Los Angeles Marathon Running

Count Saul Mendoza among the few who are actually looking forward to another waterlogged Los Angeles Marathon when more than 23,000 competitors take to the streets today for the 16th running of the event. The four-time men's wheelchair division champion said rain-slicked streets help his finishing time. "That's actually one of my favorite times," Mendoza said. "It's hard for us, but I always enjoy racing in the rain and I'm ready for that.

Count Saul Mendoza among the few who are actually looking forward to another waterlogged Los Angeles Marathon when more than 23,000 competitors take to the streets today for the 16th running of the event. The four-time men's wheelchair division champion said rain-slicked streets help his finishing time. "That's actually one of my favorite times," Mendoza said. "It's hard for us, but I always enjoy racing in the rain and I'm ready for that.

Gianni Poli, Italy's top marathon runner, set a killer pace in Sunday's third running of the Los Angeles Marathon. Poli, a two-time winner of the New York Marathon, left the field of 17,040 participants in the dust as he quickly sprinted to the front. Was Poli crazy? "I run easier by myself," said Poli, who isn't usually a front-runner but established an early 18-second lead. "I prefer to run alone. Running in a pack is difficult for me."

Question: Why is the Los Angeles Marathon called the Peoples' Marathon, and what does it contribute to the city of Los Angeles? Answer: The marathon was designed to meet the runners' needs within the limits imposed by the size of the race and to provide a pageant for the city. More than one million spectators lined the route last year and another 160,000 attended the festival at Exposition Park.

Question: Why is the Los Angeles Marathon called the Peoples' Marathon, and what does it contribute to the city of Los Angeles? Answer: The marathon was designed to meet the runners' needs within the limits imposed by the size of the race and to provide a pageant for the city. More than one million spectators lined the route last year and another 160,000 attended the festival at Exposition Park.

SANTIAGO HIGH SCHOOL: Maria Velazquez Maria has been a champion of her school both in the galleries of fine art and on the roads of the grueling Los Angeles Marathon, running with fellow students. A gifted artist, she was a member of the Art Club and participated in the school district's Festival of the Arts, sidewalk chalk-drawing demonstrations, the Imagination Celebration and the Courtyard Center Art Show.

Gianni Poli, Italy's top marathon runner, set a killer pace in Sunday's third running of the Los Angeles Marathon. Poli, a two-time winner of the New York Marathon, left the field of 17,040 participants in the dust as he quickly sprinted to the front. Was Poli crazy? "I run easier by myself," said Poli, who isn't usually a front-runner but established an early 18-second lead. "I prefer to run alone. Running in a pack is difficult for me."