Members of the Manhattan Beach-based Skechers running team will take part in the Skechers Performance Los Angeles Marathon on Sunday

Every Thursday evening, the South Bay Running Club starts its training runs at the downtown Manhattan Beach Skechers store. On Sunday, 120 of its members will join an estimated 24,000 other runners at Dodger Stadium to compete in the Los Angeles Marathon. South Bay Running Club’s sponsor Skechers is also the title sponsor of the Skechers Performance Los Angeles Marathon.

The races begin at 6:30 a.m. with the Wheelchair division followed by Handcycles (6:42 a.m.), the Elite Women (6:45 a.m.), and the Elite Men and the rest of the field at 6:55 a.m. The race finishes on the Santa Monica bluffs, overlooking the Pacific Ocean.

Skechers’ support of the South Bay Runners Club has helped the club grow to over 360 members in only four years. Members run for reasons ranging from raising awareness for Train 4 Autism (the official charity of the Skechers Performance Los Angeles Marathon), to running in memory of loved ones, to putting a modern spin on race prep through virtual training across the country.

“Most of our participants are runners but quite a few are run-walkers and race walkers,” Weisberg said. “Some will be running to get a personal record or qualify for the Boston Marathon. Some run to raise money for charity and others just want to check it off their bucket list.  

posted Wednesday March 20th