Zoya Ivanova

After surviving the 26 miles and 385 yards of the L.A. Marathon and Tan-off, four Soviet Union runners find themselves in the Sports Arena, at the bottom of a long escalator that is not escalating. Led by Zoya Ivanova, the overall women's winner, the Soviets shoulder their equipment bags and begin the long trek. They are halfway up when the escalator comes to life, heading down. Without a word, the Soviets continue up, four exhausted athletes on a weird American treadmill.

After surviving the 26 miles and 385 yards of the L.A. Marathon and Tan-off, four Soviet Union runners find themselves in the Sports Arena, at the bottom of a long escalator that is not escalating. Led by Zoya Ivanova, the overall women's winner, the Soviets shoulder their equipment bags and begin the long trek. They are halfway up when the escalator comes to life, heading down. Without a word, the Soviets continue up, four exhausted athletes on a weird American treadmill.

The heat was on during Sunday's fourth annual Los Angeles Marathon. For those among the 18,861 starters who ran, walked, rolled, limped, or collapsed across the finish line of the 26.2-mile journey, the unrelenting sun had been draining, but it made success even sweeter. Art Boileau, 31, of Canada, winner of the 1987 Los Angeles Marathon, finished first again, with a time of 2 hours, 13 minutes and 1 second. The Soviet Union's Zoya Ivanova was the women's winner at 2:34.

The heat was on during Sunday's fourth annual Los Angeles Marathon. For those among the 18,861 starters who ran, walked, rolled, limped, or collapsed across the finish line of the 26.2-mile journey, the unrelenting sun had been draining, but it made success even sweeter. Art Boileau, 31, of Canada, winner of the 1987 Los Angeles Marathon, finished first again, with a time of 2 hours, 13 minutes and 1 second. The Soviet Union's Zoya Ivanova was the women's winner at 2:34.

Is it possible that a race may be declared victorious in Sunday's fourth annual Los Angeles Marathon? That a course of deceptively undulating hills would prevail over the fittest runners? That bright sunshine would conquer even those athletes from the warmest regions of the world? Believe it. As runners began to peel off over the course of the race's 26 miles 385 yards, it became clear that this marathon would be a race of attrition.

Men *--* 1986 Rick Sayre 2:12:59 1987 Art Boileau 2:13:08 1988 Martin Mondragon 2:10:19 1989 Art Boileau 2:13:01 1990 Pedro Ortiz 2:11:54 1991 Mark Plaatjes 2:10:29 1992 John Treacy 2:12:29 1993 Joselido Rocha 2:14:28 1994 Paul Pilkington 2:12:13 1995 Rolando Vera 2:11:39 1996 Jose Luis Molina 2:13:23 1997 El-Maati Chaham 2:14:16 1998 Zebedayo Bayo 2:11:21 1999 Simon Bor 2:09:25 2000 Benson Mbithi 2:11:55 *--* Women *--* 1986 Nancy Ditz 2:36:27 1987 Nancy Ditz 2:35:24 1988 Blanca Jaime 2:36:11

MEN *--* 1986 Ric Sayre 2:12:59 1987 Art Boileau 2:13:08 1988 Martin Mondragon 2:10:19 1989 Art Boileau 2:13:01 1990 Pedro Ortiz 2:11:54 1991 Mark Plaatjes 2:10:29 1992 John Treacy 2:12:29 1993 Joselido Rocha 2:14:28 1994 Paul Pilkington 2:12:13 1995 Rolando Vera 2:11:39 1996 Jose Luis Molina 2:13:23 1997 El-Maati Chaham 2:14:16 1998 Zebedayo Bayo 2:11:21 1999 Simon Bor 2:09:25 2000 Benson Mbithi 2:11:55 2001 Stephen Ndungu 2:13:13 *--* WOMEN *--* 1986 Nancy Ditz 2:36:27 1987 Nancy Ditz 2:35:24

Today's fourth annual Los Angeles Marathon has its best elite field, in terms of names and times, but whether or not these athletes are prepared to run fast here is another matter. The race, which begins about 9 a.m., already has its largest field, surpassing last year's 17,040 entries. But some in the invitational field are saying this isn't the time for them to run fast.

Gidamis Shahanga, who led Sunday's Los Angeles Marathon for 26 miles, then dropped out of sight, surfaced Monday at a press conference, saying the heat had forced him to slow his pace. He finished fourth. Shahanga wasn't the only casualty claimed by Sunday's high temperatures, but his was the most dramatic fade. Shahanga, from Tanzania, said he was in control until the 20-mile mark. "I missed the water stations at 23 and 24 miles," he said. "I think that affected my performance.

The picture Channel 13 gave us most during Sunday's Los Angeles Marathon was that of Tanzania's Gidamis Shahanga sailing along way ahead of the rest of the field. But once Shahanga faded, even slowing to a walk at one point, he disappeared from the screen, never to be seen again. Did he quit altogether, or somehow make it to the finish? It wasn't until about a half-hour later, when the top five finishers were given, that viewers learned Shahanga came in fourth.

Is it possible that a race may be declared victorious in Sunday's fourth annual Los Angeles Marathon? That a course of deceptively undulating hills would prevail over the fittest runners? That bright sunshine would conquer even those athletes from the warmest regions of the world? Believe it. As runners began to peel off over the course of the race's 26 miles 385 yards, it became clear that this marathon would be a race of attrition.

Zoya Ivanova led a Soviet sweep in the women's marathon, winning in 2 hours 34 minutes 37 seconds. Ivanova, 38, and Irina Bogacheva ran side by side for virtually all of the first 17 miles of the 26-mile, 385-yard race. Ivanova, who has won 10 marathons, then charged in front as her teammate began to tire under humid conditions. Ivanova's best time was 2:27:57 in finishing second in the 1987 World Championships. She also was second in the 1985 World Cup.

The world's fastest marathon runner has arrived. If you doubt it, just listen for a moment. "I am the best," he says. "I can say for sure that I will win." Belayneh Densimo of Ethiopia knows he is the best because he set the world record of 2 hours 6 minutes 50 seconds last year at Rotterdam, the Netherlands. Today, he is the favorite in the 20th New York City Marathon. Why? Densimo tells you he is the favorite. "I don't want to be naughty," he says through an interpreter.