Avedis Guerboian always dreamed of running a marathon. He started weight training two years ago with using the dream as an inspiration to get fit. The distant goal became a reality when Guerboian ran the 2010 LA Marathon for the first time on March 21 and the 27-year-old lost 75 lbs to do it.
“It’s one day, it’s great for Santa Monica, the weather was perfect,” Guerboian said after the race. “For some reason it wasn’t as hard as I thought it would be. I had a really great support team and it makes it easier.”
Known as Avo to friends and family, he began working out in 2008 in order to lose weight. He joined an outdoor fitness “bootcamp” that focused more on outdoor fitness than army-style drills. He said that the idea of running a marathon always kept him focused.
“I started weight training to run in a marathon and then picked up the pace a little, and started to lose a significant amount of weight,” Guerboian said. “I thought one day I’m going to run the La Marathon, and then found out that it ended in Santa Monica.”
Guerboian crossed the finish line at 6:45:03 and placed 1,8011 overall, according to the official clock time. He is considering running another marathon in which he hopes to better his time.
“How many times are you going to travel from Dodgers Stadium in Downtown L.A. andto Santa Monica?” he said. “I hope they do this route again in the future. “
Guerboian ran past the Disney Concert Hall and through Hollywood seeing one of his favorite landmarks of the race: The Grauman’s Chinese Theater.
Although he spent most of the race alone, he said seeing his mom and girlfriend on the sidelines every few miles kept him dedicated to the course. When he hit the dreaded “wall” at mile 25, Wilshire Boulevard and Ocean Avenue, he started walking and noticed an overwhelming ache in his knee. Suddenly, he noticed his 84-year-old grandmother on the sidelines.
“It was like a miracle,” he said. “She saw me, and I hugged her, and then I finished the race full running.”
Born and raised in Santa Monica, Guerboian works at family-owned, Reader’s Jewelers. The fifth-generation business has been in Santa Monica for 70 years. Guerboian joined the jewelry business five years ago and proudly carries on the tradition as sixth-generation.
KATHERINE PEACH
Mirror Staff Writerkatherine@smmirror.com
