Finally Here! The Inaugural Hollywood Half Marathon

Hollywood finally had its own Half Marathon. Hollywood Half Marathon & 5K / 10K was a brand-new and exciting Hollywood themed event with a catch phrase of “Run with the Stars in The Entertainment Capital of the World.”

The Hollywood 10K & Walk of Fame 5K started on Hollywood Boulevard between Highland & Sycamore at 8 a.m. on April 7, which saw nearly 3,000 participants filling the street. It was quite a rare occasion to see Hollywood Boulevard, which is usually packed with tourists, closed besides such events as the premiers and the "red carpet" for movies/films.

Two hours in advance of the 5K & 10K, the half marathon started near Universal Studios City Walk. The marathon was limited to 7,500 participants, and was sold out months before the race date.

This 13.1mile took runners through the heart of Hollywood, Studio City, Sunset Boulevard, and along the Walk of Fame. Runners were welcomed to come as they are, but they were also encouraged to dress up as their favorite celebrity. As the runners reached the goal, they were to walk down a movie-premiere style red carpet and photo backdrop to celebrate their victory in style when receiving the beautiful Hollywood Star Medal.

“I decided to run this marathon because it was a brand new event, and the star medal seemed to be really gorgeous. The race was very entertaining and fun because the whole event had the essence of the world’s famous ‘Hollywood’ everywhere. It was my first time to be on the red carpet which was exciting too!” said Marian Leonard, a 31-year-old Hollywood Half Marathon finisher.

The next event organized is the Florida Hollywood Half Marathon on Dec. 2, 2012. This race is going to be the east coast edition of the Hollywood Half Marathon, which would be limited to only 5,000 participants. The organizers plan to have the red carpet to bring the glitz, glam, and star-studded theme to Florida. 

Also, the Hollywood Half Marathon & 5K / 10K next year is already scheduled on April 6, 2013. Register before it sells out and be sure to mark your calendar. 

Check out the details at the event's social network accounts.

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/HollywoodHalf

Twitter: Hollywood1/2Marathon @HollywoodHalf https://twitter.com/#!/hollywoodhalf

Soaking Up the LA Marathon 2012

Last Sunday, on March 18, 1 million spectators watched more than 23,000 runners run through the City of Angels in the 27th Annual Honda Los Angeles Marathon.

All participants started off at Dodger Stadium just after 7 a.m. under cold and cloudy skies. The weather forecast predicted there might be a chance of rain, as it did during last year's marathon, when 2.36 inches fell. However, there was no rain throughout the entire race.

The so-called "Stadium to the Sea" course, is considered to be among the top 10 marathons in the world. Runners continued through downtown L.A. and into Echo Park on the East side of town before hitting the famous landmarks, including Hollywood, West Hollywood, Sunset Boulevard, Rodeo Drive, Beverly Hills and Santa Monica Boulevard. Then runners tackled an incline at the Veterans Administration grounds in Brentwood and continued to head west to the Pacific, crossed the finish line at the world’s famous Santa Monica Pier.

In the long history of L.A. Marathon, there has been a tradition for encouraging entertainment along the way. Music by local bands, dancing, cheerleading and other sorts of entertainment kept spirits up, runners going and spectators staying. Many spectators, families and friends of the runners were shouting out the runner’s name, as the bibs had their names printed on them.

The reward ahead in Santa Monica was the shiny blue Pacific in all its glory. Every finisher expressed joy, happiness and excitement when they reached the goal.

“The 26.2 mile journey was longer than I thought and was quite tough. But when I reached the goal, I forgot about all that. I was so excited and incredibly proud of myself for my big accomplishment. Many friends came out to support me and I had so much fun.” said Kevin Wagner, a 36-year-old first-time runner.

So now do you feel like participating in the Honda L.A. Marathon next year? Mark your calendars for March 17, 2013.

St. Patrick’s Day Community 5K Run/Walk

SoCal was pouring this Saturday with rain and wind starting up around 6 a.m. However, believe it or not, Redondo Beach painted the town green.

The wildly popular St. Patrick's Day 5k Run/Community Walk & Kids Dash Little Leprechaun “Dash for the Gold” Event, put by the Village Runner, took place on March 17 at Redondo Beach, Calif.

The event was open to the entire public and a portion of registration fees benefit Saint Lawrence Martyr Education Foundation located in Redondo Beach.

As the clock hit 8 a.m., all participants started either walking, jogging or running. There were such a variety of people in the event. For example, there were people jogging with their dogs, couples walking with their baby-cart and a group wearing a pair of shoes that had heels more than 10cm high.

An 80-year-old woman, who was the oldest participant in the race, celebrated her birthday that day by jogging with her daughter and grandchildren. Many participants praised her when she reached the goal.

All participants received a St. Patrick's Day Run t-shirt. There were also age division awards and cash prizes to the top three overall male and female finishers in the 5K.

Although it was a raining so hard, everyone had smiles on their faces. 

 “I enjoyed running with my friends in the neighborhood. My mom bought me these green T-shirt and socks for me.” a 7-year-old boy Edward Murray said, with a big clover face print.

This race might be the perfect example of why people love the South Bay. There is always a great community celebration going on right in their own backyard, and you could feel the sense of community.

The participants had a happy and healthy St. Patrick’s Day for sure.