3rd Sunday in March, Los Angeles, CA, 8:00 AM Start.

App and info: call 310-444-5544

The club has 2 legacy runners who have done all of the LA Marathons: Ruth Carter and Scott Clines - Congratulations!

The 2006 race as told by Julie Miller:

I love LA. It always gives us something to talk about. Weather conditions for runners have never been better than Sunday, March 19, 2006 for the 21st running of the Los Angeles Marathon. Runners at the LA marathon enjoyed clear skies, a start in the high forties and a high of 61 degrees at the end of the race.

Even with good weather, LA is no piece of cake. According to the TV coverage, the course tempts runners to go out too fast as it is slightly downhill the first nine miles. Going out too fast results in cramps, or worse, nuclear meltdown during those difficult miles after 18. The course is crowded. You dodge 25,000 runners, lots of walkers and face long lines at the porta-potties. Legacy runner and veteran flyer Scott Cline was at mile 24 when one runner went into full cardiac arrest. Another runner also died of on the course at mile 3, and another was taken off the course in critical condition.

Kudos go Flyers Cyrus Davis and Randy Wong who PR'd big time at this race Cyrus' goal was to run LA in 5 hours and dialed it in smartly at a 5:01. Randy Wong's goal was to run LA in 4 hours and he PR'd at a 4:01 taking an hour and forty minutes off of his previous LA.

In exciting Flyer version of the male female race being played out be the elites, Flyer first-time marathoner Vanessa Lastrapes and Julie Miller chased Famous Fifty-States Flyer Charles Sayles. Charles had a five minute lead at the start and called the women every fifteen minutes to tell them where he was, which was like saying "Catch me if you can". It was a tight race all the way to the end, but based on chip time, first-time marathoner Vanessa Lastrapes beat the infamous seasoned veteran of sixty marathons by one minute and one second. Flyer Julie Miller actually passed Charles around 22, but didn't know it.

This was one of the few LAs where participants did not fry or drown. Kudos go to Flyer Vanessa Lastrapes who PR'd on her first marathon! Legacy runner Ruth Carter finisher her 21st LA Marathon. Flyers Patrick Tantrapohl, Simon Cooper, Sharon Pevsner and Nancy Tinker also ran. Nancy Gilmore, Tom and Mary Ann O'Hara and Sharee Allen were there to give good cheer or a cold beer. Thanks cheerleaders!

About one year ago, right before my 49th birthday, I decided that it was time I started taking care of myself. Most of our kids were off in college and we had one more at home who was a Sophomore in High School and never home so this was a good time to concentrate on ME. I joined Weight Watchers and started to walk to help the weight loss. I soon discovered how much I enjoyed walking. Early mornings, you would find me at the Arcadia High School track walking briskly and listening to the birds wake up. It was a wonderful way to start the day!

One day, while watching the LA Marathon on television, I mentioned to my husband Mark, your Vice President, that I would like to make the LA Marathon my goal for next year. Several weeks later, he told me that he had mailed the check in for the two of us to walk the Marathon - and that is when my training began. Mark became my coach and would make weekly charts for me stating how many miles a day I should walk. I was doing 15-minute miles on the track and 18 minute miles long distance. I even started jogging!! After all my training, I had no doubt that I would finish the marathon.

As the days for the Marathon drew nearer, it was raining and cold so I figured I would be doing a 17-18 minute pace and told my family what time to look for me at the finish. Little did I know that the weather gods had other ideas!!

Mark and I arrived at the Bonaventure Hotel bright and early and very excited - or I should say, I was very excited - Mark was too busy packing up his Camel back, measuring the powdered Gatorade, counting out the salt pills and the glucose tablets, making sure the ass-gaskets and toilet paper was on hand, and putting the mole skin and glide, sunscreen, and other necessities into baggies. I knew, upon looking at his supplies that I was ready for the AC 100!!

