More than 25000 runners competed in the L.A. Marathon on Sunday starting at Dodger Stadium and ending at the Santa Monica pier. A few members of the Pepperdine community participated in the event.
Having never completed a marathon before junior Jennifer Kerns aimed to beat a finish time of four hours. She cruised through the finish line at three hours and 55 minutes averaging nine-minute miles.
Kerns whose training peaked with a 24-mile run recalled that she could not even run two miles before she started training. She began training last summer for November’s Malibu International Half Marathon. After completing the half marathon she decided to pursue her goal of finishing a full marathon.
“Running a marathon is something that has always been on my bucket list and I decided that I was going to check it off Kerns said.
A soccer and volleyball player in high school, Kerns boasts a foundation of athletic discipline, enabling her to wake up most days of the week at 4:30 a.m. for two-hour runs.
After a while it became kind of like walking a dog Kerns said. If I didn’t run my body would say to me ‘Come on let’s go on our run!'”
Despite the challenge Kerns seemed to enjoy her morning runs referring to them as “me time.” “There isn’t Facebook or any text messages that get in my way she said. I am left only to my thoughts or music.”
Journalism professor and Graphic advisor Elizabeth Smith and senior Alysha Nizam completed the marathon Sunday as well. This was Smith’s second time running the L.A. Marathon and she said she was impressed by the scale and organization of the event.
“The start line was phenomenal she said. All of Dodger Stadium was open to us and we could stretch on the field and all the lights were on and the jumbotron was on and they had music playing and it was just so festive. They made it seem like it was such a celebration.”
Nizam mother of four has returned to Pepperdine to complete her degree in nutritional science. Like Kerns Nizam decided to begin checking off items from her bucket list. Her first goal was the Malibu Triathlon.
“Growing up in Malibu a junior lifeguard and a swim team competitor through high school it was at the top of the list Nizam said. The only problem was that I hated running.”
She began to warm up to running and entered herself in a few Southern California half marathons. “I loved the City of Angels Half Marathon running the streets of L.A. she said. I thought [of] that L.A. Marathon route with all of the sights I would pass [and] I had to do it.”
Nizam enjoyed the first 18 miles of the run spotting attractions like Chinatown (dragons hanging over the street) Disney Concert Hall Echo Park Fountain Hollywood Boulevard and Rodeo Drive. Nizam kept a 10-minute-mile pace.
The scene at the marathon took Kerns by surprise. “There were more than 20000 people there so when I went to the ‘starting line’ I didn’t realize until later that I had started two minutes away from it she said.
She also described the chaos associated with the start of the race. People were falling left and right Kerns said. Some would throw their sweatshirts off and people would trip over them and others were being pushed over a short white fence.”
There were 25 aid stations positioned at every mile marker along the course. During the race Kerns had to decide whether to only drink water or to take other products from the aid stations. “The stations were handing out things like Goo running gel and different foods like oranges she said. I’ve always only trained with water so I wasn’t sure what those things would do to my body.”
Kerns detailed the bizarre sight of men and women taking Vaseline from the aid stations and slabbing it all over their chaffing thighs. “People were getting their calves sprayed with some sort of peppermint mist to loosen their muscles she said.
As the race pressed on, she saw a number of runners collapse from exhaustion or cramps. Kerns recalled, I saw a few men run past me and I thought to myself ‘Wow he’s a great runner’ and only moments later he hit the floor in the agony of a muscle cramp.”
Each runner was not only identified by a number but also by his or her name. Kerns and Smith found it encouraging to hear strangers calling their names cheering them on. “All along the course it was filled with fans and supporters and people cheering you on Smith said. There was just such a great spirit. All along the way people were like ‘Go Elizabeth!’ and they did not know me.”
As Smith neared the finish line she heard a roar of cheering behind her.
“I turned around and somebody had sped up and they were trying to sprint the last however-many yards Smith said. The crowd was just going crazy for the person.”
Nizam experienced sprinting out the last hundred yards first-hand. “Seeing the blue finish line and the clock with all the screaming people and the kids from Students Run Los Angeles (a mentoring program) sprinting just carried me over the line.”
The most difficult part of the race for Kerns proved to be the final stretch.
“The longest part of the race was when I reached the 26-mile marker and still had that last .2 to go.”
Kern’s experience at the finish line was wrought with emotion.
“As I finished relief hit me she said. I was overwhelmed and began to cry. I couldn’t believe I had finished.”
Kerns and Smith both celebrated their achievements with well-deserved meals.
“The best part of running a marathon is the food that you get to eat afterward Smith said. My husband and I went The Counter in Santa Monica. I ate a whole burger and a tray of sweet potato fries while my husband had maybe two handfuls.”
“After the race I was off to celebrate with blueberry pancakes that were worth every mile Kerns said.
All three Pepperdine women plan to run at least one more marathon.
It’s not just for crazy people Kerns said. I never thought of myself as a runner but now I am so proud. It’s something that no one can take away from you.”