Runners Race To First Pasadena Marathon

As the Pasadena Marathon beings on Sunday, bike-riders will be set off first from Pasadena City College at 6 AM. Runners will follow at 6:30.

Amazingly, the Pasadena Marathon race course had not even been finalized until Nov. 12th.

There are 8,000 official participants in the simultaneous marathon, half-marathon, bike tour, 5k and fun run/walk events. Temperatures are expected to be high, in the 90s, which surely will not help those fighting the Yorba Linda / Anaheim Hills fire, but Pasadena Marathon race participants as well as the sponsor, Kaiser Permanente, will be prepared.

Pasadena Marathon Medical Director, Alexander Espinoza, MD, physician at the Kaiser Permanente East Los Angeles medical offices, said:

”I’m a long-time Pasadena resident and marathon runner myself. Our call for medical volunteers was a resounding success. I’ll be joined by approximately 70 enthusiastic physicians, nurses, physical therapists and medical professionals from Kaiser Permanente who are coming out to provide medical attention and encouragement along the route. We want everyone to enjoy themselves, but we also want them to be safe.”

Much of the course will be uphill, and contestants labeled the course as "tough."

Unfortunately, much of the attention in the U.S. will continue to watch the Yorba Linda / Anaheim Hills fire, which will reduce the glitz of the Pasadena Marathon's first race, but many still hope this will become a tradition.