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Kenya’s Weldon Kirui makes his way first over the finish line at 2:11:47, during the 33rd Los Angeles Marathon in Santa Monica at the finish line. March 18, 2018. (Photo by Gene Blevins/LA DailyNews/SCNG)
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3-18-18. Santa Monica CA. Kenya’s Weldon Kirui makes his way first over the finish line at 2:11:47, during the 33rd Los Angeles Marathon in Santa Monica at the finish line. Photo by Gene Blevins/LA DailyNews/SCNG
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Kenya’s Weldon Kirui makes his way first over the finish line at 2:11:47, during the 33rd Los Angeles Marathon in Santa Monica at the finish line. (Photo by Gene Blevins/LA DailyNews/SCNG)
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Big faces of Luke Bryan, Katy Perry, and Lionel Richie on Hollywood Blvd overlook the runners of the Los Angeles Marathon in Los Angeles Sunday, March 18, 2018. The Stadium to the Sea course starts at Dodger Stadium and passes through West Hollywood and Beverly Hills before finishing in the City of Santa Monica at the intersection of Ocean and California Avenues, just steps from the Pacific Ocean. (Photo by Thomas R. Cordova/Daily Breeze)
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A runner with his horn makes his way through the Los Angeles Marathon in Los Angeles Sunday, March 18, 2018. The Stadium to the Sea course starts at Dodger Stadium and passes through West Hollywood and Beverly Hills before finishing in the City of Santa Monica at the intersection of Ocean and California Avenues, just steps from the Pacific Ocean. (Photo by Thomas R. Cordova/Daily Breeze)
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A runner makes his way through the Los Angeles Marathon in Los Angeles Sunday, March 18, 2018. The Stadium to the Sea course starts at Dodger Stadium and passes through West Hollywood and Beverly Hills before finishing in the City of Santa Monica at the intersection of Ocean and California Avenues, just steps from the Pacific Ocean. (Photo by Thomas R. Cordova/Daily Breeze)
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Taiko Drummers encourage runners up a steep hill in downtown LA as part of the Los Angeles Marathon in Los Angeles Sunday, March 18, 2018. The Stadium to the Sea course starts at Dodger Stadium and passes through West Hollywood and Beverly Hills before finishing in the City of Santa Monica at the intersection of Ocean and California Avenues, just steps from the Pacific Ocean. (Photo by Thomas R. Cordova/Daily Breeze)
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A lady and boy find a way to look over a fence as runners prepare for their start of the Los Angeles Marathon in Los Angeles Sunday, March 18, 2018. The Stadium to the Sea course starts at Dodger Stadium and passes through West Hollywood and Beverly Hills before finishing in the City of Santa Monica at the intersection of Ocean and California Avenues, just steps from the Pacific Ocean. (Photo by Thomas R. Cordova/Daily Breeze)
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The second wave of runners starts their Los Angeles Marathon in Los Angeles Sunday, March 18, 2018. The Stadium to the Sea course starts at Dodger Stadium and passes through West Hollywood and Beverly Hills before finishing in the City of Santa Monica at the intersection of Ocean and California Avenues, just steps from the Pacific Ocean. (Photo by Thomas R. Cordova/Daily Breeze)
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Thousands of runners take part in the Los Angeles Marathon 2018 at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles Sunday, March 18, 2018. The Stadium to the Sea course starts at Dodger Stadium and passes through West Hollywood and Beverly Hills before finishing in the City of Santa Monica at the intersection of Ocean and California Avenues, just steps from the Pacific Ocean. (Photo by Thomas R. Cordova/Daily Breeze)
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The elite woman runners get their start of the Los Angeles Marathon in Los Angeles Sunday, March 18, 2018. The Stadium to the Sea course starts at Dodger Stadium and passes through West Hollywood and Beverly Hills before finishing in the City of Santa Monica at the intersection of Ocean and California Avenues, just steps from the Pacific Ocean. (Photo by Thomas R. Cordova/Daily Breeze)
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Marathoners with big hearts get their start of the Los Angeles Marathon in Los Angeles Sunday, March 18, 2018. The Stadium to the Sea course starts at Dodger Stadium and passes through West Hollywood and Beverly Hills before finishing in the City of Santa Monica at the intersection of Ocean and California Avenues, just steps from the Pacific Ocean. (Photo by Thomas R. Cordova/Daily Breeze)
