only marathon to raise money for my Indonesia mission through pledges for every mile that I completed. Your volunteers were unbelievable during the race with their dispensing of water, Gatorade, vaseline, oranges, bananas, and pretzels, and also with the encouragement they offered to the runners. The spectators were also encouraging. I think that at the finish for the slower than elite group, removing the timing chip right after you cross the finish is detrimental because one needs to stretch out and move around before sitting down after a marathon.

I only trained 2 weeks for the marathon. I received some great training help from David Styles. I wish that I would have trained for at least 17 weeks. I hit the "WALL" at mile 17 and I prayed to have the Lord massage my cramped muscles in my legs and neck. He answered my prayer and helped me to finish the race.

 

M. B. from Orange, ca (3/5/2007)
"Hardest marathon I have done!!!" (about: 2007)

4-5 previous marathons | 1 City of Los Angeles Marathon (L.A. Marathon)
COURSE: 3  ORGANIZATION: 4  FANS: 5


I liked New York a lot better!!

 

S. S. from California (3/5/2007)
"end of race spectators need to be in family area" (about: 2007)

11-50 previous marathons | 4-5 City of Los Angeles Marathon (L.A. Marathon)s
COURSE: 3  ORGANIZATION: 2  FANS: 4


I think the course was fine and the water supply was great! The problem I had with this race was that the family members and spectators need to stay in the family pick up area. As we finished the race, we got our water, but couldn't get out of the gates because there were too many people. After 26 miles the LAST thing you want to do is stand in a line!!!!!

 

M. T. from Los Angeles, CA (3/5/2007)
"Mentally exhausting - very disappointing expo" (about: 2007)

11-50 previous marathons | 6+ City of Los Angeles Marathon (L.A. Marathon)s
COURSE: 2  ORGANIZATION: 2  FANS: 4


This is my 12th LA Marathon. I was glad to see the Venice Blvd. stretch gone. Very unhappy with the starting point. Our friends and family could not get to us to see us take off. Once we headed towards downtown, it appeared as if we kept crossing the same streets over and over again. Towards the end, the sight of Downtown LA is synonymous with "we are home" - yet this year we had to first pass the finish line area, and then turn around and head back toward it. Mentally, the thought of heading to the finish line, passing it from a distance, and then turning around towards it was exhausting.

Ps. What happened to the Tylenol and Clif Bar booths along the route? We count on them every year. What happened to our light-weight "space blankets"? Who was in charge of the marathon apparel? Only a few of the sweatshirts had the event date. I always buy a sweatshirt and a T-shirt to celebrate my accomplishment. Not one of the sweatshirts sold at the expo was worth buying. Very disappointing expo. On that note: Why was Nike not there?

 

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