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The 2025 Los Angeles Marathon, announced by ASICS, will celebrate its 40th running in the competitive field of world-class athletes on Sunday, March 16th. Over 25,000 runners will take on the iconic Stadium to the Stars course, from Dodger Stadium to Century City.
Founded in 1986, the Los Angeles Marathon was born from the momentum of the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics and has since become one of the nation’s best remote events. This year’s race was dedicated to first responders at Wildfire in Los Angeles, and together they launched the LA Initiative, Rally Runners and Community to support those affected by the fire.
Front of the pack, top elite athletes will compete in the Marathon Chase, a unique race-based race competition designed to create an all-out duel to the finish line on the star boulevard on Santa Monica Boulevard.
The 40th running of the Los Angeles Marathon is Sunday: Watch KTLA’s Live Coverage
Leading the field is alongside a deep international lineup, including American standouts Savannah Berry (2:29:13) and Matthew Richman (2:10:47) and Ethiopia’s Gizareu Ayana (2:07:15) and 2023 Paris Marathon champions. Asefa Tefera (2:07:47), 2019 Osaka Marathon Champion. Kenya’s Antonina Kwanbye (2:23:20) finished fourth in the 2024 Seville Marathon. Tejinesh Gebisa (2:24:37) came in second in the 2023 Marrakech Marathon.
Lichtman, 25, from Bozeman, Montana, was impressed by his fourth place finish in the 2:10:47 Twin City Marathon. Berry, a native of California, is a competitor for two US Olympic Trial Marathons and is strongly conditioned on family and friends who support her along the course.
“I think it’s going to be a really exciting environment,” Richman said. “It’s the 40th year of the race, a major milestone and with the whole city coming together after the wildfires, I think this event will help rebuild the sense of community.”
The Marathon Chase will compete for winners among elite runners, air live on KTLA Channel 5 and stream worldwide on KTLA.com and KTLA+. To create a thrilling head-to-head finish, the female elite start time is adjusted based on the expected victory time, with a 16-minute, 5-second head start on the male field. The first runner (male or female) crossing the finish line will win a $10,000 bonus.
Murphy Rainschleiber, Chief Operating Officer of the McCourt Foundation, said: “Expert commentary and real-time data analysis allow viewers to track the battle between male and female leaders and predict whether a catch will occur. The format guarantees a thrilling split-screen showdown all the way to the finish line, keeping fans engaged and eliminating the possibility of a runaway solo victory.”
Since its founding in 2004, the marathon chase format has given women a 10-4 advantage, including last year’s exciting finish, when Kenya’s Staycene Diwa (2:25:29) won a bonus for the second year in a row, beating male champion Dominikungeno (2:11:01).
The Wheelchair Division of the Los Angeles Marathon will begin Race Day at 6:30am, featuring some of the world’s most skilled Paralympians, record holders and past champions. Leading the men’s field is Francisco San Clement of Columbia, a two-time defending push rim champion who is aiming for the historic three-peat. On the women’s side, Japanese Wakakouchida, five-time Boston Marathon champions (2007-2011), 11 Honolulu Marathon winners (2000-2017), and Paralympic gold medalists in both winter and summer games will lead the field. Also competing is Krige Schabort (South Africa), a veteran of the Los Angeles Marathon, and Rafa Botello (Spain), a two-time Paralympian and holder of multiple Spanish records in wheelchair racing, including marathons and 10K road races.
The Los Angeles Marathon, announced by ASICS, is run by the McCourt Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to curing neurological diseases, allowing the community to build a healthier world. This year’s marathon will feature 93 legacy runners who have completed all previous editions, as well as 40% of the field running in their first marathon. For more information, visit Lamarathon.com
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