After the Marathon, Mark asked me what my favorite thing was about walking it and I had to say the beginning. The crowd was so energetic and exciting - singing I LOVE LA and waving to Mohammed Ali was unbelievable. Apparently, the gun went off because I could hear cheering and see the balloon arch go up - but wasn't sure until 10 minutes after the cheers died down and we started to move. All the training, and we were walking baby steps. I looked at Mark and asked when we would actually be able to stride and he just laughed. "Be patient" he said. "And remember, you need to stop trying to run - you are a walker". Sure enough, the excitement had gotten to me and I was trying to run along with the crowd. Thank goodness for my coach (pack-mule?), because the entire time he made sure that I was pacing myself and not getting over-tired or dehydrated.

The first ten miles went so quickly that I felt that this Marathon was a "piece of cake". The crowds cheering, plenty of water and Gatorade, and the bands and cheerleaders made it so much fun! The only problem was the grueling sun, hot asphalt, and no shade or clouds to be seen. I am not a hot weather person - guess I'll never do Badwater - and felt myself beginning to wilt. Mark said that my 17-minute mile pace was too fast for the weather and how I was feeling and told me to slow down to a 20 minute pace. That helped a lot - and so did the ice in my hat and the hoses sprayed on me. I began to notice around mile 14 that the street sweepers were catching up to us. I wanted to walk faster and keep them behind me but it just wasn't possible. As the police officers told us to move to the sidewalk and the street sweepers paced with us - I started to feel defeated. I knew then that my pace was not going to pick up and I wasn't going to be able to get done in 8.5 hours. We were being told to move to the sidewalk on the right of the street, but the portapotties were often on the left so whenever we needed them we had to cross the street.

At every red light, we had to constantly move so we didn't stand too long on one foot. As we continued to walk, we notice pieces of oranges, banana peels, and lots of paper cups on the ground but no aid stations left for us lone walkers. There were plenty of good Samaritans who sat at their card tables handing out water they bought at Costco and some even cut up oranges for us. I have to say here that it was really the "good Samaritans" that got the slow walkers through it. I couldn't thank them enough for the ice, sun block, water, and beautiful smiles. After mile 13, when we walked up a steep hill at the top was Mark's father and sister. It felt so good to see someone we loved waiting for us with hugs and encouraging words.

As we walked we soon had a group of people pacing with us. We began to help and encourage each other to get to the end. Every time the LA Marathon van would drive by and ask if we wanted a ride we would all tell them to keep going - we were NOT giving up.

The walk up Olympic Boulevard was the most difficult one. Downtown LA just never got closer. Mark - who was so fantastic along the way, telling us to drink, giving us Glucose tablets, taking our pictures and just being our own personal cheerleader - really kicked into action. He kept us going with his excitement over achieving our first medals and the completion of the Marathon. As we passed the Staple Center, we kept our eyes on him as he continued to encourage us. We were so grateful to him and extremely annoyed at his peppiness at Mile 25 - how can ANYONE walk this far and bounce around like that!

As we saw the light at the finish line, Mark asked me if I wanted him to run ahead across the finish line and take my picture. My first competitive thought was - "What - have him beat my time?" Then I just laughed at myself and told him that it was a great idea. He ran across the finish line and took pictures of our group crossing the finish line, getting the medal and wearing the Mylar blanket. Then we walked up four flights of stairs to the parking ramp - but that's another story!

To summarize my thoughts about this Marathon - I am so glad and proud to have done it. It took a year of hard preparation of turning myself from an over weight couch potato into an "athlete" and it was well worth it. I was upset that the aid stations shut down after 6 hours and the walkers were left to their own devices - there was also no food at the finish line and I practically had to fight for a Mylar blanket. So, I guess that next time I do a Marathon - I better run it!! Hey Mark, want to coach me for my first 5 K?

Julie Miller's LA Marathon Experience

LA has a Mardi Gras quality, with over 24,000 runners, and plenty of hoopla along the course. If you register early, your name will be printed on your bib and with one million spectators on the course, many of them will be screaming your name as you pass by. The start of the marathon is at Figuroa and Fifth, right next to the Westin Bonaventure. "I Love LA" blares over loudspeakers at the start of the marathon.

