LA MARATHON TO RETURN TO MARCH FOR 2010
By David Monti
(c) 2009 Race Results Weekly, all rights reserved - used with permission

A 12-0 unanimous vote by the Los Angeles City Council yesterday paved the way for the Los Angeles Marathon to move back to March for the 2010 edition, event organizers announced late yesterday.

Under new ownership this year after the event had been sold by financially strapped Devine Sports, organizers had moved the event from its traditional date on the first Sunday in March to Memorial Day Monday on May 25.  The date change was poorly received by the Los Angeles running community, mostly over fears of hot weather.  Although temperatures remained reasonable on race day when a marine layer of clouds hung over the city, race participation was way off from the prior year. Marathon finishers dropped from 17,311 in 2008 to 14,128 this year.

The City Council also approved a new course for the race which organizers have dubbed "Stadium to the Sea."

The 2010 edition will be the 25th for the race, and it will be held on Sunday, March 21.  Registration will open on Sept. 1, organizers said, at www.lamarathon.com.

The 2009 LA Marathon was won by Kenyan Wesley Korir in 2:08:24 and Russian Tatyana Petrova in 2:25:59.  Korir, a former University of Louisville athlete, walked off $160,000 in prize money and time bonuses plus a 2009 Honda Accord EX-L V6 sedan worth $28,705 after winning the special "Challenge" bonus for overcoming a 16 minute and 57 second head start given to the elite women.

ENDS