L.A. Marathon

Running a marathon is one heck of an accomplishment, and I did just that on March 3 in Los Angeles. The last thing a runner needs when undergoing the torture of running in excess of 26 miles is a race that is not well-organized and insensitive to a runner’s needs.

The organizers of the Los Angeles Marathon deserve special recognition. The organization was superb from start to finish. The starting gates were large enough, refreshments and portable toilets were sufficient to meet demand, and at every mile, there were enough staff to serve us. They thought of everything from ice to Vaseline, to high-protein drinks and sponges with cold water in them. Mile markers were clear, there were clocks recording elapsed time accurately and we were kept constantly informed of estimated finish time.

The crowds and entertainment couldn’t have been more motivating and the course was fun to run. I thoroughly enjoyed myself through all the agony.

DAVID RADDEN, Venice