The Running (Assembly)Man

Braving 50 mph winds and pouring rain, Assemblyman Lloyd Levine, D-Van Nuys, finished the Boston Marathon today in the top 10 percent, with a final time of 3:10:03, or about 7:15 per mile.

His time put Levine in 1,909th place overall, or 1,797th among male runners. There were 20,614 runners who started the race, including 12,551 men.

Runners struggled through a nor'easter with conditions of wind and rain that slowed times and were considered the worst weather since at least 1970. Levine, who has run marathons in Los Angeles and Napa Valley, said the weather only hindered him a little, with a time only four minues off his personal best.

Levine said after the race that given the conditions he was pleased with his results, and felt good afterward.

"This is the Superbowl of marathons,'' he said. "I wasn't going to be deterred. I just did it. I ran conservatively in the beginning and strong at the end, which is what I wanted to do."

"With everything that's going on here, it could've been a lot worse, and I could've had a miserable day. I didn't, and I'm very happy."

Levine, 37, is an avid runner who organizes an annual Kids Fitness Challenge in the San Fernando Valley, and hopes someday to launch a full marathon in the Valley.

Monday was a working day in the Capitol, but Levine said he coordinated with some colleagues to help cover any thing he might miss during the various committee hearings. He said he did not miss any important floor votes.
He did, however, miss a commemoration for the Holocaust in the Capitol that he helped organize. Link here to see Daily News staff writer / religion blogger Brad Greenberg's take on the event and Levine's absence.

Correction: I've been informed by John Wordin, executive director of The Kids Fitness Challenge Foundation, that Lloyd Levine was not an organizer of the Kids Fitness Challenge. At one time, he was a sponsor of one of the foundation's events. Other state lawmakers, and companies such as the Daily News, have also sponsored similar events.

In fact, Wordin said the foundation has since made a decision to no longer have events directly sponsored by elected officials. The foundation runs similar events all around California, and has its next one at the California Speedway in Fontana on April 28.