LA Marathon 2015: Final Results and Top Takeaways from Race

The 2015 Los Angeles Marathon was a true test of wills for all the participants, as they not only had to deal with the normal battle of a 26.2-mile race but surprisingly hot temperatures in Southern California. Daniel Limo and Ogla Kimaiyo didn't seem to mind much, finishing first in the men's and women's divisions, respectively. 

Temperatures were so hot in Los Angeles that organizers opted to start the race 30 minutes early, with Carlos Lozano of the Los Angeles Times noting that record-breaking temperatures were expected on Sunday:

"

The extra precautions are being taken to help the estimated 26,000 runners cope with what weather forecasters are predicting will be record breaking heat for the annual event, with temperatures reaching the upper-80s by noon.

Participants were advised to run at a slower pace than usual and to wear light clothing. Organizers have set up 24 fully-staffed water and aid stations along with medical tents along the route.

"

It was certainly a unique day for the first major American marathon of the year, but credit the people in charge and the runners for taking the necessary steps to ensure a safe run. Here's how things shook out for the men's and women's races:

2015 L.A. Marathon Top Finishers

Place	Men's Division	Time	Women's Division	Time
1	Daniel Limo	2:10:35	Ogla Kimaiyo	2:34:10
2	Lani Rutto	2:12:42	Natalya Puchkova	2:34:33
3	Jared Ward	2:12:56	Blake Russell	2:34:57
4	Edwin Koech	2:13:35	Mao Kuroda	2:35:04
5	David Kiyeng	2:15:34	Heather Lieberg	2:35:32
6	Matt Llano	2:16:13	Brianne Nelson	2:36:07
7	Mike Morgan	2:16:56	Jodie Robertson	2:36:18
8	Daniel Tapia	2:17:14	Rebecca Wade	2:37:30
9	Max King	2:17:31	Kathleen DiCamillo	2:37:59
10	Stephan Shay	2:18:07	Lauren Jimison	2:39:16

Full results can be found at LAMarathon.com.

Limo took an interesting path to victory, as he jumped out in front with a pack early before falling back and eventually catching up to the herd once again. The Kenyan made his final move around the 20-mile mark when he caught Edwin Koech. 

After the race, Limo told Austin Knoblauch of the Los Angeles Times that he was never really concerned about being able to make a move into the lead late.

"I saw that he would be hard to beat, but I still thought I would still catch up," Limo said. "But when I saw him lose [time] at 20 miles, I knew I would catch him."

Damian Dovarganes/Associated Press

That basically tells you the kind of race Limo wanted to run. When you are battling the elements, as the runners were today, pace is the most important thing. Getting off to a fast start is nice, but it's going to destroy you getting into the 15- and 20-mile marks. 

Koech found that out the hard way, as he dropped all the way back to fourth place at the finish line after leading with six miles to go. 

Limo's pace was consistent all race long, as noted by Mario Fraioli of Run Competitor:

On a down note, Ryan Hall was looking to make a triumphant return after a long down period dating back to 2012 due to injuries. The American star told Christopher Chavez of ESPN before the L.A. Marathon that his training was pushing him to new levels:

"

I'm one of those guys who likes to push the envelope, and I try to tweak things to get to the next level. I could stay in the same system, do exactly the same training since college and consistently run 2:08 to 2:06. I've already done that, and I know that's not the level that's inside me. When I ran 59:00 [for the half-marathon] or 2:04, those are the times I think there's something really special.

"

Unfortunately, whatever hopes Hall had for Sunday evaporated before he could finish. He pulled out at the halfway mark. It was a sad result given how high the expectations were coming in, but Tim Layden of Sports Illustrated did make a great point about those assumptions:

Those of us on the outside tend to think of athletes as machines, believing that whenever they decide to compete again we will see the best version of that competitor. Just like life, sports don't work that way. Hall needs to prove he's capable of reaching the heights he showed in 2012 to validate any expectations. 

Jonathan Moore/Getty Images

Kenya had a big day in Los Angeles, as Limo was joined by fellow countrywoman Kimaiyo in the winner's circle. Don't be fooled by her 23-second margin of victory, as Fraioli noted she started to ease up on the pace once it was clear she would win:

This marks the second consecutive year that a man and woman from the same country have won the Los Angeles Marathon. Ethiopians Gebo Burka and Amane Gobena pulled off the feat in 2014. It's also the first time that two Kenyans have won the race since 2010. 

Now, thanks to the efforts of Limo and Kimaiyo, the stage is set for the 2015 Boston Marathon on April 20. The good news is the weather conditions should prove much more favorable for all of the competitors on the East Coast.