Marathons made a little news coast-to-coast this weekend.

On Sunday 20-year-old Fatuma Sado of Ethiopia was the first owman to cross the finish line at the Los Angeles Marathon, and on the same day fellow Ethiopian Firehiwot Dado was the top female finisher in the New York City Half Marathon.

Placing third at the NYC Half was American Kara Goucher. On Aug. 5 Goucher will be one 3 American women (along with Desiree Devila, who place ninth at the NYC Half) and Shalane Flanagan) competing for the U.S. in the women's Olympic marathon in London. (Men race Aug. 12.) Goucher and Flanagan, who share the same coach, Jerry Schumacher, of Oregon Track Club Elite in Portland, Ore., recently visited London to take a peek at the marathon course to be used at the London Games.

Their impression? Pretty, with lots of London landmarks along the route, and challenging, with lots of turns, according to this report published last week by The Oregonian newspaper. "We will be training specifically with what we saw in mind," Goucher told the newspaper.

If you're a distance runner, do you find a race course with many turns fun or disruptive? If you're targeting your first marathon later this year, check out the REI Expert Advice article How to Train for Your First Marathon.

Photos by Yitka Winn.