Alongside the competition, the 41st annual race raised over $4.5 million for charity
LOS ANGELES, Calif. – Amid blue skies and warm temperatures, the 2026 ASICS Los Angeles Marathon, produced by The McCourt Foundation, delivered dramatic finishes and standout performances across its professional fields Sunday, with thrilling battles in the elite men’s and women’s races and decisive victories in the wheelchair divisions along the “Stadium-to-the-Stars” course from Dodger Stadium to Century City. The race also proved to be a winning fundraising event, with its 129 charity program partners raising over $4.5 million.
In the elite men’s race, American marathoner Nathan Martin produced a stunning late surge to win one of the closest finishes in the event’s history, winning in 2:11:18. Martin, 36, is a substitute teacher and a high school track and cross country coach from Jackson, Michigan.
With the win, Martin becomes the first U.S.-born Black runner to win a big-city marathon since Ted Corbitt won several in the 1950s and 1960s, according to Tony Reed, founder of the National Black Marathoners Association (NBMA). Martin became the fastest U.S.-born Black runner in 2023 when he clocked his personal-best 2:10:45 at the Grandma’s Marathon in Duluth, Minnesota.
Kenya’s Michael Kimani Kamau had controlled much of the final miles of the men’s race and appeared poised to claim victory as the leaders entered the final stretch through Century City. But Martin accelerated over the final meters, drawing even with Kamau before the pair launched into a full sprint toward the finish line. Martin leaned at the tape to secure the victory by the slimmest of margins, separated by less than a hundredth of a second after 26.2 miles of racing. Kenya’s Enyew Nigat was a distant third in 2:14:23.
“I didn’t know if I had it,” Martin said after the race. “I just kept fighting and trying to close the gap. I thought if I could get close over the last mile, I’d have a chance. With a mile to go, I started seeing the pace car and the lead guy, and said, `Well, maybe we’ll see what happens.’”
He continued, “Then, with 800 meters to go, I’m like, `All right, I have to go for it. I have to at least try,’ and things kind of worked out. I had no idea if I won until they told me.”
In the elite women’s professional race, Kenya’s Priscah Cherono delivered a commanding performance to capture the victory in 2:25:20 over runner-up American Kellyn Taylor (2:27:36). Running with poise and consistency throughout the race, Cherono, a 45-year-old mother of three, gradually separated herself from the lead pack in the second half and maintained a strong pace all the way to the finish.
Cherono also took home an additional prize for winning The Marathon Chase, a special challenge within the pro division at the ASICS Los Angeles Marathon. The professional women are challenged to beat the men to the finish line, taking to the course with a head start based on the female field’s recent finishes and best times. This year, they were given a 15:45 lead. Whichever pro athlete reaches the finish line first, male or female, takes home a $10,000 bonus. Cherono’s additional victory was fittingly completed on International Women’s Day, which coincided with the race this year.
Taylor, a 39-year-old mother of four from Flagstaff, Arizona, ran a determined race to finish second, holding a steady pace through the closing miles just four weeks after winning the Austin Marathon in 2:33:29. Antonina Kwambai of Kenya was third in 2:28:50.
For the wheelchair division, American Miguel Jimenez Vergara, a Southern California native (Chula Vista,) won on the men’s race with a time of 1:42:12. For the women, Nigerian athlete Hannan Babalola won in 1:33:42. It’s her third win in four years, as she previously took the title in 2023 and 2024.
Cal Calamia was the top finisher in the nonbinary division with a time of 2:49:17. This marked the runner’s second win in Los Angeles. They also won in 2024.
More than 20,000 runners followed elite athletes across the finish line in Century City. The 26.2-mile course wound through the historic neighborhoods and recognizable landmarks of Los Angeles, including Downtown L.A., Echo Park, Hollywood, Beverly Hills and Brentwood, before finishing along Santa Monica Boulevard at Avenue of the Stars. The course featured start-to-finish entertainment, including more than 100 cheer stations led by charity partners and local running clubs.
The ASICS Los Angeles Marathon is set to return on March 7, 2027. For more information, please visit LAMarathon.com and follow the event on Strava, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and LinkedIn.
ABOUT THE ASICS LOS ANGELES MARATHON AND LA 5K
The ASICS Los Angeles Marathon is Los Angeles’ largest and longest-running community sporting event. On March 8, 2026, the race will welcome over 27,000 runners starting at Dodger Stadium and finishing the 26.2-mile Stadium-to-the-Stars Course near Avenue of the Stars in Century City. Also included in the Marathon Weekend events are the LA 5K on Saturday, March 7 and the marathon’s two-day Lifestyle Expo held at Dodger Stadium March 6 and 7. The free expo is open to the public, featuring up to 100 exhibitors and annually attracts more than 70,000 attendees. The ASICS Los Angeles Marathon is the final event in the three-race Conquer LA Challenge which begins with the Santa Monica Classic in September, followed by the Rose Bowl Half Marathon & 5K in January.
ABOUT THE MCCOURT FOUNDATION
The McCourt Foundation (TMF) empowers communities to build a healthier world through research, education, and events. TMF’s mission is to cure neurological diseases while empowering communities to build a healthier world. TMF makes a difference by donating to neurology research, hosting educational forums and using our events such as the ASICS Los Angeles Marathon, Rose Bowl Half Marathon & 5K, Santa Monica Classic and Boston Waterfront 5K, as platforms to raise funds for over 125 nonprofit charity partners. Since its inception, TMF has donated more than $7.2 million to neurology research and generated more than $76M for our nonprofit charity partners. Established in 1992, TMF is a 501 (c)(3) with offices in Boston, MA and Los Angeles, CA. For more information, visit mccourtfoundation.org.