`LEGACY' RUNNER TO WEAR NO. 2000.

Byline: Steve Dilbeck Staff Writer

Stan Kohler got the call and figured he must have filled out his application to the Los Angeles Marathon wrong.

A veteran of 100 marathons, he knew how these things sometimes went. Leave something off, fill it out, send it back in.

But the staff member was not calling to have some blank filled in, but to give the Woodland Hills resident an unexpected opportunity: In the first major marathon of the new millennium, would he like to wear bib No. 2000?

No one had requested it.

``I said, `Of course. Why didn't I think of that?' '' Kohler said. ``What an honor. Maybe I'll just keep requesting the current year for my number from now on. Next year I'll be back with 2001.''

Kohler, who dubs movies for Disney, is one of 366 ``legacy'' runners who have run in all 14 previous L.A. Marathons.

Realizing no one had requested bib No. 2000, when the registrar got to the number, Kohler said he was simply the next legacy runner up who hadn't asked for a particular number.

They couldn't have chosen a much more avid runner.

Kohler, 52, runs up to 14 marathons a year, with a personal best of 2:50. He said he's also run 36 ultra marathons (50 miles) and 100-mile runs. He's run marathons on back-to-back days.

``I've done some pretty crazy things,'' he said. ``It's not a problem while running, but it takes a while to recover.''

--It's a rematch: Saul Mendoza of Mexico and Heinz Frei of Switzerland are set to continue their ongoing international battle in the male wheelchair division.

Mendoza, who now trains in Atlanta, has won the past three L.A. Marathons. Frei, the world record holder, lost to Mendoza here last year in a near photo-finish.

``He's really good in the flats,'' Mendoza said. ``I'm more of a climber. I'll have to attack on the hills. Last year I built a lead on the last hill, and he almost made it up.''

--If you aren't running . . .: Donne Provencio will take his shortest and slowest bicycle ride of the year Sunday. And he'll do it with pride and joy.

He doesn't mind that the pace of Sunday's sixth annual ride, which will attract 15,000 cyclists, can be incredibly slow (all riders must be off the course by the start of the 8:20 a.m. marathon).

CAPTION(S):

photo; box

Photo: Simon Bor of Kenya won the Los Angeles Marathon last year. The 15th running of the world-class race will be Sunday.

John Lazar/Staff Photographer

Box: L.A. MARATHON

--When: Sunday, 8:20 a.m. starting time.

--Distance: 26.2 miles.

--Start: Sixth and Figueroa.

--Finish: Fifth and Flower.