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Red Hot Chili Peppers’ bassist Michael ‘Flea’ Balzary started running about 6 months ago.  He decided to run the 2011 Los Angeles Marathon to help raise money for his Silverlake Music Conservatory.

Flea completed the extremely rainy, windy, cold marathon with a great time of 3:53:00.

Silverlake Music Conservatory: “The mission of the Silverlake Conservatory of Music, a non-profit organization, is to facilitate basic music education. Our primary focus is on the youth of the community but all are welcome and encouraged to participate. The Conservatory offers private music lessons at a reasonable cost and grants scholarships to children in need, providing free lessons and instruments. The study of music enriches the life of the student as well as the community and society.”

For those keeping score at home, Flea was wearing the Saucony Kinerva running shoes.

[photo: We happened to bump into each other immediately under a tent as I was trying to make a call. He was looking for some Gatorade and his buddies. He seemed extremely tired, spent, and exhausted (Me too!) but was still gracious enough to stop long enough for a quick iPhone pic].

Related Los Angeles Marathon Links

10 Best Things About the Los Angeles Marathon

Markos Geneti Wins 2011 Los Angeles Marathon in Debut (Results)

Flea Runs Los Angeles Marathon in 3:53:00 (pic)

List of 2011 Los Angeles Marathon Elite Runners

2011 L.A. Marathon Finisher’s Medal

Here is a quick rundown and list of the top elite runners lacing them up at the 26th Los Angeles Marathon on Sunday, March 20, 2011.

It should be a battle royale between Kenyans Wesley Korir and Benson Barus.

2011 L.A. Marathon Elite Men

Wesley Korir – (Kenya, Age 28) Best L.A. Marathon 2:08:24 – 2009 Los Angeles Marathon

Benson Barus – (Kenya, Age 30) Best Marathon 2:08:34 – Milan Marathon

Getu Birbo – (Ethiopia, Age 26) Best Marathon 2:10:51 – Paris Marathon

Shadrack Biwott – (Kenya, Age 26) Best Marathon: Debut Marathon

Gebo Burka – (Ethiopia, Age 23) Best Marathon 2:10:18 – Cannes Marathon

Jonathan Cheruiyot – (Kenya, Age 27) Best Marathon 2:12:42 – Madrid Marathon

William Chebor – (Kenya, Age 28) Best Marathon 2:10:13 – 2010 San Diego Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon

2011 L.A. Marathon Elite Women

Mary Akor – (United States via Nigeria, Age: 34) Best Marathon: 2:33:50 – Twin Cities Marathon

Julia Arkhipova – (Kyrghizstan, Age: 27) Best Marathon: 2:32:09 – Baltimore Under Armor Marathon

Magdeline Chemjor – (Kenya, Age: 32) Best Marathon: 2:28:16 – 2007 Amsterdam Marathon

Buzunesh Deba – (Ethiopia, Age: 23) Best Marathon: 2:27:24 – 2010 Twin Cities Marathon

Mare Dibaba – (Ethiopia, Age: 21) Best Marathon: 2:24:27 – Commerzbank Marathon (Frankfurt, Germany)

Amy Hastings – (United States, Age: 27) Best Marathon 2:43:16 – Twin Cities Marathon

Leah Kiprono – (Kenya, Age: 30) Best Marathon 2:43:16 – 2010 Twin Cities Marathon

Related Los Angeles Marathon Links

10 Best Things About the Los Angeles Marathon

Markos Geneti Wins 2011 Los Angeles Marathon in Debut (Results)

Flea Runs Los Angeles Marathon in 3:53:00 (pic)

List of 2011 Los Angeles Marathon Elite Runners

2011 L.A. Marathon Finisher’s Medal

[source: L.A. Marathon Runner & Spectator Guide]

I ran the Los Angeles Marathon for the first time last year.  It was the 25th anniversary running of the marathon in Los Angeles (outside of the Olympic games).

Last year was also the first year for the ‘Stadium to Sea’ course that takes runners from baseball’s Dodger Stadium, throughout all of the high points and tourist attractions of Los Angeles, to a beautiful finish at the beach in Santa Monica.

I’ve returned to run the L.A. Marathon again this year and thought I’d quickly list 10 of my most favorite things about the Los Angeles Marathon.

10 Best Things About the Los Angeles Marathon

1. Getting to stretch and get loose before the race on the outfield grass of Dodger Stadium
2. Skipping the long porta-potty lines to pee on the Chavez Ravine hillside
3. Following the tweets of the L.A. Marathon @lamarathon throughout the year
4. Running down Hollywood Boulevard by Grauman’s (Mann’s) Chinese Theater where thousands of movie premieres have taken place over the past 100 years
5. Struggling down Sunset Boulevard thinking of all of the celebrities and great rockstars that have had just as much difficulty making it up and down this strip in the wee hours of the morning
6. Sprinting down Rodeo Drive
7. The opportunity to run with all of the local kids and citizens of Los Angeles who train all year just to run this race.
8. Finishing at the Santa Monica beach near the boardwalk & pier
9. The finisher’s medal is always top notch (see the 2011 version).
10. The crowd support throughout all the different areas of Los Angeles is top notch and extremely encouraging throughout the entire 26.2 miles.  The crowd the last half mile before the finish line in Santa Monica makes you feel as if you were finishing an Olympic marathon with the gold.

Best of luck to all of those running the Los Angeles Marathon this year and for years to come!

Los Angeles Marathon Website

Related Los Angeles Marathon Links

10 Best Things About the Los Angeles Marathon

Markos Geneti Wins 2011 Los Angeles Marathon in Debut (Results)

Flea Runs Los Angeles Marathon in 3:53:00 (pic)

List of 2011 Los Angeles Marathon Elite Runners

2011 L.A. Marathon Finisher’s Medal