Deena Kastor pulls off third place finish in LA Marathon

Pictured: Agoura Hills native Deena Kastor, 40, the American women’s marathon record holder, turns off of Hollywood Boulevard at Grauman’s Chinese Theatre in Hollywood during the running of the Los Angeles Marathon on St. Patrick’s Day./

Deena Kastor is used to being chased. Every day in practice. “Don’t be surprised if you see me at the starting line, turn my shoulder and give my same refrain I give at practice to the guys, which is, ‘Catch me if you can,'” Kastor said.

Agoura Hills native Deena Kastor returned to marathon running by competing in the Los Angeles Marathon on Sunday. She finished third, with a time of 2:32:38 seconds.

It was her first marathon since the birth of her daughter two years ago. Kastor, 40, is the American women’s record holder in the marathon. She set the record of 2:19:36 in winning the 2006 London Marathon. She won a bronze medal in the marathon in the 2004 Olympics and is a 25-time national champion in track, road and cross-country races. Kastor, an Agoura Hills H.S. class of 1991 graduate, was a five-time state champion and was one of an elite few to make the National Championships for four consecutive years. This was her first run in the LA Marathon. She lives in Mammoth with her husband Andrew, along with their 2-year old daughter, Piper. –Agoura Hills Patch Dispatch

(Photo courtesy: Agoura Hills Patch)