The Los Angeles Marathon marathon is slowly melting down in the eyes of many runners.
The 23-year-old race was recently sold and moved to a different date.
Many runners already were upset because, in September, LA Marathon LLC, which has acquired rights to operate the marathon, agreed to a city demand that the race be moved from its traditional Sunday in early March date to the Monday Presidents' Day holiday that will fall on Feb. 16 next year.
But now the plans have changed yet again. The marathon has now been rerescheduled for Memorial Day instead.
According to the The LA Times:
"The reaction among distance runners to the recent announcement that the Los Angeles Marathon date is being shifted to Memorial Day beginning next year was fast and, in many cases, furious.
Many runners echoed the concerns of Lou Briones, 60, of Los Angeles. He is one of 248 runners who have competed in each of the 23 previous races that were run on Sundays in early March, earning the nickname "Legacy Lou."
"It's a huge blow to me personally, and, I think, to a lot of other people who plan their marathons and triathlons a year in advance," Briones said. "Sure, being a 'legacy runner' is important to me and a lot of other runners. But the race begins to lose its luster when they do something like this.
Many runners already were upset because, in September, LA Marathon LLC, which has acquired rights to operate the marathon, agreed to a city demand that the race be moved from its traditional Sunday in early March date to the Monday Presidents' Day holiday that will fall on Feb. 16 next year.
That calendar change was designed to address complaints from religious leaders, who blamed race-day road closures and traffic congestion for making it difficult for their congregations to get to church. Several ministers attended a City Council meeting in September when the issue was discussed and applauded the decision to switch to a Monday race."
The 23-year-old race was recently sold and moved to a different date.
Many runners already were upset because, in September, LA Marathon LLC, which has acquired rights to operate the marathon, agreed to a city demand that the race be moved from its traditional Sunday in early March date to the Monday Presidents' Day holiday that will fall on Feb. 16 next year.
But now the plans have changed yet again. The marathon has now been rerescheduled for Memorial Day instead.
According to the The LA Times:
"The reaction among distance runners to the recent announcement that the Los Angeles Marathon date is being shifted to Memorial Day beginning next year was fast and, in many cases, furious.
Many runners echoed the concerns of Lou Briones, 60, of Los Angeles. He is one of 248 runners who have competed in each of the 23 previous races that were run on Sundays in early March, earning the nickname "Legacy Lou."
"It's a huge blow to me personally, and, I think, to a lot of other people who plan their marathons and triathlons a year in advance," Briones said. "Sure, being a 'legacy runner' is important to me and a lot of other runners. But the race begins to lose its luster when they do something like this.
Many runners already were upset because, in September, LA Marathon LLC, which has acquired rights to operate the marathon, agreed to a city demand that the race be moved from its traditional Sunday in early March date to the Monday Presidents' Day holiday that will fall on Feb. 16 next year.
That calendar change was designed to address complaints from religious leaders, who blamed race-day road closures and traffic congestion for making it difficult for their congregations to get to church. Several ministers attended a City Council meeting in September when the issue was discussed and applauded the decision to switch to a Monday race."