L.A. Marathon: Young and old enjoy the fun

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Along a stretch of Burton Way where Los Angeles meets Beverly Hills, a couple of dozen people gathered to watch the L.A. Marathon on Sunday, some sipping coffee and others chit-chatting about their dogs.

They erupted in cheers as a pack of lead runners zoomed by, just south of the 16-mile marker. A three-man rock band played from the grassy median on an otherwise sleepy morning. One man stood in front of them swaying his hips to the music. A gaggle of Los Angeles and Beverly Hills police officers directed traffic away from the race course and guided runners on the correct path.

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Woodrow Clark, who lives just down the block in Beverly Hills, brought his 5-year-old son to see the race. The boy had asked to come after seeing signs about the event.

As Clark pointed out that the runners had just finished their sixteenth mile, the boy’s eyes grew big.

‘That’s a long way!’ he shouted.

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‘It’s inspiring for someone that is 5 to see something like this,’ Clark said.

Clark said the race coming through this neighborhood is good for those who live in the area. The blocked roads, he said, encourage people to stay in the neighborhood and take in the event. ‘It really gets people out here on the street to see it,’ he said.

About 24,000 runners were expected to participate in the 28th Asics L.A. Marathon.

The 26.2-mile event began at Dodger Stadium, winding through Los Angeles, West Hollywood and Beverly Hills before ending at the intersection of Ocean Avenue and California Avenue in Santa Monica.

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-- Stephen Ceasar in Beverly Hills