A dedicated team of Honda volunteers turned out Sunday, March 19 for the Los Angeles Marathon to support Students Run LA as runners made their way to the finish line. The “Stadium to the Sea” course began at Dodger Stadium and finished overlooking the Pacific Ocean near the Santa Monica Pier, passing through the cities of Los Angeles, West Hollywood and Beverly Hills.

More than 24,000 participants from all 50 states and 63 countries braved the warm 70-degree weather and the 26.2-mile course, including the group of 3,500 SRLA students American Honda supports. SRLA inspires at-risk youth to achieve their dreams by training for, and completing, the L.A. Marathon. Since 1989, SRLA has served more than 63,000 students with the growth of the program increasing its success. Each year, more than 95 percent of the students who start the race, finish the full course, and 98 percent of the high school seniors who finish the marathon graduate and seek higher education.

Honda has supported SRLA’s mission for 20 years, contributing more than $2 million to provide sponsorship for students’ uniforms, nutrition, training and SRLA’s scholarships.

“SRLA is a great program that we here at Honda are proud to support,” says Teresa Phillips of AHM’s Corporate Relations Department. “We’ve seen such a positive impact the program has made for struggling teens and middle school students. They can achieve their dreams through lessons on goal-setting, endurance and perseverance.”

The Honda “Run Them In” group gets ready to help SRLA students at Mile 22.

Members of Honda’s volunteer group, the Honda Community Action Team (HCAT) and the Running Club, met up with SRLA volunteers at the marathon’s 22-mile mark. There, American Honda Activity League (AHAL) Running Club associates helped SRLA students complete the final 4.2 miles of the marathon. Other Honda volunteers line the streets along “Cheer Alley” where they congratulated and guided SRLA students from the finish line to SRLA’s post at Santa Monica High School five blocks away.

Honda volunteers cheer runners on during the LA Marathon.

“This is the first time I’m volunteering for Honda at the L.A. Marathon,” Aurora Kiyabu of Auto Operations at AHM said while directing SRLA students along the path after the finish line. “It’s a great experience to help these students. They’re doing an awesome job completing the race.”