Toyna’s LA Marathon Race Report


Tonya’s Awesome View at Mile 23

okay Steve – if I don’t write a report now, I wont at all…so here goes…

LA Marathon 2007. This was my 1st LA marathon, my 2nd marathon ever and my 2nd training season as a mentor. I remember reading an article once that compared running a marathon to riding a rollercoaster — in that article the author suggeted that if in fact you do enjoy the ride so much, do you really want it over in a few seconds, or do you want it to last longer. That was the experience of this LA marathon for me. Easy of course to say now that it’s over and took a little more than 6 hours. 1 hour off my goal of 5 hours — which really isnt that bad considering what experiences that one hour contains – which was less about running, more about connecting with people.

As we had been warned, the start of the race was quite congested – but I kinda liked it – it was the most I’ve run with other Beach Runners than any other race and at some point in the race I ran with at least 11 other BR faces. We had no choice but to start slow, however the heat was less expected and around mile 9, I was starting to feel the effects of the heat and slowly started losing my other sub 5 hour peers who ran ahead of me. I stopped to walk at mile 10 and it was at that point that I was handed a ziploc bag of sliced, ice cold —yes ice cold, oranges, from a little boy in the neighborhood. That was when I really began to take notice of the people on the streets, the cheering sections of families on their porches, on their lawns, sitting there simply to cheer us on – taking enough time and care to freeze the oranges, so they would be ice cold for us. That bag felt so good in my hand and I was able to share those oranges with 3 other BRs.

Around that same time, I had lost the one BR I had committed to run with when he stopped, with the help of Steve, to bandage a blister on his foot. Nonethless, with the advent of cell phones we were able to catch up near mile 11. He was hurting from the blisters (maybe even from the beer from the weekend, but I’m not one to say) and I was hurting from the heat- so we walked a little longer — we started running again, but around mile 13 – stopped to take another walk break. It was at this point that I knew 5 hours was out the window – and my partner was not up to running anytime soon. So I suggested some strategies – walk one mile, run one mile — that lasted half
a mile. He suggested….with a smile… walk 1/2 mile, run 1/2 mile. I suggested … with an even bigger smile….we take our time and enjoy the experience — we’ll run when we’re ready. And that’s exacly what we, well – I better speak for myself , that’s exactly what I did.

With my running partner in tow, and me pushing him along, I ran through the fire truck hose at mile 16 and every other water hose thereafter, expecially when it was the hose of a child in his yard. I danced through the motivational tunnel at mile 18 – and every time I heard any music. I took pictures of the downtown landscape somewhere between 18 and 19 and one of me and my partner shortly after that; — I happily took ice from a kid on the street and placed one ice cube in my sports bra and one under my cap…. I made a point to slap the extended hand of every child we saw and cheered back at any spectator who called my name; I gratefully hugged Gary at mile 21 who walked with us to about mile 22 and at mile 23 convinced my partner
to catch up to this cute guy also walking. We talked to him until about mile 24. 5 at which point, we were ready to run— -all the way to the finish.

It took us an hour longer than we hoped, but in that time we exchanged smiles and affections with strangers; told jokes; discussed life and love and ex-loves; questioned our sanity; named bands, and then movies, from A to Z; cheered along those who were passing us; and made plans for our next training season. It wasn’t pretty – but it was good.

Seeing all the cuture and diversity of LA, reminded me of what I love about living here. Getting a ride to and from the event with Chris and Randy, having Steve massage my calf with Tiger Balm at the start, seeing Gary at mile 20 – Barb at mile 25 and even sighting one former BR as a spectator wearing her BR shirt – reminded me what I love about running and why this indeed is a running community!

Thanks Beach Runners- for another great race — see you in May.

Toyna, Beach Runners Mentor & SoCalRunning.com Member

March 6, 2007 | Filed Under Race Reports, Steve's Posts 

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