Nathan Martin’s photo-finish LA Marathon win triggers new heat safety option

Starting immediately, Los Angeles Marathon runners now have a new, one-year heat safety off-ramp that lets them finish at Mile 18 and still receive a finisher’s medal. Sunday at 9: 05 a. m. ET, Nathan Martin sealed the men’s title in the closest finish in race history, a 0. 01-second margin that unfolded as temperatures climbed along the course.

Los Angeles Marathon adds a Mile 18 finish option as temperatures rise

The most immediate change for participants was operational: marathon organizers implemented safety adjustments in response to a hot-weather forecast, including the ability for runners to end their race early at the 18-mile mark and still receive a finisher’s medal. Organizers described the Mile 18 option as available “for this year only, ” framing it as a way for runners to make a safer decision if conditions became too hot.

When the first runner crossed the finish line in Century City shortly after 9 a. m. ET, the temperature had reached the upper 60s, and it was expected to reach the mid-70s along the course by 10 a. m. ET. The Mile 18 route was described as located just past Mile 18 on Santa Monica Boulevard, marked with “Charity Half Finish” signage and supported with signs, cones, and barricades to direct runners into the finish area.

Organizers stated runners did not need to notify anyone to use the Mile 18 exit and could take it at any time. They also said official results would be updated later to reflect a runner’s time and mileage, while still awarding the finisher medal and any challenge medal earned.

Nathan Martin wins by 0. 01 seconds as Michael Kimani Kamau collapses

The tightest competitive consequence of the morning was decided by a single stride: Nathan Martin won the men’s race by 0. 01 seconds after chasing down leader Michael Kimani Kamau of Kenya over the full 26. 2-mile course. Martin’s winning time was 2: 11: 16. 50, with Kamau recorded at a technically identical time as the finish was decided by the narrow margin.

Immediately after the finish-line surge, Kamau collapsed and was attended to by medical personnel before being carried off on a stretcher. The finish was described by marathon officials as the closest in the event’s history, and it came after Martin ran down the leader late in the race.

Martin, 36, described making a move five miles from the finish when he saw others not increasing the pace. He said he could see the leader with about a mile and a half remaining and believed he was catching him with 800 meters to go.

Behind the top two, Enyew Nigat of Ethiopia finished third in 2: 14: 23, former University Florida runner Josh Izewski finished fourth in 2: 14: 43, and 2024 winner Dominic Ngeno of Kenya finished fifth in 2: 16: 17.

Karen Bass starts 41st Los Angeles Marathon as Priscah Cherono wins Marathon Chase

The broader picture of the 41st Los Angeles Marathon included a separate overall first-finisher competition: Priscah Cherono of Kenya crossed first overall to win the Marathon Chase and collect a $10, 000 bonus. The elite women started 15 minutes, 45 seconds ahead of the elite men, and Cherono’s time was 2: 25: 18. 31 as she led early and maintained a large advantage.

Cherono, 45, took the lead immediately in the women’s race and built a sizable cushion by the ninth mile before cruising to victory. Kellyn Taylor finished second in 2: 27: 36: 00, with Antonina Kwambai third in 2: 28: 49. 09.

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass served as the starter as the event moved through neighborhoods including Chinatown, downtown Los Angeles, Echo Park, Thai Town, Little Armenia, Hollywood, West Hollywood, Beverly Hills, Century City, Westwood and Brentwood, with the finish on Santa Monica Boulevard in Century City. The field drew more than 27, 000 runners and began with professional wheelchair racers and push rim para-athletes at 6: 30 a. m. ET, followed by handcycle and hand crank racers at 6: 32 a. m. ET, other para-athletes at 6: 33 a. m. ET, professional women and elite age group women at 6: 44 a. m. ET, and elite men and the rest of the field at 7: 00 a. m. ET.

For now, the next determinant of whether the Mile 18 heat option becomes more than a one-year measure will be the organizers’ post-race updating of official results to reflect time and mileage for runners who exited early. If organizers keep the policy limited to “this year only, ” the marathon’s safety approach would revert for the next edition unless another hot-weather forecast prompts similar changes.