Siblings Arjun and Xander Viray Complete their 4th LA Marathon Alongside their Dad

Siblings Arjun and Xander Viray conquered their 4th Los Angeles Marathon alongside their dad, each with their own unique experience. 

Arjun knew this was going to be a difficult race after their training was affected by a big move and snowy conditions earlier this year. Knowing this, Arjun adjusted their pace and was able to enjoy the route in a new way. “Mile 16 is when the bonk hit - and she hit hard!” Arjun recounts, “There were moments when mentally I was ready to go but my body just couldn’t keep up as cramps came and went.” For Arjun, the final mile of the race is the hardest because it ends with a slight elevation gain, but seeing their family and partner in the crowd gave them the boost they needed to push through the final stretch. “Overall a hard race, but I’m glad my body was able to push through.”

Xander lined up with the 3:20 pace group aiming to run a course PR. However, stomach cramps struck at mile 9 encouraging him to make a pivotal decision. “I swallowed my pride and switched gears from racing a marathon to completing a big fun long run with 26,000 other faces,” said Xander. Despite finishing after his goal time, Xander enjoyed the marathon in a new way. “I made it a goal to hit every ‘tap here for power up poster’ and to take in as many sights and sounds as I could before crossing the finish line,” he shared. For Xander, LA marathon is his favorite race because LA is his hometown. “I was blown away by seeing communities come out and cheer,” he said. Now, Xander is shifting his focus to shorter distances and plans to race CIM later this year.

Despite their adversity, both Arjun and Xander are already looking forward to next year: “you best believe that the Viray family is registered for the 2025 Los Angeles Marathon.”