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Despite cold weather and heavy rain, first-timer Markos Genet of Ethiopia won the Los Angeles Marathon this morning, breaking the course record by almost two minutes with a finish time of 2:06:35. The 26.2 mile race from Dodger Stadium to Santa Monica was Geneti’s first competitive marathon, reports NBC Local.
Buzunesh Deba, also from Ethiopia, captured the women’s division with a time of 2:26:34 and Krige Schabirt, a former soldier from South Africa won the wheelchair division with a time of 1:35:12.
Notes NBC Local:
"The race started at Dodger Stadium on nearly-dry pavement, but soaking rain and driving winds developed a half hour into the race. There was ankle-deep water in Brentwood, and cold, wet winds lashed the finish line. Spectator turnout along the route, from Dodger Stadium to downtown Los Angeles, and then west to Santa Monica, was significantly lower than in years past, no doubt due to the weather."