Granted this was my first marathon but I have a number of friends who run them regularly and I've seen how several other races are run.

LA can be hot in March. It was hotter than would be comfortable for most to run this distance. This was mitigated somewhat by a net downhill course. The downhill portion for the last 6 miles was especially appreciated. I'd recommend this as a starter marathon for sure.

You should be aware that they make it hard to get into the ocean despite it being several hundred yards from the finish line and any friends or family members should know that parking near the finish line is challenging to say the least