LA, OC Runners Win Long Beach Marathon

Lenore Moreno of West Covina was the women’s winner in today’s 31st annual Long Beach Marathon, finishing 27 minutes, 50 seconds ahead of runner-up Megan Woodward, while Peter Chemaoy of Newport Beach was the men’s winner.

Moreno completed the 26-mile, 385-yard course in two hours, 40 minutes, 42 seconds. Woodward, of Carlsbad, was second in 3:08:32 and Haley Krentz, of San Francisco, third in 3:09.22.

Chemaoy won in 2:31:24. Tlaloc Venancio of San Diego was second in 2:33:27 and Dirian Bonilla third in 2:36:20.

The forecast of hot weather prompted organizers to increase water and supplies at each of the 18 water stations on the marathon course and have additional electrolyte supplies at the nine water stations electrolytes are also available.

Runners who entered the half-marathon were given the option of starting with the marathon field at 6 a.m., instead of with the half-marathon field at 7:30 a.m. so they could run in cooler temperatures.

However, half-marathon runners competing for overall or age division awards were required to start at 7:30 a.m. to comply with rules of USA Track & Field, the sport’s national governing body.

A field of approximately 4,000 entered the marathon, while about another 13,500 entered the half-marathon and about 2,500 registered for the 20-mile bicycle tour, organizers said.

The combined marathon and half-marathon fields consisted of runners from 45 states and 52 nations, according to organizers.

The marathon course started on Shoreline Drive. Runners then passed through The Pike at Rainbow Harbour retail and entertainment center, ran on the Long Beach (710) Freeway and crossed the Queensway Bridge to the bow of the Queen Mary.

The field looped around the Lighthouse at Rainbow Harbor, headed to Pierpoint Landing, then back through the start/finish area.

The sixth through 10th miles were run a few feet from the Pacific Ocean. The course then went through the Belmont Shore neighborhood, passed Marine Stadium, went around Colorado Lagoon, passing the Long Beach Recreation Golf Course.

The 16th through 20th miles were a 5-kilometer loop through Cal State Long Beach. The runners then headed back to the finish line on Shoreline Drive.

The race had a new title sponsor, the airline JetBlue, and its official title is the JetBlue Long Beach Marathon.

Run Racing, the race’s owner, and JetBlue will make a matching donation of 20 cents per run by the field to the Joan Van Bloom Foundation, part of Long Beach Unified School District Athletics. The estimated donation is $60,000, according to Scot Breithaupt, the director of marketing for Run Racing.

The Long Beach Marathon was first held in 1982. The race was disbanded in 1996 because of financial problems, then revived in 1999 under new management.

City News Service