Makena Morley fifth at LA Marathon; top American finisher

Bigfork product Makena Morley finished fifth at the 2024 Los Angeles Marathon Sunday, making her the top American on the women’s side.

Morley, 27, completed the 26.2-mile route from Dodger Stadium to the Avenue of the Stars in 2 hours, 30 minutes and 24.11 seconds. 

Stacy Ndiwa of Kenya repeated as the women’s winner in 2:25:28.97.

In between Ndiwa and Morley were Volah Mazuronak of Belarus and Ethiopian runners Atsede Bays Tesema and Sichala Kumseshi (fourth, 2:27.06.06).

In a post-race interview posted on the Los Angeles Marathon’s Twitter/X account, Morley said she ran with the lead pack until around the 15-mile mark.

“I got dropped off at that point, like around 15 or 16,” she said. “I tried to hang in there, but those hills were definitely getting to me. I just kind of tried to hang on, and the last six were pretty tough, but I was happy to be able to still try to finish as strong as I did.”

Morley had a standout career at University of Colorado — she helped the Buffs win the NCAA cross country title in 2018 — and now lives and trains in Bozeman. A professional runner sponsored by Asics, Morley ran her first marathon in Chicago in October of 2022.

She qualified for the 2024 Olympic Trials marathon in Feburary, but didn’t run because of injury.