Run the “Soul of SoCal” to the pulse of a city that thrives on diversity, culture, and forward motion; where urban life uniquely blends with iconic Californian coastline. Starting in Downtown Long Beach, runners head towards the historic Queen Mary and then through Shoreline Village. After running next to the …
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Run the “Soul of SoCal” to the pulse of a city that thrives on diversity, culture, and forward motion; where urban life uniquely blends with iconic Californian coastline.
Starting in Downtown Long Beach, runners head towards the historic Queen Mary and then through Shoreline Village. After running next to the Pacific Ocean on the flat beach path, half marathoners will continue down Ocean Boulevard while full marathoners veer right and head through Belmont Shore toward Marine Stadium. Cheerleaders, sororities, fraternities, clubs, student organizations, faculty, and the school mascot Prospector Pete come out full-force to cheer as runners complete a 5K loop around the California State University, Long Beach campus. With 6.2 miles to go, runners head back towards Ocean Boulevard for a fast finish and Finish Line Festival celebration.
Combined with spectacular oceanfront views and a variety of settings including metropolitan Downtown Long Beach and the seaside community of Belmont Shore, the flat course makes the Long Beach Half Marathon one of the best.
The Long Beach race course combines spectacular oceanfront views, charming seaside communities, and the metropolitan feel at the start and finish. The highest elevation on the course is 45 feet. Starting on Shoreline Drive, the half marathon course passes the new Pike at Shoreline Village, crosses the Queensway Bridge and runs to the bow of the Queen Mary, circles back around the Aquarium of the Pacific, the Lighthouse at Rainbow Harbor, then back by Shoreline Village before heading down the beautiful beach path. You’ll close out your race running above the ocean along the bluff before closing out downhill into a cheering final straight of fans.
Conquer the Beach Cities Challenge by completing any combination of full or half marathons at the Long Beach Marathon and Half Marathon, Surf City Marathon, and the SDCCU OC Marathon. Run all three in a row and receive a fabulous Beach Cities Challenge Medal!
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Needs fixing
The marathon started late for the second year in a row. The announcers talked non-stop about a bunch of nothing while everyone wondered why the start was delayed and how … MORE
The marathon started late for the second year in a row. The announcers talked non-stop about a bunch of nothing while everyone wondered why the start was delayed and how long it would last. It started 15 minutes late. Another problem for the second year in a row was aid stations having no electrolyte drink for the first six miles. Just water. When you finally get a drink with electrolytes, it’s not really an electrolyte drink. The product’s label even says “hydration drink.” There’s plenty of potassium, other minerals, even some vitamins, but very little sodium. When you sweat, you lose more than water and sodium tops the list of electrolytes you need to replenish. Maybe that’s why I saw so many people cramping up. Race management needs to learn about sports nutrition and make a runner’s health and safety more important than sponsor money. Another thing they should do is have cold drinks at the finish line. The bottle of water and the sponsor’s hydration drink that I got were at ambient temperature. As with the other issues, this was the second year in a row that this happened. Is there a new race director who doesn’t know what they’re doing?
Now I’ll stop complaining and tell you there are some good aspects to this race. It’s a relatively flat course with some points of interest along the way. Many spectators set up their own aid stations offering a variety of items like fruit-flavored gummies, real fruit, Otter Pops, even some “adult beverages.” The bling is always good, but this year was the 40th running and the medals were amazingly impressive.
Overall, I have mixed feelings about this race. The company that produces this race also produces other races in the area and I’ve never experienced problems like the ones at Long Beach. It seems like an easy fix. Now they need to do it.
fun, foggy, flat course!
I came from out of town & really enjoyed this race. Unfortunately, I was still battling a head cold on my race day so it wasn’t my best time but … MORE
I came from out of town & really enjoyed this race. Unfortunately, I was still battling a head cold on my race day so it wasn’t my best time but the course was incredible. There was something special about running along the coast in the fog. Event was well organized & particularly loved the energy & community support throughout. Cool swag as well! Definitely plan to come early for parking! Highly recommend this race.
