Los Angeles Marathon
I ran the 2025 Los Angeles Marathon and wanted to share my experience, hopefully you'll find this useful if you're planning on running LA sometime in the future!
LA starts in the parking lot of the Dodger's Stadium in Downtown LA, this is also where the packet pick up/expo is. I picked up my packet on the Friday before the race. At packet pickup they corral you by wave and there are a few signs and volunteers to tell you where to go. The expo itself was pretty underwhelming although to be honest I might just not like expos.
Corral Info
LA uses corrals, which help manage start line crowds and prevent runners from getting stuck in traffic. You need to email evidence of your marathon time to the race directors before the race in order to be seeded into a corral. Instructions for how to do this are available on the LA Marathon website.
Getting to the Race
There will be traffic, lots of traffic. When you sign up, you are given the option to park your car at the finish line and take a shuttle to Dodgers Stadium on the morning of the race. I was lucky enough to get dropped off. I woke up in Laguna Niguel, about 1.5 hours away without traffic, and left by 5 am. The estimated arrival time kept increasing as we got closer to the start line, and traffic was dead stopped on the highway before our exit. We ended up getting off the highway early and drove through a neighborhood instead of taking the main route. I would recommend doing this rather than waiting in traffic. I jumped out of the car as soon as we arrived, although parking did not seem too bad.
If you cannot get dropped off, I recommend taking the earliest possible shuttle. I read that shuttles were late the previous year, and many people had to run several miles along the highway to make it in time. On the way in, we saw several people running toward the start line.
Start Line
Thankfully, there is a map of the start line posted on the website, so you can see exactly where the port-a-potties, start line, and corrals are beforehand. I arrived about 45 minutes before the race started and immediately got in a port-a-potty line. There is plenty of room to warm up in the parking lot, and I would not recommend running in the neighborhood surrounding the stadium. Stick to the parking lot.
The corrals were clearly marked, and there were lots of volunteers if you had questions. I think they “close” the corrals 10 minutes before the race starts, but they will probably let you in anyway. You should bring throwaway clothes and wear them into the corrals. Many people took them off before getting in, but you will end up waiting in the cold for a while, and you can just toss them to the side when you need to.
Pacers/Start of Race
I was seeded in the B corral based on my (Steamboat Marathon) time from June 2023. The first few miles were crowded, as expected. The start is downhill for about three miles, which causes a lot of runners to go out too fast. The crowd began to thin around 1.5 miles in, making it easier to find space, so I just focused on being patient.
Around mile three or four, I caught up with the 3:10 pacing group and ran with them for a few miles. At one point, I saw another pacing group up ahead and felt good, so I surged to catch up thinking it was the 3:00 or 3:05 group. It turned out to be the 3:30 group, and I have no idea how they ended up so far ahead. I eased up and rejoined the 3:10 group, running with them until about 5k to go.
The Course
The course itself is great. I’ve spent a lot of time in LA and Santa Monica, but this course gives you a view of the city that would otherwise be impossible. There is on-course entertainment and spectators along almost the entire route. Aid stations appear every two miles or so, offering water and Pedialyte (I think). There are also a lot of hills, so keep that in mind while training.
Starting in Dodgers Stadium, the course traverses Downtown LA for the first five miles. I really liked this part because it’s not somewhere I would normally go. You climb a substantial hill leaving Downtown, with a drum line at the top. From there, the course heads toward Echo Park, east of Hollywood. This section flew by with loads of spectators, some unofficial on-course entertainment, and views of the Hollywood sign.
Hollywood is where the course becomes quite hilly, and you start to notice people falling off. As you make your way to West Hollywood, the hills begin to even out, and you are rewarded with a huge downhill around mile 15.
West Hollywood and Beverly Hills are really cool parts of the course. In West Hollywood, you run Sunset Blvd, a "residential" street lined with giant houses and beautiful landscaping, with plenty of shade. After a few miles, the course reaches Brentwood and turns onto Rodeo Drive then on to Wilshire Blvd to Santa Monica Blvd. This section is electric, with tons of cheering spectators. The energy continues all the way to mile 20. At mile 18.5, you pass the finish line and continue toward Brentwood for about four miles. There is a hill on the way out, which you will definitely feel at this point, but you get to go down it on the way back. At this point (just under 4 miles to go), you backtrack to the finish line. The final section is uphill and feels long, but the crowds are incredible.
Once you finish, you walk about a quarter-mile through a corral chute. There are photographers and food along the way, and at the end of the chute is where you can meet your family.
Run LA
Hopefully the transportation logistics and hills didn’t scare you off. LA is well worth it. The course is great, the scenery is unique, and the atmosphere is unforgettable. I would highly recommend running LA if you are even remotely interested.
Train for LA with Stack
The approach I used to train for LA is what started Stack in the first place. Focusing on flexibility and joy in running proved essential for long-term progress and strong race-day performance.
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