Medics tend to 13 runners during, after race
First responders tended to 13 patients at the Los Angeles Marathon on Sunday, according to data from medical authorities late in the day.
Of the 13, eight were deemed to have a non-lifethreatening issue in which care could be delayed, and another five had a minor injury or illness, which officials deemed “walking wounded,” according to UnifiedLA, the joint-command information center in which multiple local agencies contribute.
The update was at 5 p.m., with nearly 100% of the about 25,000 having finished the race, according to authorities.
UnifiedLA revised the numbers downward from updates earlier in the day, which reported that medics had treated 17 patients, one of which was for a “life-threatening” situation that required immediate care.
Conditions were considered ripe for the 26.2-mile journey, rising to close 70 degrees through the day.
Last year, a total of 10 runners needed care, including one for a lifethreatening issue, two for non-life-threatening and seven in the “walking wounded” category.
The counts include only participants who have received complete medical assessments by first responders.
There are plenty who might get quick support for a cramp or tight muscle and keep moving.
There were 10 medical stations on the course, at every mile beginning at Mile 6 in addition to Medical at the finish line and inside the Finish Festival. around the world, the competitors brought diverse backgrounds and varied goals to the course but held in common a shared love of running.
This year's massive turnout was an increase of about 3,000 people compared with the 2023 L.A. Marathon's 22,000 competitors, and nearly matched the marathon's all-time record of 27,150 racers, set in early 2020.
By 5 a.m. at Dodger Stadium, activity was already bustling in the pre-dawn, pre-race air.
Runners stretched. They reflected on the journey ahead. They fueled up on carbs.
Anton Smith, Lucas Tenazas and Kenneth Alvarez each arrived at Dodger Stadium with different goals but a shared motivation. Smith used the day to train for his next ultramarathon, while Alvarez was a firsttime marathoner.
“I moved away from L.A. to Massachusetts, but I keep coming back for this marathon,” Smith said. “The environment is amazing. I love the people and I love the race.”
Ultimately, leaders and organizers said, the event unites L.A. like no other.
“It's just a wonderful day where Angelenos come together,” Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said. “It's a display of unity and an opportunity for people to see how beautiful L.A. is.”
All those runners and all those spectators meant a lot of closed roads and detours. Officials encouraged runners and fans to take public transit to the event.
The race is really a collection of races with many varieties of athletes. In special divisions, competitors propel themselves with handcycles and in wheelchairs. Some competed on prosthetic limbs.
Handcycle racer Walter Escamilla and wheelchair racer Tyler Allen shared a hearty fist-bump at the finish line.
“I've been injured for 16 years, and when I was walking, I never thought I'd do a marathon,” said Escamilla, 49. “So it means the world to do it now. What matters the most is we are showing other individuals who got hurt that they can do it too.”
Despite the 21-year age gap between them, Allen, 28, said their friendship helped propel him to the finish line.
“I've been training and encouraging others to train too, and he hopped on the bandwagon,” Allen said. “It's amazing to see everyone grow.”
Among this year's top contenders in the pro group was Ngeno, a newcomer to Southern California who had boasted a personal best of 2 hours, 7 minutes and 26 seconds at the Eindhoven Marathon in the Netherlands from October 2023. His finish time was 2 hours, 11 minutes. Ethiopia's Jemal Yimer won the 2023 men's L.A. marathon in 2 hours, 13 minutes and 13 seconds.
Ndiwa won last year in 2 hours and 31 minutes. Now, with a time of 2 hours, 25 minutes on Sunday, she owns back-to-back titles. Makena Morley was the first U.S. finisher in the women's race and fifth overall at 2 hours and 30 minutes.
In recent years, the race was hobbled a bit by the coronavirus pandemic, like many large-scale events. But it appears to be streaking toward its pre-COVID-19 health levels.
For 40% of the competitors, it was the first time competing in a full-length marathon. Some got the wizened training of veteran marathoners.
Many took up the solitary sport of running during the on-your-own isolation of the pandemic and now will see their training result in miles of hearty endurance.
Some local competitors' running endeavors were launched by the growing popularity of running clubs.
Others strapped on their running shoes as part of youth groups, such as Students Run L.A., a nonprofit that offers free marathon training programs and mentorships to students at some 200 public schools. The nonprofit organization has more than 3,500 students in the L.A. Marathon from throughout the region, including the San Fernando Valley, such coastal communities as San Pedro, and inland areas such as San Bernardino County.
The first-timers weren't the only ones who achieved an impressive feat, with 95 legacy runners also participating. These legacy competitors have run all 38 previous editions of the race, which debuted in 1986.
“The great vibe keeps bringing me back,” said legacy runner Paul Aguirre, 66. “I see people with disabilities, I see people older than me, and they keep me going.”
Some runners were even more experienced. The field included an 85-year-old woman and a 90-year-old man.
The race began with the wheelchair competitors at 6:30 a.m., followed by the handcycle racers at 6:35 a.m. Next off: the pro women at 6:43 a.m., the pro men at 6:56 a.m. and remaining competitors — the largest in number — began at 7 a.m.
By noon, at least 12 people required medical care at Sunday's marathon — six for minor injuries, five for non-life-threatening ailments, and one person who required immediate care for an unspecified life-threatening situation, according to Unified L.A., a joint-information command center.
Helmed by the McCourt Foundation, the 2024 L.A. Marathon included more than 4,200 charity runners who raised an estimated $3 million for 95 charitable partners, including the American Cancer Society, Students Run L.A., American Foundation for Suicide Prevention and Children's Hospital Los Angeles.
Competitors raced from the starting line at Dodger Stadium through neighborhoods that included Chinatown, Echo Park and Westwood before reaching the finish line along Santa Monica Boulevard in Century City.
At the finish, supporters became just as much part of the moment, cheering on — every shoutout becoming a little burst of energy in those final miles.
“I ran the marathon in 2021, and I'm here for my friend,” volunteer Cynthia Harris said, as she waited at the finish line in Century City. “I did it and I know she can do it. It's a once-in-alifetime experience, and I'm happy to be here volunteering and supporting.”