Surf santamonica, By Ann K. Williams
March 21, 2011 -- The rain may have been pouring, but spirits were definitely up in Santa Monica as hundreds came out to cheer racers across the finish line at the Honda LA Marathon Sunday.
The wet weather didn't seem to hurt all of the runners either, as Markos Geneti broke the record for fastest California marathon. The Ethiopian clocked in at 2 hours, 6 minutes and 35 seconds, nearly two minutes faster than the previous record.
The women's race was also won by an Ethiopian, Buzunesh Deba, who crossed the finish line at 2 hours, 26 minutes and 34 seconds.
Nicholas Kamakya from Kenya, came in second among the men at 2 hours, 9 minutes and 26 seconds.
Many runners – easy to spot wandering the downtown streets both by their marathon bibs and by the space blankets they shivered under – had to be treated for hypothermia.
The Santa Monica Chapter of the American Red Cross was called in to help hundreds of racers at an impromptu shelter at the Fairmont-Miramar Hotel, where they handed out 400 thermal and cotton blankets, Red Cross officials said.
But not all runners minded the storm. Robert Leonardo, who's been running marathons for 18 years, said he preferred the rain to the sun. He said he “felt cold, but still great.”
All the same, Leonardo told the Lookout that he was looking forward to a shower and a cup of hot tea.
He's run in 56 marathons, and has won several, including the 2001 Pacific Shoreline and the 2005 Santa Clarita Marathons. Sunday he came in 38th among the men, with a time of 2 hours, 45 minutes and 1 second.
Leonardo was warming up in the Time-Warner tent, the most crowded spot at the after-race festival, and not coincidentally, the dryest.
The race's official technology sponsor, Time-Warner, let friends of the runners know how they were doing during the race by text message, thanks to tracking devices worn by the racers, Marketing Manager Hope Murray told the Lookout.
The corporate sponsor also gave out free souvenir photos and – probably most popular of all – post-race massages and facials to the runners.
But not everybody was heading under tents or indoors. Santa Monica's chapter of Meals on Wheels vowed to brave the elements until all their team of racers made it past their station at the 25-mile mark at Georgina Street and Ocean Avenue.
“We got here at 6 a.m. in the dark in the wind and rain,” said Kevin McNulty, Associate Executive Director of Meals on Wheels West. “It's like a camping adventure.”
The staff and volunteers came out to cheer on the 20 runners who are raising funds for the non-profit – $17,200 so far, said McNulty.
“If they can run and walk 26.2 miles in this rain, they keep our spirits up,” McNulty said.
March 21, 2011 -- The rain may have been pouring, but spirits were definitely up in Santa Monica as hundreds came out to cheer racers across the finish line at the Honda LA Marathon Sunday.
The wet weather didn't seem to hurt all of the runners either, as Markos Geneti broke the record for fastest California marathon. The Ethiopian clocked in at 2 hours, 6 minutes and 35 seconds, nearly two minutes faster than the previous record.
The women's race was also won by an Ethiopian, Buzunesh Deba, who crossed the finish line at 2 hours, 26 minutes and 34 seconds.
Nicholas Kamakya from Kenya, came in second among the men at 2 hours, 9 minutes and 26 seconds.
Many runners – easy to spot wandering the downtown streets both by their marathon bibs and by the space blankets they shivered under – had to be treated for hypothermia.
The Santa Monica Chapter of the American Red Cross was called in to help hundreds of racers at an impromptu shelter at the Fairmont-Miramar Hotel, where they handed out 400 thermal and cotton blankets, Red Cross officials said.
But not all runners minded the storm. Robert Leonardo, who's been running marathons for 18 years, said he preferred the rain to the sun. He said he “felt cold, but still great.”
All the same, Leonardo told the Lookout that he was looking forward to a shower and a cup of hot tea.
He's run in 56 marathons, and has won several, including the 2001 Pacific Shoreline and the 2005 Santa Clarita Marathons. Sunday he came in 38th among the men, with a time of 2 hours, 45 minutes and 1 second.
Leonardo was warming up in the Time-Warner tent, the most crowded spot at the after-race festival, and not coincidentally, the dryest.
The race's official technology sponsor, Time-Warner, let friends of the runners know how they were doing during the race by text message, thanks to tracking devices worn by the racers, Marketing Manager Hope Murray told the Lookout.
The corporate sponsor also gave out free souvenir photos and – probably most popular of all – post-race massages and facials to the runners.
But not everybody was heading under tents or indoors. Santa Monica's chapter of Meals on Wheels vowed to brave the elements until all their team of racers made it past their station at the 25-mile mark at Georgina Street and Ocean Avenue.
“We got here at 6 a.m. in the dark in the wind and rain,” said Kevin McNulty, Associate Executive Director of Meals on Wheels West. “It's like a camping adventure.”
The staff and volunteers came out to cheer on the 20 runners who are raising funds for the non-profit – $17,200 so far, said McNulty.
“If they can run and walk 26.2 miles in this rain, they keep our spirits up,” McNulty said.
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