This is downtown's second New Year's race. Runners participated in either the half marathon or the 5K course. The race didn't just drawing locals; it also saw runners from around the world.
"We've got over 6,000 people out here, family, friends, kids just having a good ol' time, and people from all over the world. We've got people representing, I think, 27 countries here today," said race organizer Robert Larmore.
At one point during the race, the LAPD was called to the finish line for a report of a suitcase left unattended. They cleared some people from the corner of Flower and 12th, but determined the bag belonged to a homeless person and was not a threat. The incident did not stop the race.
Some of the money from the runners' entry fees will benefit charities, including A Place Called Home, which helps at-risk youth in South Los Angeles, a charter school and Bless Your Sole, which provides athletic shoes to people with disabilities.
