Races

Back to all races
Race Details Ratings 21 Reports 35

Race Reports for LA Marathon

[1]
Reported by:
Race rating (5)
User photo
  • Organised?Yes
  • Events on time?Yes

  • Lots of volunteers to help?Yes
  • Plenty of drink stations?Yes

  • Post race activities? Average
  • Overall course based on my ability: Just right

  • Comments: LA has gradually come up in the world of major city marathons. A couple ownership changes and the institution of the "Stadium to the Sea" course in 2010 have revitalized it. Doesn't attract the major pros, but it is a first class course and an overlooked destination race.
read full report
[2]
Reported by:
Race rating (5)
User photo
  • Organised?Yes
  • Events on time?Yes

  • Lots of volunteers to help?Yes
  • Plenty of drink stations?Yes

  • Post race activities? Good
  • Overall course based on my ability:

  • Comments: I try to do this race every year. I really think the switch to the "Stadium to the Sea" course in 2010 was inspired...LA is starting to catch on as a legit destination race (and having the Olympic Trials here next year will only help).
read full report
[3]
Reported by:
User photo
  • Organised?
  • Events on time?

  • Lots of volunteers to help?
  • Plenty of drink stations?

  • Post race activities?
  • Overall course based on my ability:

  • Comments: Seventh time doing LA. Logistics pretty much the same every year now, although there were some increased security measures this year (post-Boston) that created problems for me getting to the post-race hospitality suite for the charity I ran for this year.
read full report
[4]
Reported by:
Race rating (4)
User photo
  • Organised?Yes
  • Events on time?Yes

  • Lots of volunteers to help?Yes
  • Plenty of drink stations?Yes

  • Post race activities? Good
  • Overall course based on my ability: Just right

  • Comments: I'd run it again but I finished with the desire to prove I could perform better. Next day decided to register for marine corps.
read full report
[5]
Reported by:
Race rating (4)
User photo
  • Organised?Yes
  • Events on time?Yes

  • Lots of volunteers to help?Yes
  • Plenty of drink stations?Yes

  • Post race activities?
  • Overall course based on my ability: Just right

  • Comments: Overall, I liked the course. It is much more difficult than it appears. The weather differential makes it even more challenging... I can only imagine how tough it can get if it rains throughout or if the heat is on that day.
read full report
[6]
Reported by:
Race rating (4)
User photo
  • Organised?Yes
  • Events on time?Yes

  • Lots of volunteers to help?Yes
  • Plenty of drink stations?Yes

  • Post race activities? Average
  • Overall course based on my ability: Just right

  • Comments: Course is notably hilly, especially in the first 8 miles. Drink stations were at very unpredictable intervals...which was a bit of an issue since they had switched to a no-calorie sports drink on the course this year (meaning calories had to come from either self-supported drinking or gels...since I used gels, it was tough to stay on routine, not knowing exactly when to expect the next water). Lots of iconic LA sights along the route and better crowd support than the first two years for this course.
read full report
[7]
Reported by:
User photo
  • Organised?Yes
  • Events on time?Yes

  • Lots of volunteers to help?Yes
  • Plenty of drink stations?Yes

  • Post race activities? Bad
  • Overall course based on my ability: Just right

  • Comments: Overall the LA Marathon was unforgettable, especially being my first marathon. The course was challenging, but honestly not much to look at. The crowd support was pretty good, VERY AWESOME in some stretches for sure. Thankfully the weather held up, if it rained like it did last year, yikes (I was horribly cold at the finish). The finish area was a horrible nightmare. For the race itself, I was shooting for a 4:30 although from my training I thought that I might even crack a 4:20, boy was I off. Nevertheless, through a bad knee and some fatally stupid decision making the one thing that was absolutely priceless was that I was taken to some real deep waters this race. I found out a lot about myself and what I could gut myself through. In the end isn't that what its all about?
read full report
[8]
Reported by:
Race rating (5)
User photo
  • Organised?Yes
  • Events on time?Yes

  • Lots of volunteers to help?Yes
  • Plenty of drink stations?Yes

  • Post race activities?
  • Overall course based on my ability: Just right

  • Comments: IT was AWESOME..... I am glad to say that I finished.
read full report
[9]
Reported by:
Race rating (5)
User photo
  • Organised?Yes
  • Events on time?No

  • Lots of volunteers to help?Yes
  • Plenty of drink stations?Yes

  • Post race activities?
  • Overall course based on my ability: Just right

  • Comments: Can't thank the volunteers enough, they were awesome and I had some fun high fiving them towards the end.
read full report
[10]
Reported by:
Race rating (4)
User photo
  • Organised?Yes
  • Events on time?No

  • Lots of volunteers to help?Yes
  • Plenty of drink stations?Yes

  • Post race activities? Average
  • Overall course based on my ability: Just right

  • Comments: It was good and fun, with the exception of the weather on race day. I m sure the vendors were sad because of this.
read full report
[11]
Reported by:
Race rating (4)
User photo
  • Organised?Yes
  • Events on time?No

  • Lots of volunteers to help?Yes
  • Plenty of drink stations?Yes

  • Post race activities?
  • Overall course based on my ability:

