3,000 Runners Expected Today for Long Beach Marathon

Nearly 3,000 runners are expected to compete in today’s Long Beach Marathon, which begins at 7:30 a.m. in front of the Long Beach Convention Center and finishes under the pedestrian bridge on Seaside Way.

The race has not attracted world-class runners but includes several excellent local athletes. Ron Kurrle, a Long Beach resident with a personal best in the marathon of 2 hours 17 minutes, is expected to challenge Ron Cornell of San Pedro, the winner of the 1984 Long Beach race, and Rick Sayre of Medford, Ore., who has the fastest time of the field, 2:13:50.

Top women are Laura Rinde of Sacramento, Lisa Dougherty of Seal Beach and Karin Baumohl of Yorba Linda.

The starting time for race walkers is 7:20 a.m.