LA Marathon 2023: Thousands take to the streets for the 38th annual walk from downtown to Century City
Undeterred by cloudy skies and freezing temperatures, more than 20,000 participants took to the streets early Sunday morning as part of the 38th annual Los Angeles Marathon.
The marathon began at Dodger Stadium, with wheelchair participants starting at 6:30 a.m., followed by elite female runners at 6:45 a.m., elite men at 6:55 a.m., and the full field at 7 p.m. A.M
“This is very exciting,” said Mayor Karen Bass, who was on hand for the start of the marathon. “This is an international event. Everyone comes together to celebrate Los Angeles.”
The 26.2-mile loop takes in some of the city’s most iconic neighborhoods, including Chinatown, Hollywood, Beverly Hills, and Century City. Most of the route includes large sections of Sunset, Hollywood, and Santa Monica boulevards.
Most participants in the marathon, which attracts people from all over the world, were expected to take three to five hours to complete the course. But 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 broadcast live on LA Marathon’s. Facebook page.
The walk to the coast will mean dozens of street closures along the way. Much of downtown and Century City will be effectively closed to vehicles for the race. In addition, various freeway ramps in the northbound lanes of the 110, 101 and southbound 405 freeways will be closed.
The streets will reopen as the runners race through the area towards the finish line. For example, the streets around downtown must reopen at 10 a.m. and in Hollywood at noon. Near the finish line in Century City, parts of Santa Monica Boulevard, Century Park East and Avenue of the Stars will remain closed until 8 p.m.
Started in 1986, the Los Angeles Marathon had been a race from downtown to the coast in Santa Monica, but in 2021 organizers unveiled a new “Stadium to the Stars” course, with runners turning around before reaching Santa Monica and returning to Santa Monica. Boulevard in Century City instead.
A cash price of $6,000 is offered to the winner of the men’s and women’s races. A $2,500 prize is also awarded to the winner of the wheelchair division.
Last year, John Korir from Kenya won the men’s division in 2:09:07. Devline Meringor of Kenya won the women’s division in 2:25:03.