LA Marathon Takes Over Los Angeles Sunday
LOS ANGELES (CBS) — The city of angels becomes a city of runners Sunday as the Honda LA Marathon takes over the city.
The annual Honda LA Marathon will take runners from Dodger Stadium, through some of Los Angeles' most scenic spots and finish in Santa Monica, in full view of the Pacific Ocean.
Procrastinators can still register for the race Friday and Saturday. Online registration is closed, but late registration for the marathon can still be done at the Expo, the marathon's pre-party featuring exhibits, live entertainment and merchandise, for $155. Late registration for the LA 5K is $40 at the Expo. The Expo is Friday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. till 6 p.m. at Dodger Stadium, adjacent to the Marathon starting line.
Runners are advised to arrive early, at least 90 minutes before the race starts at 7:20 a.m. Sunday. Each runner must have their bib and timing B-Tag – without both, marathon time cannot be recorded properly.
Street closures for the marathon begin as early as 3 a.m. Sunday.
Need to know where to park? There are many options at both the starting and finish lines. At the finish line, the city of Santa Monica has secured about 8,000 spots. These lots will open at 2 a.m. and the city is charging $20 for race day parking. In Santa Monica, parking can be paid in advance through www.thepermitstore.com/sm/event.
If parking at Dodger Stadium, enter the stadium on the right side of the Golden State Gate, 928 Academy Road, from the 5 Freeway and park in lots 1, 2 or 3. If being dropped off, enter on the left side of the gate and head for the runner drop-off area in Lot 4. The Downtown and Sunset Gates will not be open and Sunset Boulevard from Hollywood to Main Street will be closed starting at 3 a.m. on March 20 because it is part of the marathon route.
For spectators, officials say parking is expected to be limited, so walking, biking and public transportation is strongly recommended for getting to the race. If parking is a must, look for open parking spaces by checking out Santa Monica's live parking information website.
Marathon officials have also designated "hot spectator spots" at certain points along the route. Entertainment centers, pop-up neighborhood street festivals, will also be available along the route. For a list of those points, check out the spectator guide.
If you'd like to congratulate the runners at the finish line, the Finish Line Festival is open to the public. The festival takes place just south of Colorado Avenue and the Santa Monica Pier, with live a live Marathon telecast, a beer garden, food and beverage sales and live music.
Access to the actual finish line is restricted to runners and race officials only.