The theme of the LA marathon was --Catch Her if You Can! This year the elite women gave a 20 1/2 minute lead over the men, with the winner to get an extra $50,000 bonus over the usual $25,000 and Honda that goes to the winner. The woman that won was veteran LA marathon runner Tatyana Pozdnyakova, 49 years old. The man chasing here was a 26 year old Kenyan -- the same age as hera 26 year old daughter. Amazing.

The Achilles heel for the marathon runner is the heat, and it was 66 degrees, and 62 percent humidity at the start -- the second warmest start in LA marathon history. The high was reported to be 87 degrees downtown, a runner on TV said that it was 92 degrees when she went by the bank clock on Olympic. My friend, Bob Spears, said that it was 95 degrees on that clock when he went by. There was little shade on the course, and at mile 22 there was a stretch where the buildings blocked the breeze, giving the course an oven-like quality.

24,000 marathoners start the same time at 8:32 a.m. There's a 15 degree difference between the temperature in the shade, and the sun. Everyone was tossing extra cups of water over their heads, and jumping in front of residents with hoses. A firetruck at about mile 16 was providing welcome relief by watering the runners with their hose. By mile 22, the sirens for the ambulances we going continuously. Over 300 runners were treated for heat exhaustion, 100 were hospitalized, and the 30 ambulances weren't enough, so they had to call in more.

Other factoids:

Packet pickup dates/locations:

L.A. Convention Center at the Emerald Nuts Quality of Life Expo March 4-6 (Downtown L.A.), Kentia Hall.

Acura L.A. Bike Tour begins at 6:00 a.m. at the USC Campus
Marathon begins at 8:30 a.m. at Figuroa and 5th
Emerald Nuts 5K run/walk begins at 9:30 a.m. (subject to change) at Gilbert Lindsey Plaza (part of the Los Angeles Convention Center at 1201 S. Figuroa

None. Streets will re-open at approximately 13 minute pace per mile. All finishers will receive a finisher time, certificate and a medal. All participants receive a t-shirt, goodie bag and official Honda L.A. Marathon poster.

Selected downtown parking lots are open for reduced fees averaging $5.00 per car. Parking information is included in the final race instructions given out at the Emerald Nuts Quality of Life Expo. I recommend the lot at 5th and Olive. You can meet your family, and store your stuff

Shuttles for runners through miles 7-24. Plenty of parking in Downtown.

Begins at the USC campus (Exposition Blvd. and Menlo Ave.) opposite the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Continues for 20+ miles on the route of the Los Angeles Marathon. Finishes at USC's new gateway on USC Pardee Way at Exposition Blvd. Exit 110 Freeway at Exposition Blvd. Turn right at Figueroa, Left at Jefferson and look for the USC lots on your left. Parking is also available in Coliseum lots. Gates open at 4:00 a.m. Parking is $10.00.

Participants will head out on the course, which starts in front of Gilbert Lindsey Plaza and heads south on Figueroa Blvd. to Jefferson Blvd. and back to the Convention Center. Following the Emerald Nuts 5K, many participants take a short walk (7 blocks) up Figueroa to Olympic Blvd., in time to see the elite Marathoners and wheelchair athletes enter the last mile of the race. Many Emerald Nuts 5K participants start their day by riding in the Acura L.A. Bike Tour.

How do I get to the course on public transportation? You can take the red line to Wilshire and Figueroa --one block from the start and two blocks from the Finish Line. Call the Metro at (800) 371-5465 or online at www.mta.net for schedule details.

You can also take the Metro Red Line, get off at the Pershing Square stop three blocks from the starting line. Call MTA Commuter Information at (800) 266-6883. Should your family or friends want to cheer you on, there is a Red Line station at Wilshire/Western (approximately mile 23). They can then take the Red Line to Pershing Square and proceed to the Gas Company Finish Line Festival on 3rd & Flower.

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