LA Marathon to feature an old course, new starting time

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The Los Angeles Marathon will offer something old (the 2005-06 course that begins and ends downtown) and something new (a 7:20 a.m. starting time) when the race is run on Memorial Day.

The starting time will be an hour earlier than last year, a change that could help to keep runners cool. The 24th edition of the annual event is being run for the first time on Memorial Day (which falls on May 25). In past years, the race was run on a Sunday early in March.

The course will begin and end downtown. A map is available on the marathon’s website. (The race also has a blog.)

The marathon on Wednesday announced that the male and female winners each would win $20,000 and a 2009 Honda Accord Sedan. The race also will feature a $100,000 challenge bonus that will be awarded to the top overall athlete. That winner will be determined by a time differential that is designed to give male and female athletes ‘an equal chance to finish the race first,’ according to race officials.

One long-time marathoner said that this year’s course should be friendly to ‘middle pack runners.’ In 2006, when the race was held on this course, the men’s (2:08:40) and women’s (2:25:10) course records were set.

-- Greg Johnson