Students, staff participate, watch city's 15th - and rain-drenched - official 26.2-mile run
By JENNIE BEYER
Staff Writer
On a normal day, Del Taco is merely another fast-food restaurant on Figueroa Street. However, on Sunday the local snack spot became the two-mile mark for the 20,000 runners participating in the 15th Los Angeles Marathon.
Among the 20,000 participants running around the city in the rain were many USC students, staff and faculty. Some were first-timers, and others were marathon experts that have run up to 100 marathons.
The race began at Sixth and Figueroa streets in downtown Los Angeles, continued past the USC campus and down Exposition Boulevard and finished up 26.2 miles later in front of the central branch of the Los Angeles Public Library at Fifth and Flower streets.
Training for the marathon can be a difficult task. Marathon runners preparing for the event often run anywhere from a couple miles up to the full 26.2-mile marathon length.
"I usually do shorter runs, about six to seven miles on weekdays and longer, anything up to 26 miles on the weekends," said John Dunham, a senior majoring in cinema-television.
Spirits were high despite the downpour that surprised marathon participants. Most runners still wore shorts and tank tops and many protected themselves from the rain by wearing garbage bags or easily disposable rain slickers.
For many the goal is not to win a prize or be recognized for the fastest time, but merely the personal goals of setting a new time for veterans and sometimes just finishing for amateurs.
"I was hoping just to finish the race under five hours," said Kim Hammerschmitt, an undeclared sophomore. "Considering it's my first marathon, finishing is my main goal."
Benson Mutisya-Mbithi, a 21- year-old Kenyan, placed first with a two-hour, 11-minute and 55-second time.