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A handcycle gets his start in the Los Angeles Marathon in Los Angeles Sunday, March 18, 2018. The Stadium to the Sea course starts at Dodger Stadium and passes through West Hollywood and Beverly Hills before finishing in the City of Santa Monica at the intersection of Ocean and California Avenues, just steps from the Pacific Ocean. (Photo by Thomas R. Cordova/Daily Breeze)
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The handcycle get their start in the Los Angeles Marathon in Los Angeles Sunday, March 18, 2018. The Stadium to the Sea course starts at Dodger Stadium and passes through West Hollywood and Beverly Hills before finishing in the City of Santa Monica at the intersection of Ocean and California Avenues, just steps from the Pacific Ocean. (Photo by Thomas R. Cordova/Daily Breeze)
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A wheelchair gets his start in the Los Angeles Marathon in Los Angeles Sunday, March 18, 2018. The Stadium to the Sea course starts at Dodger Stadium and passes through West Hollywood and Beverly Hills before finishing in the City of Santa Monica at the intersection of Ocean and California Avenues, just steps from the Pacific Ocean. (Photo by Thomas R. Cordova/Daily Breeze)
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Two runners in kimono run in the Los Angeles Marathon in Los Angeles Sunday, March 18, 2018. The Stadium to the Sea course starts at Dodger Stadium and passes through West Hollywood and Beverly Hills before finishing in the City of Santa Monica at the intersection of Ocean and California Avenues, just steps from the Pacific Ocean. (Photo by Thomas R. Cordova/Daily Breeze)
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Runners pass the front of TCL Chinese Theatre as part of the Los Angeles Marathon in Los Angeles Sunday, March 18, 2018. The Stadium to the Sea course starts at Dodger Stadium and passes through West Hollywood and Beverly Hills before finishing in the City of Santa Monica at the intersection of Ocean and California Avenues, just steps from the Pacific Ocean. (Photo by Thomas R. Cordova/Daily Breeze)
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A pink flamingo makes its way through the Los Angeles Marathon in Los Angeles Sunday, March 18, 2018. The Stadium to the Sea course starts at Dodger Stadium and passes through West Hollywood and Beverly Hills before finishing in the City of Santa Monica at the intersection of Ocean and California Avenues, just steps from the Pacific Ocean. (Photo by Thomas R. Cordova/Daily Breeze)
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Runners pass the El Capitan Theatre along Holywood Blvd part of the Los Angeles Marathon in Los Angeles Sunday, March 18, 2018. The Stadium to the Sea course starts at Dodger Stadium and passes through West Hollywood and Beverly Hills before finishing in the City of Santa Monica at the intersection of Ocean and California Avenues, just steps from the Pacific Ocean. (Photo by Thomas R. Cordova/Daily Breeze)
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Angela Shots dressed as Marilyn Monroe pauses during her run of the Los Angeles Marathon in Los Angeles Sunday, March 18, 2018. The Stadium to the Sea course starts at Dodger Stadium and passes through West Hollywood and Beverly Hills before finishing in the City of Santa Monica at the intersection of Ocean and California Avenues, just steps from the Pacific Ocean. (Photo by Thomas R. Cordova/Daily Breeze)
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A runner wears a sumo wrestlers mawashi as he runs the Los Angeles Marathon in Los Angeles Sunday, March 18, 2018. The Stadium to the Sea course starts at Dodger Stadium and passes through West Hollywood and Beverly Hills before finishing in the City of Santa Monica at the intersection of Ocean and California Avenues, just steps from the Pacific Ocean. (Photo by Thomas R. Cordova/Daily Breeze)
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Runners pass the Walt Disney Concert Hall in the Los Angeles Marathon 2018 at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles Sunday, March 18, 2018. The Stadium to the Sea course starts at Dodger Stadium and passes through West Hollywood and Beverly Hills before finishing in the City of Santa Monica at the intersection of Ocean and California Avenues, just steps from the Pacific Ocean. (Photo by Thomas R. Cordova/Daily Breeze)
