L.A. Marathon kicks off a half hour early Sunday

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Runners revel in a cold spray of water at mile-marker 16 in Beverly Hills. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)

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Runners try to recover at the finish line. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)

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Marathon runner Ronnie Sanchez rests on the road at the finish line. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)

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Runners in the 30th Los Angeles Marathon are awarded medals at the finish line in Santa Monica. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)

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Runners cool off in misters after crossing the finish line of the 30th Los Angeles Marathon in Santa Monica. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)

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Runners cross the finish line of the 30th Los Angeles Marathon in Santa Monica. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)

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Runners along Hollywood Blvd. during the 30th Los Angeles Marathon on Sunday. (Patrick T. Fallon / For The Times)

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Los Angeles Marathon runners make their way along Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)

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Los Angeles Marathon runners find comfort in a spray of cold water on Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)

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A wheelchair competitor powers to the finish line of the 30th Los Angeles Marathon in Santa Monica on Sunday. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)

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Runners pass through downtown Los Angeles during the 30th Los Angeles Marathon. (Christina House / For The Times)

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Runners pass through downtown Los Angeles during the 30th Los Angeles Marathon. (Christina House / For The Times)

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Spectators cheer on runners on Santa Monica Blvd. during 30th Los Angeles Marathon. (Christina House / For The Times)

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Runners hydrate on Santa Monica Blvd. during 30th Los Angeles Marathon. (Christina House / For The Times)

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Marathon runners find comfort in a cold water spray as they make their way towards Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)

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Marathon runners find comfort in a cold water spray as they make their way towards Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)

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A runner gets a cooling spray on Hollywood Blvd. (Patrick T. Fallon / For The Times)

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Runners get encouragement on Hollywood Blvd. during the 30th Los Angeles Marathon. (Patrick T. Fallon / For The Times)

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Runners get encouragement on Hollywood Blvd. during the 30th Los Angeles Marathon. (Patrick T. Fallon / For The Times)

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Runners on Hollywood Blvd. during the 30th Los Angeles Marathon. (Patrick T. Fallon / For The Times)

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Runners pass TCL Chinese Theatre along Hollywood Blvd. during the 30th Los Angeles Marathon. (Patrick T. Fallon / For The Times)

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Runners along Santa Monica Blvd. during the 30th Los Angeles Marathon. (Christina House / Los Angeles Times)

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A runner hydrates on Santa Monica Blvd. during the 30th Los Angeles Marathon. (Christina House / Los Angeles Times)

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Runners along Santa Monica Blvd. pass the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints temple during the 2015 Los Angeles Marathon. (Christina House / Los Angeles Times)

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Volunteers pass out water at the 19th mile. (Christina House / For The Times)

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A race participant runs through water sprayed by firefighters at the 19th mile during 30th Los Angeles Marathon. (Christina House / For The Times)

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A race participant runs through water sprayed by firefighters at the 19th mile during 30th Los Angeles Marathon. (Christina House / For The Times)

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Volunteer Tyler Guyton, far right, passes out fruit juice at the 19th mile. (Christina House / For The Times)

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Daniel Limo of Kenya crosses the finish line to win the 30th Los Angeles Marathon. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)

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Ogla Kimayao of Kenya wins the women’s elite division of the 30th Los Angeles Marathon. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)

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American Jared Ward pauses after finishing third in the men’s elite division of the 30th Los Angeles Marathon. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)

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SANTA MONICA, CALIF. - MAR. 15, 2015. Ogla Kimayao of Kenya wins the women’s elite division of the 30th Los Angeles Marathon on Sunday, Mar. 15, 2015. (Luis Sinco/Los Angeles Times) (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)

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Daniel Limo of Kenya has the course to himself as he nears the finish line to win the 30th Los Angeles Marathon. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)

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Daniel Limo of Kenya heads to the finish line to win the 30th Los Angeles Marathon. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)

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Runners along Hollywood Blvd. during the 30th Los Angeles Marathon. (Patrick T. Fallon / For The Times)

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Runners grab water along Hollywood Blvd. during the 30th Los Angeles Marathon. (Patrick T. Fallon / For The Times)

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Volunteers hand water to runners on Santa Monica Boulevard at the 19 mile mark during the 30th Los Angeles Marathon. (Christina House / Los Angeles Times)

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Runners make their way along the route of the 30th Los Angeles Marathon. Early morning temperatures were still moderate but were expected to slowly creep up into low 80s by 10 a.m. (Christina House / For The Times)

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Los Angeles Marathon runners make their way along Rodeo Drive, in Beverly Hills. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)

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Runners make their way along Rodeo Drive, in Beverly Hills during the 30th Los Angeles Marathon (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)

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Runners along Hollywood Blvd. during the 30th Los Angeles Marathon. (Patrick T. Fallon / For The Times)

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Drinking cups litter the course during the 30th Los Angeles Marathon. Early morning temperatures were still moderate but were expected to slowly creep up into low 80s by 10 a.m. (Jason Neubert / Los Angeles Times)

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Lead runners on Hollywood Blvd. during the 30th Los Angeles Marathon. (Patrick T. Fallon / For The Times)

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Runners pass through Chinatown during 30th Los Angeles Marathon. (Christina House / For The Times)

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A man watches runners pass by during the 30th Los Angeles Marathon in Chinatown. (Christina House / For The Times)

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Men’s elite runners Los Angeles City Hall in the 30th Los Angeles Marathon. (Christina House / For The Times)

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Hand cyclists along Hollywood Blvd. during the 30th Los Angeles Marathon on Sunday. (Patrick T. Fallon / For The Times)

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Runners carrying the “LA 30” signs run in the crowd at the start the 30th Los Angeles Marathon at Dodger Stadium in 2015.

