And they’re off and running! Long Beach Marathon’s throngs get early start today

The 40th annual Long Beach Marathon kicked up its heels  before dawn this morning —  earlier than originally scheduled — 22,000 runners pouring into the city’s roadways.

Thousands of runners arrived in the pre-dawn hours Sunday, stretching and chatting before the the milestone race and its related events. It cool before the sun rose, but it was expected to get hotter soon.

The main race began at 5:47 a.m. — 17 minutes late because organizers were waiting for clearance from police to begin the race.

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Because of a heat wave predicted for the weekend, race organizers last week moved up the times of various events. The wheelchair marathon and half-marathon were scheduled for 5:25 a.m. Sunday. The marathon and bike marathon were scheduled to begin five minutes later, while the half-marathon would begin at 6:30 a.m.

The first Long Beach Marathon was held in 1982, the brainchild of local YMCA members who wanted to bring a marathon to their own city amidst the running boom in the late 1970s, according to a press release.

“Long Beach is a great city, and running is part of it,” former race director Joe Carlson said in a statement. “There’s a rich history here.”

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Carlson has lived all 73 years of his life in Long Beach and was the Long Beach Marathon race director for nine years from 1984 through 1992. About 1,600 runners participated in the first race, Carlson said.

In the event’s history, there was about a three-year gap in the mid 1990s when the marathon was not held. According to Carlson, about a dozen men ran the 26.2-miles each year during the gap to keep their local marathon streak alive.

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The race also is a significant fundraising platform for dozens of charities and nonprofit organizations, including Team Challenge in 2024, which has raised more than $150,000 for the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation.

Race officials encouragedrunners to wear sweat-wicking fabrics that give their bodies the best chance to regulate temperature and help prevent overheating, with lightweight, light-colored clothing, hats and sunscreen strongly recommended.

Runners are also advised to reassess their time goals as running in the heat is more challenging and to slow down or take breaks when needed.

Runners with smartwatches were encouraged to pay attention to their heart rates and body temperatures.

Runners experiencing dizziness, nausea, chills or who stop sweating are advised to stop running, hydrate, find shade, wait for symptoms to improve and seek help if necessary.

The races have been sold out for the past three weeks, with 4,520 runners entering the marathon, 12,047 the half-marathon and 1,479 the bike tour, race publicist Dan Cruz said. Registration is up 27% from last year, Cruz said.

Field sizes are limited to ensure participant safety and due to course logistics, particularly in sections with limited space, Cruz said. Modifications were made at the start line to accommodate the growing numbers, Cruz said.

City News Service contributed to this report