Marathon Organizers, Next Time Let’s Do It Right, by the Numbers

In Sunday’s Los Angeles Marathon there were 14,937 runners and four corrals, 3,734 runners per corral (supposedly segregated according to ability, with the elite runners, wearing lower numbers, starting at the head of the pack). Why then were there at least two runners with bib numbers 4489 and 7069 on the front line (see front page photo of Monday’s Times)? Where were the marshals and why didn’t they pull them aside?

I have a friend who missed qualifying for the Boston Marathon by two minutes which is exactly the time it took him to reach the starting line. His bib number was in the 5500 range. If the city is going to have a third L.A. marathon, let’s do it in a professional way. Sure, it’s fun for most, but there are some who take the race seriously.

R. CHRISTENSEN

San Pedro