I Wrote About the LA Marathon for Defector
I was honored to write a piece for Defector, my favorite blog, about running the Los Angeles Marathon, my personal catharsis, and how former Dodgers owner Frank McCourt ruined it for everyone in the name of profit:
So why on Earth would the LA Marathon opt to dismember its own course, turning what could be a world-class civic event into a revolting slog through a hilly office park, when all they saved was a few extra bucks? I propose that it’s the same reason a baseball owner cuts payroll instead of investing in players who could bring his team a winning record, making it beloved in the minds of its fans, and lifting the spirits of an entire city. And it’s the same reason the politicians who control the LA Metro system voted to cut bus service, when expanding public transportation for the working class would be the single most cost-effective way to expand the city’s economy and achieve its climate goals. The billionaires and elected officials who run our vital institutions don’t care that investments, maintenance, and improvements would benefit everyone, themselves included. Instead, they’d rather cut costs and maximize short-term profit at our expense. Why would they do anything else? They’re making money, and that means they’re right.
Click here to read the whole piece.