Allison Iraheta to sing national anthem at L.A. Marathon

Allison Iraheta will sing the national anthem to kick off the 25th annual L.A. Marathon on March 21, though it won't be the "American Idol" season 8 finalist's first experience with the event.

"I ran the marathon before — two years in a row, actually," she tells Idol Tracker. "But it will be a lot of fun to be watching and not running this year. Hopefully, I can bring a little motivation to those that are doing it for the first time."

The starting line gun will fire at 7:20 a.m. just outside Dodger Stadium and immediately after Allison's turn, but she's sticking around to cheer on her older sister, who's also attempting the 26-mile course.

As for Allison's own running time? "My first year took around 6 1/2 hours and I was walking, running, I sat a few times," she says with her signature raspy laugh. "The second year, it took me eight hours, which doesn't makes sense, but I would say I was held back a little. I stayed with a few that were doing the marathon for the first time. It's amazing that there are some people who finish in, like, three hours."

Though Allison cracks that she couldn't walk for a week, the 17-year-old Glendale native says finishing the marathon was an enriching experience. "I remember rolling out of bed the next morning to go to school and I couldn't even get my pants on," she recalls. "You're in such pain. you can't bend over! But it's worth it, because you feel so good."

Photo credit: LeeAnn Mueller for 19 / Jive

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