SD Marathon Begins at 7:30

This year the times actually will mean something.

The San Diego Marathon has changed venues almost as often as Madonna changes her image--on a yearly basis.

As a result, winning times for the event have meant little. A new course record? Great, but on which course? Now that race organizers have struck a long-term deal with the city of Carlsbad, winners in future years can look to today’s top times as the records of record.

Times can and will be compared because the course will probably be the same. The elite runners who begin the 26.2-mile jaunt through Carlsbad today at 7:30 a.m. can at least aim to better last year’s marks--when the race was on a similar course--set by Kathy Smith of Costa Mesa and Benjamin Paredes Martinez of Mexico. Smith has returned to defend her title, run in 2 hours, 43 minutes, 5 seconds. Paredes Martinez, who won in 2:19.03, has not.

Chasing after the men’s title is a small elite field sprinkled with international flavor.

--Derick Adamson of Jamaica. Adamson was a three-time All-American track and field athlete at Glassboro State College in New Jersey. He ran his 2:14.48 marathon personal record last year in New Zealand.