Honda LA Marathon Heading for Second Straight Sell-Out – More than 20,000 have already registered; runners urged to act now to avoid being shut out

LOS ANGELES – Time is running out for runners who want to participate in the 2011 Honda LA Marathon presented by K-Swiss.

For the second straight year, registration is on pace for a sellout well before race day. Already, nearly 20,000 runners have registered for the 2011 race which is set to take place on Sunday, March 20, 2011.

“Last year’s race sold out for the first time in many years,” said LA MARATHON LLC chief operating officer Nick Curl. “And given the numbers we’re seeing now, and the increased pace of registrations, we’re letting the running public know it’s time to sign up now to secure your place in the 2011 marathon.”

Last year’s race featured a record 26,054 registrants and registration was closed on March 12, nine days before the event. “We may be ahead of that schedule this year, so it’s important to sign up now in order to avoid being shut out,” Curl said.

The Stadium to the Sea course has attracted unprecedented interest, and race organizers expect another record field in 2011. There will be no race-day registration, which is why Honda LA Marathon organizers are encouraging runners to register now, at www.lamarathon.com. "It was unfortunate that we had to turn away hundreds of runners last year who waited until the last minute,” Curl said. “We want to make sure everyone who wants to run has the opportunity. So my message is clear: sign up now to avoid disappointment.”

The 2011 Honda LA Marathon has drawn international interest and acclaim for its one-of-a-kind course that showcases a host of well-known landmarks, including Los Angeles City Hall, Grauman’s Chinese Theater, the Capitol Records Building, the Sunset Strip and Rodeo Drive.

The race begins at Dodger Stadium and moves through Chinatown, downtown Los Angeles, Little Tokyo, Hollywood, West Hollywood, Beverly Hills, the Veterans Administration property in West Los Angeles and into Santa Monica for the finish on Ocean Avenue, just steps from the Santa Monica Pier.

Kenya’s Wesley Korir will be trying to become the first person to win the race three times, having set the race record in 2009 and winning on the Stadium to the Sea course last year.

Said Korir of his favorite race: "If you have a chance, I think the L.A. Marathon is the best one to run. Because first of all, there is the scenery, second of all is the beauty of it, third of all you’ll be able to be in the same field as the best in the world."

But only for those who register in advance at www.lamarathon.com