Blisters Forced Wein, 89, to Withdraw 19 Miles Into Los Angeles Marathon

It was not the effects of age that kept 89-year-old Manny Wein from finishing Sunday’s Los Angeles Marathon.

Wein had to quit the race after 19 miles, victimized by blisters on his feet.

“I couldn’t walk anymore,” he said. “The blisters were terrible. I was in a lot of pain.”

Wein is the oldest person to complete an L.A. Marathon--he finished races in 1988, ’89 and ‘90--but his past two attempts ended prematurely. Last year, dehydration forced him out of the marathon after 13 miles.

This year, his feet began hurting about six miles into the race and his left knee also bothered him. He was at a disadvantage later in the race after police barricades were removed from the course, forcing stragglers to run on sidewalks instead of in the street.

“It made it worse for me,” he said. Wein had to dodge pedestrians, stop at traffic lights and step up and down curbs.

“I was exhausted when I got home,” said Wein, who lives in Van Nuys.

Sunday’s marathon endeavor might have been Wein’s final attempt at the distance.

“I think this year’s was my last,” he said. An accomplished ballroom dancer, Wein doesn’t want to “hurt myself so I can’t dance. And my family and my dance partners get so nervous when I run.”

On the other hand, “It would be nice to be 90 and still run.”

Wein isn’t one to coddle himself. Despite the blisters, he said, “I have a date to go dancing on Wednesday.”

He intends to keep it.