LA Marathon: Here’s what you should know before the 39th race on March 17
The 2024 Los Angeles Marathon, also called the “Stadium to the Stars,” is set for March 17 beginning at Dodger Stadium and ending in Century City.
Facts about the LA Marathon on March 17, 2024
More than 26,000 marathon runners – from all 50 United States, and also from more than 70 countries
Oldest runners – an 85-year-old female and a 90-year-old male
How many of the runners are first-timers in this marathon – 40%
The event is presented by Asics, a Japanese multinational corporation that sells athletic footwear, clothing and accessories. Asics, by the way, is an acronym taken from a Latin phrase that may be translated to “sound mind, sound body.”
Here’s more to know about the 2024 Los Angeles Marathon:
Lifestyle Expo
The public is invited to attend the free expo to shop for official Los Angeles Marathon clothing and footwear and take a look at new designs in athletic clothing and footwear.
Also, the expo is where all registered runners must pick up their required marathon bibs.
– 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Friday, March 15
– 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday, March 16
Free parking is available through Gates A and E.
Dodger Stadium, Lot G, 1000 Vin Scully Ave., Los Angeles.
Information about the expo, including the vendor list and map of the expo: www.mccourtfoundation.org/event/los-angeles-marathon/expo-bib-pick-up/o
LA Big 5K and the LA Kids Run
The LA Big 5K race is held on March 16 beginning at Dodger Stadium. General entry registration sold out on Feb. 29 and Team TMF, a fundraising program for the McCourt Foundation, sold out on March 2. The all-ages event 5K begins at 8 a.m. with a course that winds through Elysian Park. Details for the 2024 LA Big 5K: www.mccourtfoundation.org/event/la-5k/
The LA Kids Run is also held on March 16 at Dodger Stadium. The 1/2 km (1/4 mile) event sold out as of March 2 and begins at 9:45 a.m. The run, recommended for ages 3-8, begins at the LA Marathon start line and ends at the LA Big 5K finish line. Details for the 2024 LA Kids Run: www.mccourtfoundation.org/event/la-5k/la-kids-run/
If you missed out registering for these races this year — they usually sell out early — take a look at the above links to make a plan for registering for the 2025 races.
Charity Half Marathon
This fundraising race, 8:15 a.m. March 17, begins at Dodger Stadium. Registration is sold out. Learn about this event: www.mccourtfoundation.org/event/charity-half/
Marathon schedule
This year’s marathon schedule
– 6:30 a.m. pro wheelchair participants
– 6:35 a.m. handcycle participants (using a cycle that is propelled by hand cranks) and all other all-wheel drive participants
– 6:40 a.m. pro women and elite age group women
– 7 a.m. pro men and the full field
See the schedule on LA Marathon 2024 FAQs and Rules: tinyurl.com/4a8czrj7
If you’re planning to see the professional runners in person as they rush by, try calculating your street position location by reviewing the March 19, 2023 LA Marathon winners finish times. Those times from last year may help you spot the elites in 2024.
The halfway point, at about mile 13 on the course, is on “Sunset Strip,” the eastbound gateway to the City of West Hollywood.
In 2023, Stacy Ndiwa from Kenya was the women’s group winner at 2 hours, 31 minute and 02 seconds. The men’s group winner Jemal Yimer from Ethiopia came in at 2 hours, 13 minutes and 15 seconds.
The Marathon Chase Challenge
Ndiwa took home the $10,000 bonus in 2023 by holding off a late charge by Yimer to be the first person to cross the finish line in the “marathon chase challenge.”
The time differential between the two of them for the marathon chase challenge was set at 18 minutes and 19 seconds. (Read the story: tinyurl.com/bdcp28dn).
LA Marathon course entertainment
A variety of entertainers – bands, lion dancers, taiko drummers, DJs – at this year’s mile marker locations will help boost the spirits of participants and spectators. In addition, there are also charity and run club “cheer” zones to encourage participants to “keep going and you can do it!”
Details on entertainers and their locations on the course and a map: tinyurl.com/4r7sapby
Finish Line for spectators
Family and friends of marathon participants and the public will be entertained by a DJ as they sit in the bleacher seating or the first-come, first-served seating on top of double decker Starline buses, from 7:30 a.m.-3 p.m. Location, Santa Monica Boulevard at the corner of Avenue of the Stars, Century City.
Finish Line Festival
The LA Marathon’s official post-race event, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. A beer garden presented by Heineken 0.0 is open 10 a.m.-2:30 p.m. (minimum age 21). Location, Century Park, 2000 Avenue of the Stars, Century City.
Spectator parking includes the Century Park parking garage, 2049 Century Park East (parking garage is only accessible from westbound Olympic Avenue). Check for other parking structure options here: www.mccourtfoundation.org/event/los-angeles-marathon/finish-line/
Details on the finish line for spectators, the festival, a map of the finish line and a map of the festival and beer garden: www.mccourtfoundation.org/event/los-angeles-marathon/finish-line/
Race 2024 results and photos will be posted here: www.mccourtfoundation.org/pages/la-marathon-results-and-photos
Details on the LA Marathon: www.lamarathon.com/pages/la-marathon
Get ready to register for the March 16, 2025 LA Marathon
Registration opens on March 15, 2024 for those who want to register for the 2025 Los Angeles Marathon.
The link for the 2025 registration is the same link that was used to register for the 2024 LA Marathon, according to the 2024 FAQs and Rules page under “Registration”; see tinyurl.com/4a8czrj7) is here: tinyurl.com/mw8anxx2