Councilman Bernard Parks, who last week asked city administrators to enter negotiations with Going The Distance on a new deal, said Wednesday that his concerns about the city's ability to better oversee the race had been answered. "I want to thank the new owners for their vote of confidence in the race," Parks said.
Councilman Greg Smith said that, under the current management, "we had a race that was going down, it was spiraling in the wrong direction." He added that McCourt had "really made a commitment" to the race.
For The Record
Los Angeles Times Friday, September 19, 2008 Home Edition Main News Part A Page 2 National Desk 1 inches; 33 words Type of Material: Correction
L.A. Marathon: An article about the Los Angeles Marathon in Thursday's Sports section incorrectly listed the proposed date for the next race as Feb. 19, 2009. The correct date is Feb. 16, 2009.
Pillar, who attended Wednesday's meeting, said he would talk more about his race management plans after Friday's council vote. McCourt has described the race as "an important civic asset that has the potential to have an even greater positive impact on the City of Los Angeles."
The deal that will go before the full council Friday would transfer operating rights to Going The Distance. The new company would have exclusive rights to market the Los Angeles Marathon and use the race's logo. In exchange, the company will pay an annual licensing fee.
Race observers said that training regimes won't be affected by the shift to a Monday.
"I'm of the mind that most people over-train for the last two weeks before a marathon, so this is going to work out great," said Amby Burfoot, editor-at-large for Runner's World Magazine.
Burfoot said that the new race managers will get one shot to get the race right. "They've got to appeal to middle-of-the-pack runners," Burfoot said. "Don't try and out-Boston the Boston Marathon. Do the nuts and bolts stuff right."
Jeff Vannini, co-owner of Phidippides Encino, one of Southern California's premier running stores, said that "the only wild card I can think of is the weather . . . It seems to me that a move later into March might bring better weather."
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greg.johnson@latimes.com
