LA Marathon: Margaux Curcuru looking for redemption after barely crossing the finish line last year
LOS ANGELES — A year ago, Margaux Curcuru never would have imagined that she would be starting amongst the handful of elite runners at the 38th Los Angeles Marathon on Sunday, March 19, 2023, chasing a qualifying time of 2 hours and 37 minutes for the 2024 United States Olympic Marathon Trials.
That’s because Curcuru, 31, who lives in Rosamond and works full-time as a Judge Advocate General (Attorney) for the U.S. Air Force (JAG) at Edwards Air Force Base, finished 67th overall in the women’s race in 3 hours, 32 minutes, 38 seconds at the 2022 LA Marathon. But that was her first time ever completing the 26.2-mile race.
“You have to respect the distance,” Curcuru said as an F-16 flew overhead during her lunch break.
Before the race, she thought it would be like any other long run, lock in, feel the flow and simply finish. But she admittedly was a novice at knowing what to eat before or drink during such a long distance.
However, after the arduous experience, she ended up in the medical tent, receiving IV fluids. She quickly recovered and has not let that day deter her from her ultimate goal of qualifying for the 2024 U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials in Orlando, Florida on Feb. 3, 2024.
Curcuru’s journey to sub-elite running is an unlikely, yet inspiring tale. She never ran competitively in high school or college. But something about distance running clicked with her about a decade ago. At first, she ran just to stay fit.
“I’ve always loved to exercise. I started running in probably 2012 or 2013 just for fun, just a couple miles here or there,” Curcuru shared. “It wasn’t anything serious like training like I’m doing now … but progressively over the years I was like, ‘I have to get my run in.’”
Her relationship with running matured in 2021, when her friends and family encouraged her to enter an actual race. To Curcuru’s surprise, she signed up for the OC Half Marathon and ran her first half marathon in 1:30:45, covering the 13.1-mile race at a 6:56 pace per mile on Nov. 7, 2021.
On March 20, 2022, she ran her first LA Marathon, admittedly by feel, partly because she still didn’t have a coach. Her time of 3:32:38 could have been a sign that the marathon wasn’t for her.
Instead, Curcuru doubled down. She became more integrated into The Janes Elite Racing, which is a local running club, and hired an online coach named Blue Benadam in July 2022.
Two and a half months later when the time the Long Beach Marathon came around on Oct. 9, 2022, she won that race (her first time ever winning prize money) and set a new marathon personal best of 2:53:21, a 6:37 per-mile pace, shaving a whopping 39 minutes off her LA Marathon time, which left her about 16 minutes away from qualifying for the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials.
“That’s what motivates me and that’s what I’ve been working towards,” Curcuru continued.
She followed that Long Beach Marathon result up by winning the 2023 Rose Bowl Half Marathon in 1:19:10, a 6:04 per-mile pace on Jan. 15, 2023.
Curcuru doesn’t expect to cross the finish line first at the LA Marathon, but achieving her dream would still be a win.
“I just love running. I just love it so much,” Curcuru explained. “I wish I would have known earlier that I wanted to run competitively. I never thought about that. I just went to school and grad school like I’m going to be a lawyer and exercised to be fit.
“But it’s something when you get a taste of racing, some people probably dislike it, but to me, I feel like I always have to have this big dream above my head and trying to get (the Olympic Marathon Trials qualifying time) and I may never get there but just the idea of trying and going for it is what keeps me going.”
Elite Race Preview
In the men’s marathon, Ethiopia’s Yemane Tsegay, 37 comes into the event with the fastest personal best with a time of 2:04:48 from more than a decade ago. However, legacy broadcaster Toni Reavis, who has covered all 38 LA Marathons, believes Ethiopia’s Jemal Yimer, 26 (2:08:58 personal best) and Kenya’s Barnaba Kipkoech, 29 (2:09:12 personal best) could end up winning the race and possibly the Marathon Chase Challenge bonus of $10,000 dollars if they are able to beat the fastest women to the finish line.
“I like competition. … Somebody chasing someone is thrilling,” Reavis said, who helps coordinate that portion of the race.
The women’s field will have a sizable head start and is headlined by several runners with personal bests of 2:27:00.
However, Reavis said Kenya’s Stacey Ndiwa, 30 (2:31:53 personal best) and Kenya’s Esther Macharia, 35 (2:29:17 personal best) are likely contenders to break the tape first and win the Marathon Chase Challenge.
In the all-time history of the women vs. men challenge, women have won 8 of out 12 times, including last year when Delvine Meringor beat John Korir by less than ten seconds after receiving a head start of 16 minutes and 5 seconds.