(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)

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Runners begin at the start of the 30th Los Angeles Marathon. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)

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Runners make their way on the first mile at start of the 30th Los Angeles Marathon at Dodger Stadium. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)

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Runners make their way on the first mile at start of the 30th Los Angeles Marathon at Dodger Stadium. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)

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Supporters cheer for runners at start of the 30th Los Angeles Marathon at Dodger Stadium. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)

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Runners begin the first mile as the sun rises at the start of the 30th Los Angeles Marathon. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)

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Runners make their way on the first mile at start of the 30th Los Angeles Marathon. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)

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Male runners attend to last minute nature calls at the first mile of the 30th Los Angeles Marathon at Dodger Stadium. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)

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Elite runners at the start of the 30th Los Angeles Marathon. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)

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Legacy Runners start the 30th Los Angeles Marathon at Dodger Stadium on Sunday morning. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)

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Hand cycle athletes start the 30th Los Angeles Marathon at Dodger Stadium. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)

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Runners stretch and warm up before the start of the 30th Los Angeles Marathon. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)

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Runners warm up at the start of the 30th Los Angeles Marathon starting at Dodger Stadium on Sunday morning. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)

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Runners at the start of the 30th Los Angeles Marathon at Dodger Stadium. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)

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Runners warm up for the start of the 30th Los Angeles Marathon. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)

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A runner warms up at the start of the 30th Los Angeles Marathon. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)

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A runner in a Gumby costume talks on his cellphone at the start of the 30th Los Angeles Marathon. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)

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Runners at the start of the 30th Los Angeles Marathon at Dodger Stadium on Sunday morning. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)

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A runner stretches at the start of the 30th Los Angeles Marathon at Dodger Stadium on Sunday morning. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)

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Runners wait for the start of the 30th Los Angeles Marathon at Dodger Stadium on Sunday morning. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)

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Lizeth Tamayl and Lizbeth Rojas pour water for runners on Hollywood Blvd. before the start of the 30th Los Angeles Marathon on Sunday in Hollywood. (Patrick T. Fallon / For The Times)

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Barriers and signs are staged along North Orange Drive in Hollywood on Saturday. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

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Bottles of water are ready to be distributed near the L.A. Marathon finish line on Ocean Avenue. (Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times)

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A sign alerts drivers in Santa Monica on Saturday. (Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times)

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Barriers and signs are staged along or near Hollywood Boulevard on Saturday. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

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An effect created by zooming a telephoto lens during a 3 second exposure creates an explosion of light around the downtown skyline, seen from the Griffith Observatory. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

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Spotlights illuminate the Los Angeles Marathon route Friday as people picnic at Griffith Observatory. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

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The pre-marathon light show was popular with photographers. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

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The lights, seen Friday from Griffith Observatory, illuminate the marathon route from Dodger Stadium to Santa Monica. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

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Runners at the starting line of the Los Angeles Marathon on March 9, 1986. The race began and ended at the Coliseum, going through downtown and as far west as Fairfax Avenue. Click here for more historical marathon photos. (Jayne Kamin / Los Angeles Times)

By Carlos Lozano

March 15, 2015 4 AM PT

The Los Angeles Marathon is set to begin at 6:55 a.m. Sunday, 30 minutes earlier than planned.

Those participating in the 26-mile run that extends from Dodger Stadium to the Santa Monica Pier will also have access along the way to air-conditioned buses and misting stations stocked with ice and cold towels to help them cool off.

The extra precautions are being taken to help the estimated 26,000 runners cope with what weather forecasters are predicting will be record breaking heat for the annual event, with temperatures reaching the upper-80s by noon.

L.A. MARATHON LIVE UPDATES

Participants were advised to run at a slower pace than usual and to wear light clothing. Organizers have set up 24 fully-staffed water and aid stations along with medical tents along the route.

There will also be entertainment centers set up along the course to help inspire runners to keep going. They will include cheerleaders, live music and even a Japanese taiko drum ensemble. ‘

Stretches of Sunset Boulevard, Hollywood Boulevard and Santa Monica Boulevard as well as numerous feeder streets will be closed to traffic as early as 4 a.m. and reopened after runners pass. Nearby freeway ramps will also be closed.

The annual event, which attracts people from all over the world, helps raise money for local nonprofit organizations that serve the community. So far, more than $2 million has been raised from this year’s event.

[email protected]

L.A. Marathon kicks off a half hour early Sunday

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