LOS ANGELES MARATHON : Peoples’ Run Contributes Much to L.A.

Question: Why is the Los Angeles Marathon called the Peoples’ Marathon, and what does it contribute to the city of Los Angeles?

Answer: The marathon was designed to meet the runners’ needs within the limits imposed by the size of the race and to provide a pageant for the city. More than one million spectators lined the route last year and another 160,000 attended the festival at Exposition Park.

In addition, runners raised more than $600,000 in pledges in 1989 and organizers hope to top the one million mark this year in the only such charity program in the nation.

Q: Why does the L.A. marathon have trouble attracting name runners?

A: The Boston Marathon, which began in 1897, is the grandfather of marathons and has the advantage of tradition over Los Angeles, and both Boston and New York offer hefty appearance fees and prizes to attract the elite runners.

However, race organizers expect to be able to offer competitive prizes and fees to attract a stronger field by 1991.

Q: What considerations were taken when the course was laid out?

A: The course is laid out in circular form to negate the effect of wind and to comply with course standards recognized by the Athletic Congress for record purposes.

Organizers wanted the race to encompass as much of L.A.’s ethnic mix along the route as possible but were hampered by the limitations of the 26-mile, 385-yard course. New York has an advantage over Los Angeles in this area because it is relatively compact and can pass through the five boroughs in the course.

Q: Where is the best spot to watch the marathon?

A: That depends on the spectator’s individual tastes. The start can be viewed from the east side of Figueroa Blvd. north of the start line, but entertainment, ranging from rock music on Hollywood Blvd. to gospel and jazz groups in Crenshaw, are provided along the route for those who find a marathon less than thrilling.

Those fans who wish to see the finish can do so at the Coliseum’s east entrance in Exposition Park and KCOP is providing live coverage starting at 8 a.m. on race day.

Q: What are the problems with a race this big?

A: The biggest problem for race organizers is dealing with both the number of runners and the area the event covers. Over 20,000 runners consume six 40-foot truckloads of fruit, frozen yogurt and ice cream, and drink 18,750 gallons of water.

Crowd control will be handled by more than 300 Explorer scouts and 118 police officers with 1,300 feet of barricades while 392 traffic officers will also be assigned to the course.

Q: What time does the race start and when does it end?

A: The race walkers start at 8:05 a.m., followed by the wheelchair division at 8:15 and the main body of the race starts at 8:35.

The streets will reopen at 2:30 p.m. and any runners still on the course must move to the curb and obey regular traffic laws.

Q: What is the maximum number of runners the marathon could accommodate?

A: There isn’t an estimate of the maximum number that the marathon could accommodate, but the main difficulty with the large number of participants is at the starting line.

The runners are divided into six groups by their expected finishing time, with only the elite runners in the first group on the actual starting line. Unfortunately, with a field this large, the last runners get off the starting line when the first group is already 2 1/2 miles into the race.

Organizers are considering using two parallel streets for the start, which is what the New York marathon does to handle its 23,000 runners, but even with the dual start the New York marathon may have to reduce its number of entries.

Q: What is cost to the marathon per runner?

A: Organizers stopped calculating the cost about a year ago but estimate that each runner receives over $200 in services for a $25 entry fee.

Q: How do the organizers prevent cheating?

A: Organizers have placed video monitors at various points along the route to prevent a recurrence of the Rosie Ruiz incident, which marred the 1980 Boston Marathon.

Ruiz was stripped of the women’s title when it was discovered that she had entered the race some time after the mid-way point.

Q: What is the effect of weather on the marathon, and how did the race organizers select the date of the race?

A: Generally marathoners prefer a dry day with low humidity and temperatures in the 45-50-degree range.

Race organizers consulted the U.S. Weather Service and selected the first Sunday after winter that was historically free of potential for rain but was also relatively cool.

This system almost backfired in 1986 when it rained the day before the race for the first time in 35 years, but the skies cleared in time for the marathon.

Smog conditions are also relatively mild at this time of year because of wind conditions and shouldn’t play a large role in the race.

Q: What does the runner get for the entry fee?

A: Aside from the opportunity to compete in the marathon, each runner receives a bag with 66 items (with 20,000 runners that works out to 1,452,000 items), and Los Angeles Marathon finisher medallions.

In addition there is more than $250,000 in cash and merchandise available for prizes in the open division categories.

Q: How many volunteers take part in the marathon?

A: More than 15,000 volunteers donate services. That includes 325 radio operators at quarter-mile intervals who provide a radio network that covers the entire course.

Q: What is “carbo-loading” and what does it do?

A: Carbo-loading is a technique runners use to build up stores of muscle glycogen by significantly increasing carbohydrate intake several days before the marathon. The body relies on those glycogen stores during the marathon, and a runner hits “the wall” when their glycogen is depleted.

Q: How much weight does a runner lose and how much water does he or she need?

A: Unfortunately for those looking for a way to shed a few extra pounds most of the weight lost in the course of a marathon is perspiration that is easily replaced.

The average marathoner needs about 1 1/2 cups of water per mile on a day of moderate heat and humidity.

Q: How long will the streets involved be closed?

A: The organizers received permission to close the streets involved from 8:30 a.m. until 2:30 p.m.