LONG BEACH >> The bodies moving around in the dark at 5 a.m. Sunday all seemed to know where they were going even if they couldn’t see past their nose. The Sports Arena parking lot offers ample opportunities for tripping, too.
But who is more assured of his steps than a long-distance runner? And so they stretched and jogged in the darkest-at-the-dawn as they made their way to the start of the Long Beach Marathon, at 6 a.m., with the soft lights from the Port adding a slice of color.
Holding hands, Adrian Chavira and Lydia Dominguez cross the finish line together in the JetBlue Half Marathon in Long Beach, CA, on Sunday, October 13, 2019. (Photo by Tracey Roman, Contributing Photographer)
Runners make their way into the final stretch of the JetBlue Marathon in Long Beach, CA, on Sunday, October 13, 2019. (Photo by Tracey Roman, Contributing Photographer)
Runners in the JetBlue Half Marathon make their way to the finish line in Long Beach, CA, on Sunday, October 13, 2019. (Photo by Tracey Roman, Contributing Photographer)
A runner jumps in the air and celebrates crossing the finish line in the JetBlue Half Marathon in Long Beach, CA, on Sunday, October 13, 2019. (Photo by Tracey Roman, Contributing Photographer)
The JetBlue Half Marathon gets underway on Ocean Boulevard in Long Beach, CA, on Sunday, October 13, 2019. (Photo by Tracey Roman, Contributing Photographer)
Even Caraballo, Yani Nunez, and Ashley Caraballo cheer on runners near the end of the JetBlue Marathon in Long Beach, CA, on Sunday, October 13, 2019. (Photo by Tracey Roman, Contributing Photographer)
Runners celebrate as they cross the finish line in the JetBlue Marathon in Long Beach, CA, on Sunday, October 13, 2019. (Photo by Tracey Roman, Contributing Photographer)
The Pace runners are right on time as they cross the finish line in the JetBlue Marathon in Long Beach, CA, on Sunday, October 13, 2019. (Photo by Tracey Roman, Contributing Photographer)
Runners get their medals after crossing the finish line in the JetBlue Marathon in Long Beach, CA, on Sunday, October 13, 2019. (Photo by Tracey Roman, Contributing Photographer)
Giving the runners a little super power, a young man holds a sign to support the participants in the JetBlue Marathon in Long Beach, CA, on Sunday, October 13, 2019. (Photo by Tracey Roman, Contributing Photographer)
A runner celebrates as she crosses the finish line in the JetBlue Marathon in Long Beach, CA, on Sunday, October 13, 2019. (Photo by Tracey Roman, Contributing Photographer)
Cori Salazar and Nikki Garcia cheers on a runner participating in the JetBlue Marathon in Long Beach, CA, on Sunday, October 13, 2019. (Photo by Tracey Roman, Contributing Photographer)
Runners make their way past popular landmarks in Shoreline as they participate in the JetBlue Marathon in Long Beach, CA, on Sunday, October 13, 2019. (Photo by Tracey Roman, Contributing Photographer)
Sergio Reyes wins the JetBlue Half Marathon in Long Beach, CA, on Sunday, October 13, 2019. (Photo by Tracey Roman, Contributing Photographer)
Runner Noelle Polmanteer gets a high five at the finish line from City Auditor Laura Doud after running the JetBlue Half Marathon in Long Beach, CA, on Sunday, October 13, 2019. (Photo by Tracey Roman, Contributing Photographer)
Participants in the JetBlue Half Marathon make their way up and down Ocean Boulevard in Long Beach, CA, on Sunday, October 13, 2019. (Photo by Tracey Roman, Contributing Photographer)
Adriana Gomez of Santa Ana celebrates as she crosses the finish line in the JetBlue Half Marathon in Long Beach, CA, on Sunday, October 13, 2019. (Photo by Tracey Roman, Contributing Photographer)
Runners celebrate as they cross the finish line in the JetBlue Half Marathon in Long Beach, CA, on Sunday, October 13, 2019. (Photo by Tracey Roman, Contributing Photographer)
Nate Clayson is the winner of the JetBlue Marathon in Long Beach, CA, on Sunday, October 13, 2019. (Photo by Tracey Roman, Contributing Photographer)
Nina Zarina is the first place women finisher of the JetBlue Marathon in Long Beach, CA, on Sunday, October 13, 2019. (Photo by Tracey Roman, Contributing Photographer)
