L.A. Marathon takes the scenic route this time

When an estimated 25,000 runners hit the pavement early Sunday in the 25th Los Angeles Marathon, they will pass many of L.A.’s signature landscapes in a new “Stadium to the Sea” route.

Beginning at Dodger Stadium, runners will wind their way through downtown, pass through West Hollywood, Beverly Hills and Santa Monica and end at the Pacific Ocean. Along the 26.2-mile course, runners will pass such landmarks as City Hall, the Capitol Records Tower, the Hollywood Walk of Fame, Sunset Strip, Rodeo Drive and the Santa Monica Pier.

The new route is more scenic than those of years past, when runners often looped through the city and finished the race downtown. The redesigned course is part of an effort to make the race a “destination marathon” and was initiated after Dodgers owner Frank McCourt purchased the marathon last year.

This year the event is sponsored by Honda and K-Swiss. The new course probably will be faster than past routes because it heads downhill, losing 400 feet in elevation from start to finish. Runners also will experience cooler temperatures as they leave the warmer Los Angeles Basin and draw closer to the seaside finish line.