RECORD HEAT: THE L.A. MARATHON
AND YOU

Great news: Sunday's L.A. Marathon shouldn't cause any disruption whatsoever in your meeting and socializing plans. Unless, of course, you need to go to the Four Seasons, the Peninsula or the Beverly Hills Hotel. In which case, um, yeah, not so good.

The marathon, which will find scores of panting, sweating folk making their way in record heat from Dodger Stadium to Ocean Avenue in Santa Monica, winds its way through Hollywood, West Hollywood, Beverly Hills and Westwood before reaching its destination, with road closures all over the place from 3am to 5pm.

Fortunately, no freeways will be closed. Just some ramps. And who needs ramps to get on and/or off the freeway?

Consult the map above for further info. In the meantime, we've come up with some strategies.

• Consider Skype meetings, instead of actually leaving your air-conditioned room for a climate-disaster hellscape strewn with jogging zombies and asshole drivers. Order room service. Treat yourself. It's not like you're paying for it.
• If you must leave and need to be in Beverly Hills around lunchtime, ulp. You can take Olympic to about Fairfax or so, at which point you might consider abandoning your car. If you're an East Coaster, you'll consider the remaining distance a medium-length walk, like legging it from Tribeca to the Met. Otherwise, consider stealing a bike.
• You could parallel the route by leaping from the top of one building to another. Don't attempt this after drinks at the Ace.
• Wherever you need to be in the afternoon, go there the night before and book a room.
• Call whoever you were going to meet at the Four Seasons and reschedule in the San Fernando Valley, which is not only Marathon-free but offers an array of stellar locales that put the behemoths of Bev Hills to shame. Consider the stately Sportsman's Lodge in Studio City, or that great lady of Vineland, the Beverly Garland Holiday Inn.