The Los Angeles Marathon had two finish lines Sunday — and people aren’t happy about it.
While the winner, Nathan Martin of Michigan, took first place over Michael Kamau of Kenya, there was an early escape route on offer as temperatures hit 88 degrees. Martin won the men’s pro race by 00.01 of a second with a time of 2:11:16.50, the closest finish ever.
But for the less-than-athletically inclined, The McCourt Foundation announced another route to the finish line.
“If you’re having a tough day and want to end your race before [mile] 26.2, you can choose to take the turn at Mile 18 and head into the finish line early,” the neurological disease charity foundation announced Friday ahead of the 41st race. “You do not need to notify anyone of your decision and can opt to take this route at any time.”
They added the option was only this year and that “there is no shame in making a smart decision for your body.”
“You will still receive your finisher medal and any challenge medal you’ve earned, and your official race results will be updated at a later date to reflect your time and mileage,” the foundation added.
But people on social media disagreed. “People who don’t finish the marathon can identify as people who do finish the marathon,” Lisa Cusack, a district chair for the GOP, wrote on X, formerly Twitter.
“Next thing you know, they’re going to talk about how brave the people that stop at 18 miles are compared to those who finish,” another added.
The move is a first for the marathon, which has been a major event for the city since being inspired by the 1984 Summer Olympics.
Previous races have been canceled or moved earlier or later due to hot and humid conditions — prompting some trolling online.
“Can I submit my application to be a marathon finisher by mail and just have them send me my medal afterwards?” one X user asked.
[Notigroup Newsroom in collaboration with other media outlets, with information from the following sources]
