• Los Angeles,
    California,
    United States
  • February
  • 5 miles/8K, 26.2 miles/Marathon
  • Road Race
  • Event Website

Erica Golden

Los Angeles, California, United States
1 2
2022
"One big party!"
Overall
T-Shirts/SWAG
Aid Stations
Course Scenery
Expo Quality
Elevation Difficulty
Parking/Access
Race Management
Erica Golden's thoughts:

This was my first full marathon, and it was a great experience! I will be running the race again in 2023. Prior to this, I’d witnessed/cheered LA in 2019 (with some visits in 2020 and 2021), and San Francisco in 2021. LA does a great job of showing up and supporting their runners (San Francisco, where were you???), especially towards the end where the thirty-something local run clubs set up their cheer squads. I’ve never eaten so many red vines in one day!

As a first time marathoner, training for a local race was ideal because many of my practice runs were actually route preview runs. For a somewhat beginner/slower runner, that was a big confidence booster for me.

Prior to 2021, the marathon route ended in Santa Monica at the beach. The route now instead doubles back and ends at the Century City Mall. Although compared to the sweeping coastline, the mall is nothing to write home about (unless you aren’t from LA and want to squeeze in some couture shopping!), but I actually liked having the route double back on itself because I was able to see so many faster friends running the opposite direction, a few who stopped to take selfies with me.

It’s easy to be jaded by the new finish line, but I can imagine that for many, seeing Dodger’s Stadium, the Capitol Records building, Pantages Theatre, Disney Hall, and Rodeo Drive, in addition to many other attractions, are still quite the thrill.

As a DTLA resident, it was very convenient to take the shuttle from Union Station to the race start at Dodger’s Stadium. Getting home from the race was much easier when the race ended in Santa Monica (Expo line accessible). I was able to get a ride home with my friend’s mom this year, but I honestly don’t know how I would have otherwise gotten home.

After the race, there were a few options for free medal engraving. I went to the Volvo/LA Marathon pop-up in downtown, and took advantage of the photo-ops in front of their wall sized map of the marathon route.

As I mentioned before, I will be running this race again. Would recommend!

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