In the long run

Bill Burke may be guilty of many things, but female bashing is not one of them -- at least in the case of the crack about marathon women in the kitchen. Guilty of using a cliche, yes, but in context his comment was intended as complimentary. Helene Elliott needs to overlook a perceived insult when plainly, it wasn’t there. Equality demands a little thicker skin, Helene.

Roger Walton

North Hills

Giving women a 19:38 lead in the L.A. Marathon and then awarding $100,000 to the first finisher (male or female) is a farce. It sends equality back to the Stone Age. Can you imagine an Olympic weightlifting competition where the woman is given a 250-pound handicap versus men? Doesn’t make sense.

I became a huge Annika Sorenstam fan when a few years back she competed in an event on the men’s PGA Tour. She left town after declaring, “I am going back to where I belong, the LPGA Tour.” Now I follow Annika just over the respect I gained for her by that comment.

Get over it folks. Equality is for brains, not brawn.

Jorge A. Badel

Manhattan Beach

Thank you for your story on Craig Chambers [Kurt Streeter, March 4]. I met Craig at his running shoe store several years ago. He asked sweetly, “Where do you run?” and made certain my new shoes fit properly. His simple gesture of having runners test out our shoes by running on the pavement outside the store has remained with me.

Reading of his beautiful attitude against his cancer, and for life, deepens my initial feeling about the man: Here is a very gentle and special soul. He has already won the final race he faces.

Jeanine D’Elia

Granada Hills