From LBPOSTSports.com: The beautiful coastline of Long Beach played host to about 18,000 runners (including 4,000 who ran the whole race) on Sunday, as the most recent incarnation of the nation’s most beautiful race was a smashing success. The Long Beach Marathon is an honored tradition that has stood the test of time, and gained national fame for being one of the best marathons in the country—with perfect running weather on Sunday and the city looking its finest, that reputation is bound to grow.
I remember running the mini marathon when I was in elementary school, to raise money for AIDS research—at the time, I think that was just five miles, but it seemed like eternity to me. The sense of accomplishment I felt crossing the finish line was extraordinary, especially when I saw my parents, who were cheering me on. Runners this year were treated to a shiny new course, which, in addition to the wonderful coastal running, wound through the CSULB campus for two miles, where student and alumni groups cheered on the runners and provided music, dances, and, of course, water.
In the end, Shin Nozaki defeated defending champion Romualdo Sanchez with a time of 2 hours and 21 minutes, about a mile every five minutes and twenty seconds. Sanches finished slightly over a minute behind. Jasmine Sessions won the woman’s race in three hours and four minutes.
Having never run more than five miles in one outing, running 26.2 is totally incomprehensible to me. Check back tomorrow for the first-person experiences of two marathoners who pushed through to the finish line.
By Mike Guardabascio