Run 40Ever!
Celebrating 40 years of marathon-ing, the Long Beach Half Marathon is still a smooth race, full of energy and great sights. Lots of fun! Expo / pick-up: -The race expo … MORE
Celebrating 40 years of marathon-ing, the Long Beach Half Marathon is still a smooth race, full of energy and great sights. Lots of fun!
Expo / pick-up:
-The race expo and shirt pickup was staged at the Marina Green Park, right by the race’s start/finish area, and across from the Convention Center, where parking was plentiful. The Long Beach Half Marathon is one of the biggest races in Southern California, and there was no shortage of vendors and exhibitors like Sports Basement, Rivalz, Zico, Ghost Energy drink, Chargel, Long Beach Utilities, as well as representatives from other races. Shirt pickup included a reusable tote bag that featured the “40Ever” slogan to celebrate the Marathon’s 40-year anniversary. I was unhappy with my online shirt pre-order because what was supposed to be a blue “Performance Tee” ended up having a different design than advertised, and added a pocket up front. I’ve always been reluctant to pre-order clothing items for exactly this reason (size/design discrepancies), and this just reinforced my belief. Avoid pre-orders in the future!
Parking:
-Tip: instead of worrying where to park your car on race-day morning, it’s best to pre-purchase parking either online or at the expo. Your best options are the parking lot right outside the Convention Center, or a half mile away at the Pike shopping center. The parking pre-sale line at the expo was really long (and in the sun!), buy parking as early as possible at the expo!
Pre-race:
-The half marathon start area began near the corner of Shoreline Drive and Rainbow Lagoon, while gear check, port-a-potties, and other amenities stretched across Marina Green Park. If you’re doing the Half, be aware that the Marathon and Bike Tour begins an hour earlier (extra early this year due to the heat), so be prepared to navigate through crowds.
-The start corral on Shoreline Drive was divided by waves, as well as pacers from A Snail’s Pace carrying signs, but it was so crowded that it was hard to find where you belong. I ended up trapped in a slower wave than I wanted, and it was a chore to zig-zag through the starting crowd for the first few minutes.
Course:
-Miles 1-5: Heading west along Shoreline Drive, you’ll encounter the largest crowds of supporters. It’s loud, energetic, and really gives you a nice send-off. Zoom past the Ferris wheel at the Pike shopping center, loop under Ocean Boulevard, twist through turnarounds near Long Beach’s piers and shipping yards, and climb over and under bridges. The Queens Way bridge after Mile 2 is one of the steepest hills on the course, and you climb it again on the way back around Mile 4. The double climb is a nice early test, and really thins out the field.
-Miles 5-7: This area includes many of Long Beach’s popular landmarks including the Aquarium of the Pacific, Shoreline Park, the Lion Lighthouse, Rainbow Harbor, the Marina boats, and great views of the Queen Mary on a clear day (shrouded by thick fog this morning). For many, this will be the most scenic part of the race.
-Miles 7-10: After the twisty, turn-y first few miles, the racecourse along the beach is refreshingly straight and flat. The beach path delivers plenty of crashing waves and lifeguard towers on your right. After a few minutes, the views blur into the background since they don’t change much. This section has the smallest support crowds, the least shade, and the least amount of water/aid support, though that was less of an issue this year since it was so overcast.
-Miles 10-13.1: Shortly after passing the Belmont Veterans Memorial Pier, the route loops around onto Ocean Blvd for your journey back. A much-needed aid station delivers water, electrolytes, and gels, and you’re greeted by crowds. The race returns to the city, where local residents and running clubs really cheer you on! A hill gradually emerges around Mile 11—likely the highest of the race—but the crowd support is so good here that they drown out your pain. I appreciated the sweet treats from unofficial volunteers around here—we’re talking about some donut holes, fruit slices, licorice, etc. that really get you going. The course eventually merges from Ocean Blvd back onto Shoreline Drive. The sugar high kicks in, the loud crowds give you an extra boost, and the final quarter mile is a wild, energetic dash! It’s one of my favorite endings to any race I’ve done.