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Thousands of runners take part in the Los Angeles Marathon 2018 at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles Sunday, March 18, 2018. The Stadium to the Sea course starts at Dodger Stadium and passes through West Hollywood and Beverly Hills before finishing in the City of Santa Monica at the intersection of Ocean and California Avenues, just steps from the Pacific Ocean. (Photo by Thomas R. Cordova/Daily Breeze)
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Runners huddle as they try to stay warm inside of Dodgers Stadium during the early morning before the start of the Los Angeles Marathon in Los Angeles Sunday, March 18, 2018. The Stadium to the Sea course starts at Dodger Stadium and passes through West Hollywood and Beverly Hills before finishing in the City of Santa Monica at the intersection of Ocean and California Avenues, just steps from the Pacific Ocean. (Photo by Thomas R. Cordova/Daily Breeze)
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Runners pass the Walt Disney Concert Hall in the Los Angeles Marathon 2018 at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles Sunday, March 18, 2018. The Stadium to the Sea course starts at Dodger Stadium and passes through West Hollywood and Beverly Hills before finishing in the City of Santa Monica at the intersection of Ocean and California Avenues, just steps from the Pacific Ocean. (Photo by Thomas R. Cordova/Daily Breeze)
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Santa Monica >> Weldon Kirui predicted on Friday he would reclaim the Los Angeles Marathon title he first won in 2016.
After all, Kirui was healthy, well-trained and this year he had his own racing flats.
A year ago Kirui arrived in Los Angeles, but his racing shoes were lost somewhere between Kenya and LAX. A new pair of flats couldn’t make up for an injury-marred build-up and when the race revved up in the final four miles, Kirui couldn’t hang, fading to fourth in 2 hours, 13 minutes, 24 seconds.
For this year’s Los Angeles race Kirui joined a training group headed by his friend Wilson Kipsang, the former marathon world recorder, in the Keiyo District in Kenya’s Rift Valley. Kirui increased both the volume and intensity of his training.
“I was healthy, I had the training and I had a plan,” Kirui said.
Sunday he waited until the 22nd mile to join Ethiopia’s Gebresadik Adihana in pushing the pace, a 4:38 mile dropping Barno and then a 4:30 25th mile finishing off Adihana en route to a 2:11:47 victory.
Wheelchair race
Wheelchair racers Krige Schabort and Michelle Wheeler went to the starting line at Dodgers Stadium Sunday morning with vastly different resumes. Schabort, 54, a native of South Africa who now competes for the U.S. was the veteran of “hundreds” of marathons. Wheeler was starting her seventh marathon.
Both produced winning results.
Schabort, racing in a new carbon fiber prototype chair, took the men’s race in 1:35.40, nearly four minutes ahead of Colombia’s Juan Ramon Valladares Hernandez (1:39:39).
Wheeler finished in 2:16:36 with Brazil’s Maria De Fatima Fonseca Chavez taking second in 2:18:12.
Wheeler was uncertain of her chances of winning, just hoping for a top three spot Sunday.
“At mile 15, I told myself ‘OK, I’m doing pretty good,’” she said. “and I just kept pushing.”
Wheeler and Schabort will pursue different courses after Los Angeles. Schabort will race both the Boston and London marathons next month while Wheeler is focusing on track.
U.S. women
It was a solid morning for the U.S. women, Americans taking half of the top 10 spots.
Heather Lieberg, a 38-year-old Helena, Montana second grade teacher, drove the pace through much of the race’s first half, leading as late as the 15 mile mark, before finishing ninth in 2:38:30.
Lieberg played two years of small college basketball, had three kids before deciding to give the marathon a try in 2007. Despite her busy schedule she qualified for the 2016 Olympic Trials.
Christina Vergara-Aleshire was the top American Sunday, finishing fourth overall with a late surge in 2:34.25.
Like Lieberg, Vergara-Aleshire came to the marathon relatively late. She entered the 2011 Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon in Las Vegas, running 3:31. “And I just fell in love with it,” she said. “That really started my passion for running.”
A races later she ran fast enough to catch the attention of coach Sylvia Mosqueda, a former NCAA cross country and 10,000-meter champion. Vergara-Aleshire turned pro and also qualified for the 2016 Olympic Trials.
Sunday she took more than four minutes off her personal best.
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