L.A. heat wave sets record high, takes toll on marathon

1/33

Amane Gobena of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, puts her head on the ground after winning the women’s division of the 29th annual L.A. Marathon. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

2/33

Lani Rutto, right, carries the Kenyan flag after placing second among men in the 29th annual L.A. Marathon. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

3/33

Lani Rutto of Kenya carries the Kenyan flag after placing second among men in the 29th annual L.A. Marathon. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

4/33

Lauren Kleppin of Mammoth Lakes parades with the American flag after winning third place in the women’s division of the 29th annual L.A. Marathon. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

5/33

Amane Gobena of Ethiopia removes her shoes, revealing blisters, in Santa Monica after winning the elite women’s division of the 29th annual L.A. Marathon in Sunday, March 9, 2014. Gobena won $25,000 for taking first place among female racers, plus $50,000 for being the first to cross the finish line after the elite women were given a 17-minute-plus head start. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

6/33

Joshua George of Champaign, Ill., crosses the finish line in Santa Monica to take first place in the men’s wheelchair division of the 29th annual L.A. Marathon. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

7/33

Rafael Botello Jimenez of Barcelona, Spain, celebrates taking second place in the men’s wheelchair division of the 29th annual L.A. Marathon. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

8/33

Joshua George of Champaign, Ill., holds his first-place medal after winning the men’s wheelchair division of the 29th annual L.A. Marathon. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

9/33

Rafael Botello Jimenez, right, of Barcelona, Spain, who placed second in the men’s wheelchair division of the 29th L.A. Marathon, congratulates first-place winner Joshua George, center, of Champaign, Ill., and James Senbeta of Philadelphia, who placed fourth. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

10/33

Susannah Scaroni of Champaign, Ill., crashes while crossing the finish line in Santa Monica to take first place among women in the wheelchair division of the 29th annual L.A. Marathon. The 26.2-mile marathon started at Dodger Stadium. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

11/33

Susannah Scaroni of Champaign, Ill., crashes crossing the finish line in Santa Monica to take first place among women in the wheelchair division of the 29th annual L.A. Marathon. The 26.2-mile race started at Dodger Stadium. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

12/33

Susannah Scaroni of Champaign, Ill., is tended to after she crashed while crossing the finish line in Santa Monica to take first place among women in the wheelchair division of the 29th annual L.A. Marathon. The 26.2-mile marathon started at Dodger Stadium. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

13/33

Paramedics and race officials tend to Susannah Scaroni of Champaign, Ill., after she crashed while crossing the finish line in Santa Monica to take first place among women in the wheelchair division of the 29th annual L.A. Marathon. The 26.2-mile marathon started at Dodger Stadium. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

14/33

Susannah Scaroni of Champaign, Ill., goes off balance before crashing while crossing the finish line to take first place in the women’s wheelchair division of the 29th annual L.A. Marathon. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

15/33

Amane Gobena of Ethiopia crosses the finish line in Santa Monica to win the elite women’s division of the 29th L.A. Marathon. More than 25,000 runners participated in the 26.2-mile race, which started at Dodger Stadium. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

16/33

Gebo Burka of Ethiopia crosses the finish line in Santa Monica to win the elite men’s division of the 29th L.A. Marathon. More than 25,000 runners participated in the 26.2-mile race, which started at Dodger Stadium. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

17/33

Runners pass in front of TCL Chinese Theatre on Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood during the 2014 Los Angeles Marathon. (Christina House / For The Times)

18/33

Runners race on Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood during the 2014 Los Angeles Marathon. (Christina House / For The Times)

19/33

Runners race on Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood during the 2014 Los Angeles Marathon. (Christina House / For The Times)

20/33

Cheerleaders from Alliance Gertz-Ressler High School spray silly string while cheering on race participants on Hollywood Boulevard during the 2014 Los Angeles Marathon. (Christina House / For The Times)

21/33

Drummers perform as runners head toward Disney Hall in downtown Los Angeles during the 2014 L.A. Marathon from Dodger Stadium to Santa Monica. (Christina House / For The Times)

22/33

A runner passes Disney Hall in downtown Los Angeles during the 29th annual L.A. Marathon. (Christina House / For The Times)

23/33

A runner passes Disney Hall in downtown Los Angeles during the 2014 L.A. Marathon from Dodger Stadium to Santa Monica. (Christina House / For The Times)

24/33

Runners pass Disney Hall in downtown Los Angeles during the 2014 L.A. Marathon from Dodger Stadium to Santa Monica. (Christina House / For The Times)

25/33

Spectator Adolfo Padilla, left, tries to encourage L.A. Marathon participant John Sloan as he rides up West 1st Street in downtown Los Angeles. (Christina House / For The Times)

26/33

Runners race uphill on West 1st Street in downtown Los Angeles during the 2014 L.A. Marathon. (Christina House / For The Times)

27/33

The elite male marathoners in the 2014 L.A. Marathon run up West 1st Street in downtown Los Angeles. (Christina House / For The Times)

28/33

Runners stream past Dodger Stadium just after the start of the 29th Los Angeles Marathon on Sunday, Mar. 9, 2014. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)

29/33

Spectators line the road outside Dodger Stadium to cheer runners at the start of the 29th Los Angeles Marathon. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)

30/33

A runner wearing a traditional Aztec headdress pauses to make a phone call at the start of the 29th Los Angeles Marathon at Dodger Stadium. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)

31/33

A.J. Jimenez, right, waits along with other members of the San Pedro High School Marching Band to play the national anthem at the start of the 29th Los Angeles Marathon at Dodger Stadium. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)

32/33

Runners wait in the predawn darkness at Dodger Stadium for the start of the 29th Los Angeles Marathon. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)

33/33

Cyclists with disabilities wait in the predawn darkness at Dodger Stadium for the start of the 29th Los Angeles Marathon. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)

By Ruben Vives

March 10, 2014 11:06 AM PT

With Southern California in the midst of a mini-heat wave, Los Angeles set a record high Sunday, the National Weather Service said.

The temperature Sunday at Los Angeles International Airport soared to 85 degrees, surpassing the record of 82 degrees for the day set in 2012.

In Long Beach temperatures reached 87, matching the record for that date set in 2004.

The hotter-than-normal weather conditions made it one of the toughest and hottest race days for Los Angeles Marathon runners.

Temperatures climbed at least to 81 degrees at the finish line on Sunday, the highest mark since the race began its 26.2-mile “Stadium to the Sea” course from Dodger Stadium to Santa Monica five years ago.

The heat took its toll, resulting in some of the slowest times, with Amane Gobena of Ethiopia winning the woman’s race in 2 hours, 27 minutes and 37 seconds and fellow countryman Gebo Burka winning the men’s race in 2:10:37.

“The unusually high temperatures were a unique challenge for us this year,” Santa Monica Battalion Chief Jeff Furrows told the Los Angeles Times. “We saw more folks in need of assistance.”

City firefighters aided 95 runners, sending 16 to area hospitals for dehydration, cramps, chest pains and exhaustion, he said.

A warming trend is expected to continue this week, with a chance of strong Santa Ana winds developing by Wednesday, according to weather forecasters.

Cooler temperatures, though, are expected along the coast.

Twitter: @latvives

ruben.vives@latimes.com