L.A. Marathon 2023: Thousands hit the streets for annual trek

Undeterred by cloudy skies and cool temperatures, more than 20,000 runners took to the streets early Sunday for the 38th annual Los Angeles Marathon.

The marathon started at Dodger Stadium, with the wheelchair riders at 6:30 am, followed by elite women runners at 6:45 am, elite men at 6:55 am, and the full field at 7 am

“This is so exciting,” said Mayor Karen Bass, who attended the marathon’s kick-off. “This is an international event. Everyone comes together to celebrate Los Angeles.”

The 26.2-mile course spans some of the city’s most famous neighborhoods, including Chinatown, Hollywood, Beverly Hills and Century City. Most of the route includes large stretches of Sunset, Hollywood, and Santa Monica Boulevards.

Most participants in the marathon, which draws people from all over the world, were expected to take three to five hours to complete the course. But the elite runners usually finish the race in just over two hours.

The day will be mostly cloudy with a high of 65 degrees, according to the National Weather Service. The race will be televised on KTLA-TV Channel 5 and streamed live on the LA Marathon Facebook page.

The trek towards the coast will mean dozens of road closures along the way. Much of downtown and Century City is effectively closed to vehicles during the race. In addition, several freeway on-ramps will be closed on the northbound lanes of the southbound 110, 101 and 405 freeways.

Roads will reopen as runners stream through the area toward the finish line. For example, downtown streets should reopen by 10 a.m. and Hollywood by 12 p.m. Near the Century City finish line, portions of Santa Monica Boulevard, Century Park East and Avenue of the Stars will remain closed until 8 p.m

The Los Angeles Marathon, started in 1986, was a race from downtown to the Santa Monica coast, but in 2021 organizers unveiled a new “Stadium to the Stars” course where runners will turn around before reaching Santa Monica and back Drive to Santa Monica Boulevard in Century City instead.

A cash prize of US$6,000 will be offered to the winner of the men’s and women’s races. A $2,500 prize will also be awarded to the wheelchair division winner.

Last year John Korir of Kenya won the men’s class in 2:09:07. Devline Meringor of Kenya won the women’s division in 2:25:03.