The First hand crank cyclist makes his way past the finish line at the JetBlue Marathon in Long Beach, CA, on Sunday, October 13, 2019. (Photo by Tracey Roman, Contributing Photographer)
Finisher medals lay out at the finish line as the JetBlue Marathon in Long Beach, CA, is starting to finish up on Sunday, October 13, 2019. (Photo by Tracey Roman, Contributing Photographer)
JetBlue Marathon runners make their way around Shoreline Drive as they run the streets in Long Beach, CA, on Sunday, October 13, 2019. (Photo by Tracey Roman, Contributing Photographer)
Half Marathon runners take to the streets of Downtown as they participate in the JetBlue Long Beach Marathon in Long Beach , CA, on Sunday, October 13, 2019. (Photo by Tracey Roman, Contributing Photographer)
Runners take to the streets of Downtown as they participate in the JetBlue Long Beach Marathon in Long Beach , CA, on Sunday, October 13, 2019. (Photo by Tracey Roman, Contributing Photographer)
Runners take to the streets of Downtown as they participate in the JetBlue Long Beach Marathon in Long Beach , CA, on Sunday, October 13, 2019. (Photo by Tracey Roman, Contributing Photographer)
Runners take to the streets of Downtown as they participate in the JetBlue Long Beach Marathon in Long Beach , CA, on Sunday, October 13, 2019. (Photo by Tracey Roman, Contributing Photographer)
Legacy Runners line up for a photo before they take to the streets of Downtown as they participate in the JetBlue Long Beach Marathon in Long Beach , CA, on Sunday, October 13, 2019. (Photo by Tracey Roman, Contributing Photographer)
Runners make their way around the streets of Downtown as they participate in the JetBlue Long Beach Marathon in Long Beach , CA, on Sunday, October 13, 2019. (Photo by Tracey Roman, Contributing Photographer)
Runners take to the streets of Downtown as they participate in the JetBlue Long Beach Marathon in Long Beach , CA, on Sunday, October 13, 2019. (Photo by Tracey Roman, Contributing Photographer)
Runners make their way past the Aquarium of the Pacific as they take to the streets of Downtown as they participate in the JetBlue Long Beach Marathon in Long Beach , CA, on Sunday, October 13, 2019. (Photo by Tracey Roman, Contributing Photographer)
Before the sun comes up, runners take to the streets of Downtown as they participate in the JetBlue Long Beach Marathon in Long Beach , CA, on Sunday, October 13, 2019. (Photo by Tracey Roman, Contributing Photographer)
Runners make their way past the Aquarium of the Pacific as they take to the streets of Downtown as they participate in the JetBlue Long Beach Marathon in Long Beach , CA, on Sunday, October 13, 2019. (Photo by Tracey Roman, Contributing Photographer)
Runners make their way past the Aquarium of the Pacific as they take as they participate in the JetBlue Long Beach Marathon in Long Beach , CA, on Sunday, October 13, 2019. (Photo by Tracey Roman, Contributing Photographer)
The JetBlue Long Beach Marathon gets underway before sunrise as runners take to the streets in Long Beach , CA, on Sunday, October 13, 2019. (Photo by Tracey Roman, Contributing Photographer)
Runners take to the streets of Downtown as they participate in the JetBlue Long Beach Marathon in Long Beach , CA, on Sunday, October 13, 2019. (Photo by Tracey Roman, Contributing Photographer)
Runners get up bright and early to take to the streets of Downtown as they participate in the JetBlue Long Beach Marathon in Long Beach , CA, on Sunday, October 13, 2019. (Photo by Tracey Roman, Contributing Photographer)
Runners take to the streets of Downtown as they participate in the JetBlue Long Beach Marathon in Long Beach , CA, on Sunday, October 13, 2019. (Photo by Tracey Roman, Contributing Photographer)
And about 38 minutes later, all of the runners were looking at a beautiful sunrise. “It was all quite impressive,” said Nate Clayson, the winner of the men’s race in a solid 2:28.57. “The race began and we’re running with the lighthouse shining in the dark. Then we’re running between the bluff and the beach, and the weather is perfect. And then the sun came up behind a tall building.”
