2018 LA Marathon Diary: Hellen Jepkurgat, winner, 2017 Skechers Performance LA Marathon, is back to win and run fast!

Hellen Jepkurgat’s victory in 2017 was a bit of a surprise to the Skechers Performance LA Marathon. It also might tell you a bit about the elite marathon coordinator, Matthew Turnbull. It should also tell you that Matthew has respect of the various managers and agents, as he can work with them to bring their promising marathoners to this promising marathon.

Hellen Jepkurgat, BAA Half, 2015, photo by PhotoRun.net

Jess Warner-Judd moves from the 800 meters to her debut over the marathon, four stories by Stuart Weir

Jess Warner-Judd and Her Journey from the 800 meters to the Marathon, Part 1

Coffee with Larry, October 29, 2025, Episode 807, My first day in New York City for 2025!

Helen’s trip to the City of Angels, was, well, circuitous. There may have been some issues with flights, perhaps a visa, and perhaps, Helen traveling halfway around the world.

But, Helen Jepkurgat had come to race, and race, dear readers, she did. At 23 kilometers, Helen moved to the front, and sensing a weakness in her competitors, Hellen moved away, taking her first marathon victory in LA in 2017. In June 2017, Hellen took her second victory, at Grandma’s Marathon. Now, back in the City of Angels, Hellen Jepkurgat is here to defend her title and set a new PB (she’s hoping for 2:26 to 2:28).

Here is my interview with the promising young Kenyan marathoner. The women’s field should be pretty competitive tomorrow.

Author

Larry Eder

Larry Eder has had a 52-year involvement in the sport of athletics. Larry has experienced the sport as an athlete, coach, magazine publisher, and now, journalist and blogger. His first article, on Don Bowden, America's first sub-4 minute miler, was published in RW in 1983. Larry has published several magazines on athletics, from American Athletics to the U.S. version of Spikes magazine. He currently manages the content and marketing development of the RunningNetwork, The Shoe Addicts, and RunBlogRun. Of RunBlogRun, his daily pilgrimage with the sport, Larry says: "I have to admit, I love traveling to far away meets, writing about the sport I love, and the athletes I respect, for my readers at runblogrun.com, the most of anything I have ever done, except, maybe running itself." Also does some updates for BBC Sports at key events, which he truly enjoys.

Theme song: Greg Allman, " I'm no Angel."

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