  • Comments: There was a lot of hype about the new "Stadium to the Sea" course and as a LA Marathon supporter I was glad to see the big turnout. Logistics weren't always great, though. Lots of complaints about the lack of access to the party (and gear bag claim). And the net downhill was a bit lost on everyone I talked to because of all the severe hills in the first 7 miles: People's quads--like, for instance, mine--were pretty trashed before the late miles. But the race has definitely come up in the world under its new ownership and the course at least gives a better taste of more of the different sights and communities of L.A.
read full report
[12]
Reported by:
Race rating (4)
User photo
  • Organised?Yes
  • Events on time?No

  • Lots of volunteers to help?Yes
  • Plenty of drink stations?Yes

  • Post race activities? Good
  • Overall course based on my ability: Just right

  • Comments: This was a great race. Well organized with great energy from the staff, volunteers, racers, and support! The course was challenging, but never too hard. There are no flat parts on the route, but the crowd was always there to carry you along when you needed them.
read full report
[13]
Reported by:
Race rating (3)
User photo
  • Organised?Yes
  • Events on time?No

  • Lots of volunteers to help?Yes
  • Plenty of drink stations?Yes

  • Post race activities? Good
  • Overall course based on my ability: Just right

  • Comments: they need to sort out a better start line.
read full report
[14]
Reported by:
Race rating (5)
User photo
  • Organised?Yes
  • Events on time?No

  • Lots of volunteers to help?Yes
  • Plenty of drink stations?Yes

  • Post race activities? Good
  • Overall course based on my ability: Just right

  • Comments: Great race that I will do again. Marathons are always really crowded for me at the start, and I don't like that. I packed 5 gels with me which worked great with the on course water and powerade. Back and neck were sore most of the time but I don't feel like it affected my performance much. It was a 11min PR, but still not good enough to break 4hrs. Perhaps I will do another marathon soon.
read full report
[15]
Reported by:
Race rating (4)
User photo
  • Organised?Yes
  • Events on time?No

  • Lots of volunteers to help?Yes
  • Plenty of drink stations?Yes

  • Post race activities?
  • Overall course based on my ability: Just right

  • Comments: The aid stations up to mile 5 were pretty disorganized, but after that they were steady and great. Biggest issue, and it was a major one, was the traffic heading into Dodger Stadium. It took us over 1.5 miles to go the 3-4 miles from downtown to the stadium and we ended up late - and I was on an official race shuttle.
read full report
[16]
Reported by:
Race rating (4)
User photo
  • Organised?Yes
  • Events on time?Yes

  • Lots of volunteers to help?Yes
  • Plenty of drink stations?Yes

  • Post race activities? Good
  • Overall course based on my ability: Just right

  • Comments: The move of the marathon from early March to Memorial Day was received like a stink bomb by the LA running community and it's a near certainty the race will move back to its traditional date soon. That said, the new ownership appears to have been very conscious of all the negative PR and tried to put on a better race. The volunteers...esp. at the finish...were all incredibly solicitous of the finishers' needs and quick with congratulations. Aid stations were very well-stocked and staffed. Course is not especially challenging and not too scenic, but does show you sides of the City of LA that a lot of folks avoid...and really shouldn't.
read full report
[17]
Reported by:
Race rating (4)
User photo
  • Organised?Yes
  • Events on time?No

  • Lots of volunteers to help?Yes
  • Plenty of drink stations?

  • Post race activities? Average
  • Overall course based on my ability: Just right

  • Comments: Drop back pickup was a disaster but other than that is was very well organized
read full report
[18]
Reported by:
Race rating (5)
User photo
  • Organised?Yes
  • Events on time?Yes

  • Lots of volunteers to help?Yes
  • Plenty of drink stations?Yes

  • Post race activities? Good
  • Overall course based on my ability: Just right

  • Comments: Thanks to all the many volunteers and the crowd. Also thanks to Deena, Jim and especially Carol for coming out to support me!
read full report
[19]
Reported by:
Race rating (4)
User photo
  • Organised?Yes
  • Events on time?Yes

  • Lots of volunteers to help?Yes
  • Plenty of drink stations?Yes

  • Post race activities? Average
  • Overall course based on my ability:

  • Comments: LA Marathon has a poor reputation (inter)nationally and the new course (introduced in 2007) still gets mixed reviews (at best), but it is a good community event and there are spectators along the entire course. If--like me--you like variety of urban environments and ethnic enclaves, it's a good tour of the city.
read full report
[20]
Reported by:
Race rating (3)
User photo
  • Organised?Yes
  • Events on time?Yes

  • Lots of volunteers to help?Yes
  • Plenty of drink stations?Yes

  • Post race activities? Average
  • Overall course based on my ability: Just right

  • Comments: Enormous event , so lots of buzz , plenty of volunteers and abundant aid stations . but course is crowded and its hard to Run your best. It Would be nicer to finish In a big park setting with trees and grass to relax on.
read full report
[21]
Reported by:
Race rating (3)
User photo
  • Organised?Yes
  • Events on time?Yes

  • Lots of volunteers to help?Yes
  • Plenty of drink stations?Yes

  • Post race activities? Average
  • Overall course based on my ability: Just right

  • Comments: The Spectator support was excellent. This has to be one of the better organized Megathons around. Course is not too bad but the temps this time of year are certainly flukey. I was Psyched out on Saturday when I passed the IMCal (In Oceanside) on the way up to LA. I will not be back in 2007 as I will be doing IMCal instead.
read full report
Show Per page
 
 
of 1