Runners sympathize with L.A. Marathon leader steered off course

Only 0.18 seconds separated Michael Kimani Kamau from the $15,000. Sunday’s 41st LA Marathon was decided by a late sprint from Nathan Martin, the winner who received $25,000 for first place. The runner-up won $10,000.

With five miles to go and no one else picking up the pace, Martin decided to push himself all the way. Kamau’s experience down the stretch was different. Less than a quarter of a mile from the finish, his race took an unexpected turn because of a fan.

While many fans were cheering him on, one of them intervened and knocked him off course. A video posted on Reddit shows Kamau following a fan veering off course for about 10 seconds.

He briefly followed the lead vehicles off the designated path while attempting to avoid a bystander who was in his path. Fans immediately stopped him and pointed him in the right direction.

Kenyan Michael Kimani Kamau is treated by race staff after falling at the finish line during the Los Angeles Marathon on Sunday.

(Ronaldo Bolanos/Los Angeles Times)

“I actually thought he won until I got home later that day and saw the news channels reporting that Nathan had an amazing kick at the end,” said Ivan Torres, who filmed the scene.

The organizers are aware of the video but no protest has been filed and the results are unchanged.

“The vehicles made their scheduled exit at 300 hours. [meters] from the finish line at the intersection of Century Park West and Santa Monica Boulevard, with a view of the finish line structure,” Meg Treat said in a statement to the Times. “As with all major road racing events, our lead vehicles leave the course before approaching the finish line.

The spectator, on the other hand, is a source of concern, she added.

“We are pleased that our race attracts large crowds of spectators, and we will examine how in the future problems of this type can be avoided,” the statement said.

With about 27,000 runners participating, the crowd the race draws is even larger and especially large in the final six miles, when athletes feel sorry for themselves, said Phoebe Kiekhofer Garfinkel, who ran her third consecutive Los Angeles Marathon on Sunday.

“Course support will only help and will never hurt,” she said.

Garfinkel, 30, said crowd support becomes especially important in the final six miles. During the final part, when the riders start to lose confidence and the exhaustion reaches its peak, the crowd is your only feeling of celebration.

“If you don’t have the confidence… then they have enough confidence to borrow from everyone who chose to support the course that day,” she said.

Justin Bragiel, 46, was surprised crowd security didn’t step up closer to the finish line to protect the elite runners.

Spectators watch and hold signs supporting participants at the finish line of the Los Angeles Marathon on Sunday.

(Ronaldo Bolanos/Los Angeles Times)

“That’s what they do,” he said. “They train for this their whole lives and just a little more security would be a good thing.”

On the other hand, Bragiel understands the importance of the energy brought by the people who applaud the last part of the race. Having participated in a 50K trail race in Big Bend, where runners are isolated and communicate only by HAM radio, he understands that it’s not the same rush you feel with people.

“I went to dinner the day before and mentioned to the waitress that I was running the marathon and she came over there with another waitress and made a sign with my name on it,” he added. “I met this woman once, it’s pretty cool.”

Yet an abundance of people clapping can cause a crowd bottleneck. At the 22 mile mark, the trail loops back around kilometer 18 to the finish line.

“It’s like taking a rope and then bending it and putting the two sides together,” Jamieson Mundy said. “You’re going to have spectators on both sides and that [becomes] extremely crowded.

Mundy, 37, who was running his fourth Los Angeles marathon, said he encountered a runner who was yelling at the crowd to move out of the way. He described the scene as a side-by-side race with people holding signs, bells and kazoos.

Spectators stand on the course and cheer as runners compete in the Los Angeles Marathon on Sunday.

(Eric Thayer/Los Angeles Times)

“It’s hard because you see how much people want to help and they’re so excited for you,” he added.

During the turnaround, concentration is vital, Mundy said. Garfinkel described the home stretch as a moment in the race where mind over matter. This is the part of the marathon where you just want to get it over with, Bragiel added.

And the people who encourage the runners become an essential part of it.

“It’s a real trap for runners because it’s also what makes you feel like you’re part of something,” Mundy said.

“It’s one of the best perspectives of a city you can have. You see every little slice of life that runs through the city and how every little area and pocket stands out and represents that part of the city.”

But despite all the acclaim, the goal remains the same. Mundy said crowd energy can be powerful, but runners still have to stay locked in at the finish.

“My emotional reaction is just a human emotion, of feeling sorry for him, but also really, very deeply hoping that he can move forward with a lot of pride in the incredible race that he ran,” Garfinkel added.