Close to 1,000 runners received a medal at the Los Angeles Marathon despite not finishing the whole route, opting for the shorter path instead.
While 23,964 runners competed in the 26.2 mile Los Angeles marathon, a full 985 opted for the “Mile 18 Finish” and still received a medal, per the New York Post.
This option was only available in 2026 due to hot weather. The marathon took place on March 8.
First place in the 18-mile race was claimed by Daniel Burns, who finished in 2:17:26 (7:36 per mile). Noora Viljanmaa placed second with a time of 2:24:06 (7:58 per mile), followed by Wenyu Yang in third at 2:28:41.
As temperatures in LA hit 88F, organizers gave runners the option to end their race early. “If you’re having a tough day and want to end your race before [mile] 26.2, you can choose to take the turn at Mile 18 and head into the finish line early,” The McCourt Foundation said in a statement.
The foundation even said that runners did not give advance notice of their decision to take the shorter route, emphasizing safety one day before the race.
“There is no shame in making a smart decision for your body,” the foundation said.
“You will still receive your finisher medal and any challenge medal you’ve earned, and your official race results will be updated at a later date to reflect your time and mileage,” it added.
Nathan Martin of Michigan won the men’s professional race, beating Kenya’s Michael Kamau by just 0.01 seconds with a time of 2:11:16.50 – the closest in the event’s history.
