MARATHON ADDING BATTLE OF THE SEXES.

Byline: Ross Siler Staff Writer

As president of the Los Angeles Marathon, William Burke can envision just about every possible ending to Sunday's race - the first big-city marathon in history to pit its elite men's and women's runners against each other using a handicap format.

There's the best-case scenario: The top man and top woman running side-by-side to the finish line on Flower Street, with the woman lunging to take first a step ahead of the man, winning the race and the $50,000 bonus that comes with it.

``That would be a worldwide story,'' Burke said. ``That picture would be on the front of every sports section in the country.''

Then there's the worst-case scenario: The top man blowing past the top woman somewhere along Olympic Boulevard and breezing to the finish, a battle of the sexes turned into a rout.

``Everyone would say it was just another one of Burke's crazy ideas,'' Burke said. ``That guy didn't know what he was talking about.''

Either way, the L.A. Marathon will be taking the biggest chance of its 19-year history this weekend, debuting a first-of-its-kind format called ``The Challenge'' that might as well be billed as ``The Great Experiment'' in the running community.

For years a minor-league event among world marathons, the L.A. race will start its elite women some 20 minutes ahead of the men - the exact head start will be determined Thursday - and send everyone racing to the finish for a total prize package worth about $100,000.

Some are calling it a made-for-television gimmick, others an opportunity for the L.A. Marathon to carve its own identity in the shadow of the high-profile New York, Chicago and Boston marathons.

The format has been tried before in lower-level road races, as well as the Life Time Fitness Triathlon last August in Minneapolis. But never in a big-city marathon of Los Angeles' size.

``I think it's kind of refreshing,'' said Carey Pinkowski, director of the Chicago Marathon, ``to see another race doing something a little bit different and experiment with something out of the box.''

There are few comparisons for what the L.A. Marathon is trying, though New York City Marathon director Allan Steinfeld said one from 28 years ago might apply.

In 1976, New York officials decided to switch from a Central Park course to the now-world famous one starting on the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge and passing through the five boroughs.

No one can dispute the course is what defines the New York Marathon today. But it was a decision met with great skepticism years ago.

``People said we were crazy,'' Steinfeld said. ``Frank Shorter said he would run just to see if police could close down all the streets. ... But it was something that caught people's imagination.''

Those are the same words - ``catching people's imagination'' - Steinfeld uses to describe the L.A. Marathon's battle of the sexes. And Burke believes someday ``The Challenge'' will become the norm at marathons around the world.

``Some of the more staid big-city marathons, they understand what progress is,'' said Burke, who added that a multiyear commitment has been made to the format. ``They see us making progress with or without them. .. We may be the biggest race to try this, but we won't be the last.''

The prize package - a $50,000 bonus, plus $25,000 each for the men's and women's winners along with a new Honda Accord - will rival first prize for the men's and women's winner in New York. It already has doubled the number of elite runners entering the race, Burke said.

``Whether it's the wave of the future or not remains to be seen,'' Boston Marathon director Dave McGillivray said. ``If there's an overwhelming demand for this, maybe it's something other races will consider adapting.''

Other marathons start their elite women ahead of the men, largely to keep them from having men in the ordinary field pace against them. But never before have the elite men been sent to chase down the women.

The change brought by ``The Challenge'' also could solve an identity crisis for the L.A. Marathon, which has undergone six course changes in its history, offers relatively small purses and never has had a winner even approach world-record time.

``The winner in L.A. gets dropped on the Queensboro Bridge (in New York),'' Reavis said, likening the quality of the Los Angeles race to the NBA's Clippers as opposed to the Lakers.

``Boston has the greatest history and tradition, New York has the five boroughs, Chicago has the huge field and fast course,'' Reavis said. ``For some reason, L.A. has never found an identifying mark. It never has measured up to other major marathons.''

And although other organizers do not share Burke's conviction that ``The Challenge'' will spread, they are convinced that the battle of the sexes will make for compelling television in a sport that could use it.

``The average viewing public looks at running and it's pretty static, even for enthusiasts,'' Pinkowski said. ``The hook of having men versus women for the viewing audience is going to be very, very exciting.''

The L.A. Marathon has had its top woman finish within 20 minutes of its top man at eight of 18 races. And officials hope for a battle to the final mile between the lead men and women, keeping viewers tuned in for the entire broadcast.

``At this point, we need to do something to create interest in our sport, to get more exposure,'' Pinkowski said. ``The marathon has never been more popular. We've never had more people running marathons.

``But people have never been connected to running on television like the audience for NASCAR or golf. That part of this will be exciting.''

Ross Siler, [phone]

ross.siler(at)dailynews.com

CAPTION(S):

2 boxes

Box:

(1) L.A. MARATHON

(2) 2003 MAJOR WORLD MARATHON WINNERS