Ryan Hall to Race in Los Angeles Marathon
Star American marathoner chooses site of 2016 Olympic Team Trials over Boston
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Ryan Hall announced via Twitter this month that he would race the 2015 L.A. Marathon on Sunday, March 15. Hall has traditionally competed in the Boston and London marathons in the spring.
“Going back to where it all began, southern CA, excited to finally run it!” wrote the 32-year-old native of Big Bear, California.
Hall, the American record-holder in the half marathon and fastest American ever in the marathon, has never participated in a marathon outside of the Olympic and world championship races, U.S. Olympic Team Trials, and World Marathon Majors races. The majors include the Boston, Chicago, New York, Tokyo, London, and Berlin marathons. The L.A. Marathon, while smaller, is the site of the 2015 USATF Marathon Championship and in 2016 will host the Olympic Team Trials marathon, the official selector for the U.S. marathon team for the 2016 Rio Olympic Games. Hall set his best time of 2:04:53 at the 2011 Boston Marathon.
Since his runner-up finish to Meb Keflezighi at the 2012 Olympic Team Trials marathon, Hall has turned in a string of poor results, which include dropping out of the 2012 Olympic marathon due to a hip injury. His 20th-place finish at the 2014 Boston Marathon in April was his first completed race in more than two years.
Since the L.A. Marathon adopted its “stadium to the sea” course in 2010, the average winning time has been 2:09:41. That amounts to a less competitive race than the concurrent World Marathon Majors races this spring.