Regardless of how early the race began and the competitive nature of the runners, the Long Beach Marathon has always been a community event, even for those who don’t live or work here.
The runners love the fact that fans and families of the 15,000 entrants line every part of the course, and not just the hot spots. And they were all-for-one, even if the fans didn’t know that runner was from Hesperia and this runner was a brand new resident of Long Beach.
“I live in Palmdale so I know what it’s like to run in the heat,” said Sergio Reyes, the winner of the half-marathon in 1:06.25. “So this was just a beautiful morning. I’ve run a lot of different courses, and Long Beach in October is just perfect for a race.”
And a family day. Clayson finished the race and then moved toward the finish to greet his family, wife Cierra, who lifted son Miles, 6, over a fence so he could hug his dad. Two-year-old Cohen stayed home with his grandparents. “We have another son on the way.” The Claysons may soon have their own track team.
Reyes has run more than 50 half-marathons and two dozen full marathons. He scouted the running schedule and circled Long Beach as a must-run. This was his third Long Beach Marathon. “Monday’s a holiday so we made it a family weekend,” he said with wife Aimee and son Caleb nearby. “We’ll stay in Long Beach Monday just to be in the city.”
Andrea Guerra, 29, is putting down roots. The winner of the women’s half-marathon (1:18.43) and her boyfriend moved to Signal Hill three months ago because it was suitable for their work.
Guerra is a special education teacher and also a track coach at Pacific Christian College. The Loara High and Orange Coast College product just returned to training, this as a key start point, in preparation for a bigger race coming up in February. She qualified for the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials in Atlanta.
“It’s funny, I used to run 5ks and 10ks and never thought about marathons,” said Guerra, who was running in her third Long Beach event. “It’s given me opportunities and I have some long term goals.”
Nina Zarina is the first place women finisher of the JetBlue Marathon in Long Beach, CA, on Sunday, October 13, 2019. (Photo by Tracey Roman, Contributing Photographer)
Nina Zarina, the winner of the women’s marathon in 2:45.09, didn’t start running competitively until she was 25. A native of Moscow, she runs with a small club near San Francisco, and won a marathon there in July. “I had a lot of teammates tell me to run Long Beach because it was a flat and beautiful course,” she said.
Roosevelt Cook was celebrating a 40th birthday weekend with notable wins. He ran in the Master’s National Cross-Country Championships Saturday and won the race in a record time for his age group (40-45). Sunday, he was the first finisher in his age group in the half-marathon and fifth overall.
“Two records for my birthday,” said the ebullient Cook, who runs for the Cal Coast track team in Fresno and averages 45 races a year. “For me, I’ve been in the sport a long time and know so many of these people out here from just running as many races as I do.
“I got here early and I’ll be the last one out. That’s how much I love the sport, this race and the people.” And the occasional sunrise.
Clayson won the men’s marathon with a steady pace, picking off eventual runner-up Jose Penalosa, a former Cal State Fullerton runner who was running his first marathon (2:30.23), with two miles to go. Zarina and veteran Mary Akor were at the front of the women’s race from the start until Zarina pulled away with six miles to go.
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Motiv, the company that took over the Long Beach Marathon, was pleased with the turnout, in both runners fans. There have been bigger crowds, but Marina Green, where the runners usually retire after the race, for once was not a traffic jam of humanity.
“We have a three-year plan,” spokesman Dan Cruz said. “We’d like to get the entries up to 25,000. It went pretty smooth and we really like this race and the city.”
