42nd Long Beach Marathon: Wind, rain dampen course, but not runners’ spirits

A light drizzle and wind were the weather conditions that thousands of runners had to face this year for the 42nd annual Long Beach Marathon on Sunday morning, Oct. 11.

As this year’s participants took on city streets, thousands of spectators were along Shoreline Drive to cheer them on. Friends and family held up signs, and made a lot of noise as marathoners made their way through the 26.2-mile course.

The Long Beach Marathon is one of the city’s largest annual events, which also includes a popular half-marathon. The event was sold out again this year, with more than 28,000 participants, organizers said.

This year’s winners were fast, breaking many of the event’s record times. Xavier Smith, 26, from Lake Forest in Orange County, came in first in the men’s full marathon in a time of 2 hours, 24 minutes and 56 seconds. Second place went to Adam Sage, 24 and Austin O’Neil, 32, came in third.

“I was pretty confident I was going to win,” Smith said, who has won two other marathons prior but it was his first time competing in Long Beach. “The ocean breeze and the crowds are amazing, pretty good course and good weather, I liked the drizzle.”

In the women’s full marathon, Jules Madzia, 31, from Cincinnati, Ohio, came in first in a time of 2 hours, 47 minutes and 34 seconds. Diana Barron, 27, came in second and Megan Hansen, 28, came in third.

“I loved it, it’s such a cool course, it was so much fun,” Madzia said. “I loved coming the last two miles here and seeing all the spectators and feeling all the energy.”

Completing the Long Beach course is a great feat for both trained runners and first-timers. More than 28,000 people participated in the Long Beach Marathon events throughout the race weekend.

There was no bike tour this year, organizers said, to accommodate the growing number of racers that signed up for the Sunday events. It also allowed for the finish line to have more space for participants to catch their breath before meeting up with family, friends and loved ones to celebrate.

Race weekend kicked off on Friday, Oct. 9, with the free Health and Fitness Expo at the Long Beach Convention Center, followed by the Aquarium of the Pacific 5K, which draws thousands of runners before Sunday’s marquee races.

Due to elevated tides and oceanfront conditions, organizers announced Saturday afternoon a precautionary course adjustment, rerouting approximately 1.5 miles of the course away from the beachfront path just before the 8-mile mark.

“The safety of our participants, volunteers and spectators remains our top priority,” organizers said in the Saturday press release. “Race officials continue to closely monitor weather forecasts, tidal conditions and the course in coordination with the City of Long Beach and local public safety agencies.”

Despite a light drizzle and wind picking up later in the morning, participants for the marathon and half-marathon started on Sunday right on schedule. A few runners could be seen wearing ponchos as they started the race.

There was a wide range of participants – from a 91-year old Legacy Runner to mothers pushing their children in strollers.

While approximately 7,000 people took part in the full marathon, 1,600 runners participated in the half-marathon, organizers said. The 13.1-mile half marathon began an hour after the full one, which started at 5:30 a.m.

Salvador Capetillo, 28, from Flagstaff, Arizona, won among the men – who came in second last year. Jonathan Velasco, 26, came in second and Anthony Solis, 36,  finished in third. On the women’s side, Bailey Hertenstein, 26, from Boulder, Colorado, placed first; Lisa Goodin, 40, placed second; and McKenna Paulson, 25, came in third.

The top three male and female finishers in the marathon and half-marathon will receive prize money. First place will get $1,000, second place will get $500 and third place will get $250.

Some runners participate for other reasons, such as raising funds for charities and nonprofits – such as Ainsley’s Angels, an organization that aims to build awareness about the special needs community through inclusion.

Motiv Sports – the event organizer – also partners with the American Cancer Society to raise funds for each of the race events, and this year raised over $165,000, according to organizers.

Throughout the day, thousands of spectators crowded the start and finish line along Shoreline Drive to support family members, loved ones and friends with posters, banners, flowers and more.

Whittier resident Gladyz Ordonez was holding up a sign to motivate not only her 20-year-old son Kai Higashiyama, who was running a half-marathon for the first time, but also to inspire everyone who made it to the course, she said.

“I’m super proud of him,” Ordonez said. “I’m a mom so I also feel proud of everyone that’s here.”