I’ve said this a dozen times, but the Los Angeles Marathon vibes are amazing. Despite being a “hard course,” I’ve run it the last three years. I never really understood how people could choose to run a tough marathon instead of chasing the fastest course possible. But here I am, year after year, coming back.
My build-up to LA was short and sweet. After a mediocre CIM, I bounced back quickly…I wasn’t even that sore and got back to running within a week. (This is not normal for me and marathons…at all). Short build-ups mean less time to get injured, which honestly probably works in my favor. I had three solid long run workouts where I averaged around 7:30 pace: 19.5, 20.5, and 22.5 miles. I ran by time and somehow ended up on the half mile each time, purely by accident.
Even though neither half marathon during training was anything to write home about, I still felt confident I was fit. That is, until I got hit with the stomach flu two weeks before the race. It was miserable. A week out from LA, I wasn’t even sure I’d be on the start line. I tapered hard and crossed my fingers for a miracle. I had run so much less than usual that the day before the expo, I was genuinely wondering what I was even doing at Dodger Stadium. Not to my knowledge, but I ended up getting the regular flu just after. Can I catch a break?
Before the Los Angeles Marathon
Des and I drove down the day before. The year before I ran the 5k and helped with the kids run, but that wasn’t in the cards for me in 2025. After unlimited garlic knots for dinner, I went to bed somewhat early. Kate, Des, and I walked the about mile to the buses. It was uneventful, just how you want it to be on marathon morning.
I had qualified for the age group elite start, so I figured…why not? In previous years, the age group elite women started behind the pro women and about 15 minutes ahead of the general start. That meant you were basically running alone until people started catching and passing you. Cool, but also a little terrifying.
This year, though, the age group women started behind the pro men and at the top of the general start. That meant people to run with. I definitely prefer that setup and I like running with people. Could I just have started a few feet behind in the main start corral, of course, but I try and remind myself I qualified to be there.
There were only six or seven of us in the elite age group field, and everyone was super cool. I actually made friends with a few people. Before we knew it, we were off.
Being behind the blazing-fast pro men at a downhill start? Yeah, that meant I definitely took it out faster than I probably should have. (Because why wouldn’t I think I could keep up with 2:20 marathoners?
Race Gear:
Los Angeles Marathon Race
Anyway, I found my rhythm and logged 7:27, 7:28, 7:28, and 7:28 for the first four miles. I felt pretty good. I kept thinking, Why do I feel so good?? I was hesitant to pick up the pace…as anyone should be at mile 5 of a marathon. It felt like I was going to finally have a good marathon day. Something you train for, but I haven’t really seen.
The Los Angeles Marathon’s biggest hill is between miles 4 and 5, and I clocked a 7:46 there. I was shookith that I ran under 8 minutes up the hill. I was still feeling solid…until the sudden and overwhelming urge to vomit hit between miles 5–8. (Don’t worry, I didn’t. And no, I wouldn’t post photos). But it was weird, I had fueled with the same stuff so I wasn’t really sure where that came from. I was also worried because I didn’t know if I would finish.
There were about 20 minutes where I was truly convinced I might not finish the race. I was sipping on a Maurten 160, but after tossing it, I started feeling better. I usually use Maurten on long runs, but for whatever reason, it wasn’t clicking on race day. I don’t really know if that was the issue though because later on I felt fine and consumed a Maurten. Luckily, UCAN was, and I had extras on me. (The amount of fuel I stuff into my pockets on race day knows no limits.)
Miles 8–21 of Los Angeles Marathon honestly passed without much note. Unlike CIM, where the miles dragged, at the Los Angeles Marathon I blinked and suddenly we were at mile 19: aka the infamous moment you run by the finish line.
I saw my friends at Vision 4 Enrichment around the halfway point and then spotted Tim around 13.5. I told him, I’m slaying…because, really, I was. I knew I was on sub-3:20 pace. I kept thinking: wouldn’t it be wild if I ran faster at the Los Angeles Marathon, a much hotter and harder course, than I did at CIM?
The 3:20 pacer passed me around mile 14, which confused me. I was running 3:18 pace and had started ahead of them. I figured maybe their sign was off and they were actually the 3:15 pacer? I stuck with them for a bit, but they dropped me around mile 15 during a screaming downhill (I ran a 7:17 there).
By miles 16–19, I could really feel the sun, and I started to wonder how I’d hang on. I hit mile 16 at 2:02 and told myself: You just need to run under 1:18 for the last 10.2. That seemed doable. But, as always, I severely underestimated the final eight miles of LA. Why do I do this?? I know it’s an uphill finish every time.
Anyone who’s run a marathon will tell you: the first 20 miles and the final 10K are two totally different races. This is especially true at the Los Angeles Marathon because you literally run past the finish line at mile 19.
Crossing that point, I wasn’t ready for how overwhelmed I’d feel: not with emotion, but with the sheer number of people and run clubs crowding the course. It was a lot. (I’ve run LA and NYCM, but this felt different.)
I’m used to running alone, so any crowd is a lot for me. But this? Parts of the last 8 miles felt like the crowds were closing in. Like I was being suffocated.
The course goes out and back, with mile 22.5 being the turnaround. Mile 21 has about 79 feet of elevation gain, but I kept reminding myself that mile 24 would pay it back on the downhill. I logged a 7:59 for that climb, which I was proud of.
Around mile 22, someone darted onto the course to film their friend and cut right in front of me. It startled me and sparked some panic, but I didn’t have the energy to say anything. I think was part of the problem with why I felt so claustrophobic in the last miles of the Los Angeles Marathon. There were a lot of run clubs crowding the street and taking over parts of the course. You could run through, but it was more narrow. Plus, with the sheer amount of people, it was loud. I found it hard to get into a groove and usually I do love big, crowded, races. I’ce never felt like it was “too much”.
I had started the race with two water bottles, one in my pocket, one handheld, and I finished both by mile 23 and dropped them. That was the plan. Hydrate, then let them go.
Usually at the turnaround, I get a second wind. Not this time. I was still logging 7:50s…not what I wanted, but only about 15 seconds off pace. (In the end, that’s why I didn’t break 3:20 but it’s fine.)
Miles 23 and 24 were quieter, and then the roar returned at mile 25. But once you’re that close, it’s tunnel vision. Just keep running. I logged a 7:48 last mile, uphill, and when I saw the finisher chute, I gave it all I had. So did another woman who ended up puking in the finisher shoot. I crossed in 3:21.16.
Los Angeles Marathon Thoughts:
This was my fastest Los Angeles Marathon yet, and I’m proud of it. Now I’m focused on recovering and dreaming of a fast girl summer (hi, 5K season).
Oh, and flu comments: Right after I finished, a volunteer asked if I was okay. I said I thought I was, but they mentioned the color had drained from my face and my eyes looked glassy. I felt weak and sore, but I figured it was just… you know, running a marathon. I coughed off and on the rest of the day and chalked it up to “track hack.” The few miles I felt like I was going to be sick make more sense as well.
Was I sick? Probably. But I’m not playing the game of was I/wasn’t I. It is what it is and I had a good day at the Los Angeles Marathon, especially after the stomach flu just before.
You can see Strava here and all race recaps here.
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Questions for you:
What is your favorite marathon?
Have you run the Los Angeles Marathon?
