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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 201 to 211]
More Comments: [ < 1 .. 19 20 21 22 23 .. 47 > ]

 

K. G. from San Diego (3/3/2008)
"So-so..." (about: 2008)

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


1. Need more bathrooms at the start (PLEASE!!!) and the bathrooms need to be situated in a better location... NOT where everyone is walking through to get to the start.
2. Please have starting corrals next year! There are only three corrals (elite, sub 3 and sub 4) and you have to have signed up before December to get in a corral. The start in very narrow and congested. And this is a walker-friendly race, so there are many walkers that runners need to weave around. It's frustrating. Also, if you are a walker or a very slow jogger, please start at the back or walk on the side. Thanks!
3. The course was very cultural and the spectators were fabulous! A good tour of LA. However, if you want a FAST course to PR, this is NOT the one to make that happen!
4. Overall, an OK race, but probably won't do it again....

 

P. P. from Fresno (3/3/2008)
"My first LA Marathon - and I'd do it again" (about: 2008)

6-10 previous marathons | 1 City of Los Angeles Marathon (L.A. Marathon)
COURSE: 5  ORGANIZATION: 4  FANS: 5


This was my first LA Marathon and my 8th overall. It was my first marathon with such a large field. There were so many upsides. The only downside was the lack of starting corrals. My fastest marathon to date is 4:02, so I didn't get into the sub-4 corral. Lots of kids running - which is great - but they would run 6 or 8 abreast making for a very slow and dangerous first 3 miles.

Highlights: The course; many more spectators than I expected; easy access using the metro; great expo; and lots of music on the course!

One other problem: Too many USC fans! Go Bruins!

 

m. c. from Los Angeles (3/2/2008)
"Shame on you" (about: 2008)

50+ previous marathons | 4-5 City of Los Angeles Marathon (L.A. Marathon)s
COURSE: 1  ORGANIZATION: 2  FANS: 3


I do not understand why large portion of course is through the worst part of Los Angeles when there are so many nicer areas that runners could appreciate much more. They keep changing the courses to make it worse. Absolutely no food or gel were available for the runners (just drink). Volunteers provided oranges, sweets and bananas. I finished at about 5 hours and there were plenty of runners behind of me. Minimal entertainment on the road. Shame on you, organizers.

 

M. S. from United States California (3/1/2008)
"The marathon that go me hooked" (about: 2007)

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


This was my first marathon ever. It was a great run. The course was a little tiring at the end, but overall, a good race.

 

Ulices Ramirez from Los Angeles,California (2/29/2008)
"It's a great race for a tour around Los Angeles" (about: 2007)

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


Very fun race!!!!!!!

 

B. G. from Illinois (2/27/2008)
"Not an ideal marathon" (about: 2007)

6-10 previous marathons | 1 City of Los Angeles Marathon (L.A. Marathon)
COURSE: 4  ORGANIZATION: 3  FANS: 2


Good expo, average course, poor spectator turnout for the second largest city in the country and the post-race food was poor. I liked the first half of the course, but the second half was lonely. A lot of improvements needed for me to come and run this one again.

 

K. L. from Monterey Park, California (2/22/2008)
"Stop Changing The Course!" (about: 2008)

11-50 previous marathons | 6+ City of Los Angeles Marathon (L.A. Marathon)s
COURSE: 1  ORGANIZATION: 1  FANS: 5


The original course was the best. Please consider bringing it back.... Please!!!

 

B. G. from Los Angeles (12/13/2007)
"I love LA" (about: 2007)

50+ previous marathons | 6+ City of Los Angeles Marathon (L.A. Marathon)s
COURSE: 3  ORGANIZATION: 2  FANS: 5


I've run this race 16 times (since '92). This is 100% politically and business controlled. Course being tinkered very often to favor political districts. The original course is still the best. But, why do I keep coming back? It's because of the spectators. It's the only day that the city of different ethnic backgrounds unites and celebrates as one big block party, the LA way. Under pouring rain, a heat wave, and the riot aftermath and all, Angelenos will be there to support the runners. I've run 100-mile ultras on Rocky Mountain trails. I still come back to LA to witness the happy looks of the people and the high-fiving kids. If I want a PR, then I'll run somewhere to achieve it. But dropping LA from my list? NO WAY!

 

T. T. from Iraq (11/29/2007)
"The L. A. Marathon does not live up to its name." (about: 1998)

4-5 previous marathons | 1 City of Los Angeles Marathon (L.A. Marathon)
COURSE: 2  ORGANIZATION: 3  FANS: 2


I ran this marathon in 1998, and from my personal experience, this marathon is no match for the Honolulu Marathon or the marathons I ran overseas in Japan.

 

R. G. from Los Angeles, CA (11/12/2007)
"the thrid and worst LA course I've run" (about: 2007)

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


Ok, so here's the deal: I live in LA, and I love LA, but why oh why can't we have a great marathon? This new course was sold as a flat, fast course. NOT. First there is the start: not enough bathrooms, complete disorganization. Good luck finding the starting line. Then, for the first three miles all of the runners are crammed in to a narrow strip of Cahuenga, making it impossible to find your pace. I almost killed myself weaving in and out of all of the walk-runners (whom I love!!). The Hollywood/Hancock Park areas were nice but once you start heading south through Korea Town and then east, forget it. You are running through some of the ugliest parts of Los Angeles. Bleak and depressing. There's a nice crowd surge as you run around the USC campus, but then when you hit Boyle Hights, it's dreadful. Why can't we run on the west side? I mean the nicest part of living here is the proximity to the ocean, which remains miles away.

Note to the firemen who showed up with the hoses: you guys are HEROES, but don't spray the runners unless they want to be sprayed. Twice I came across the Men in Red, and both times I had no choice but to run through the water. My shoes and socks got soaked, and we all know how nice that feeling is! So don't buy what they are selling: it's hilly and ugly. If you need a California marathon, check out San Francisco or Napa. Skip this one until the organizers figure out a way to run us through the parts of LA that are beautiful.

 

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