Scenery/Weather/Support:
-We were blessed with a cool and overcast race day, with temperatures beginning at 64 F at the start, and barely inching up a few degrees by the finish line two hours later. Heavy cloud cover meant a very comfortable run, especially along the unshaded beach. While the Long Beach scenery is often bright and sunny, this year it was shrouded in a moody fog. Water and electrolytes (via Ghost drinks) were adequate, and volunteer support was great. I wish there was one extra aid station at Mile 8 around the beach, partially for the water, but more to break up the monotony, but it’s not a big deal.
Post-race:
-Cross the finish line and you’re funneled into the finish festival in Marina Green Park. Wind-down and grab your rewards: a finisher medal, bottles of water, bananas, True Moo chocolate milk, Kodiak chewy granola bars (S’mores), Zico coconut water, and Rivalz Stuffed Snacks (Late Night Pizza, Spicy Street Taco, or Extra Cheddar Mac). Grab your stuff from gear check, take pictures with your medal, stretch, and relax on the grassy green. If you’re up for it, the finish festival also featured several food trucks, a Michelob Ultra beer garden, merch sales, and photo ops.
Swag:
-The official Half Marathon shirt was a black tech shirt, featuring “Long Beach Marathon” in white text on the left chest, and a larger “40Ever”” right below it, with the “40” in shiny rainbow chrome color to celebrate the event’s 40th Anniversary. On the back, giant white block letters spell out “LBM” at top, and “40Ever” below. All of this is surrounded by small phrases like “40 years of Long Beach Marathon, Urban Californian Running, 33.7701° N, 118.1937° W”, “Run Forever More, Run Forever More, Long Beach Marathon 40Ever”, “The open road favors the fearless” 2x, while “Long Beach Marathon – 40th Edition – Marathon, Half Marathon, Bike Tour – October 6, 2024” is lined across the bottom of the back. It’s an interesting design, but I wish the shirt came in something other than black/white. The Long Beach Marathon’s shirts have been black, then white, then black again for the last 3 years. Could we get some color, please?
The Half Marathon finisher medal is a giant “40” in rainbow chrome on a big white block filled with gray arrows. “Half Marathon” is printed in tiny black text at the bottom along with a running shoe logo, and “October 6, 2024” is embossed on the back. It’s a bit odd that there’s no mention of Long Beach anywhere on the medal, making it hard to identify at first glance. The medal is looped in a black ribbon with white text saying “Long Beach Marathon”, so you better not lose the ribbon otherwise you might forget what event the medal’s for!
Bottom-line:
The Long Beach Half Marathon is a fantastic fall race. It’s full of great energy, great sights, and 40 years of tradition. Now how about we get some color back on the shirts next year!
Nice easy flat beach 1/2
Fun race along the LB coastline for much of it. Get to run by the Queen Mary ship and along the beach for a good amount of the course - … MORE
Fun race along the LB coastline for much of it. Get to run by the Queen Mary ship and along the beach for a good amount of the course – fun fast flat race.
SoCal vibe
I enjoyed this race—total SoCal vibe. The course was scenic (along the ocean) with very few hills. It did get hot as there was little shade on the course. I … MORE
I enjoyed this race—total SoCal vibe. The course was scenic (along the ocean) with very few hills. It did get hot as there was little shade on the course. I highly recommend it.
Good race, but crowded
The corral start needed work. There was one entrance a ways back and it was difficult to make one’s way forward to the appropriate corral. Each corral needs its own … MORE
The corral start needed work. There was one entrance a ways back and it was difficult to make one’s way forward to the appropriate corral. Each corral needs its own entrance on the side.
The 7:30 start is really late for October in Southern California. While weather this time of year is a bit unpredictable, it’s generally fairly warm and starting so late made it really rough.
Also, the course is really crowded through the first 6 miles. So difficult to settle in to a good pace with strollers and slower runners on the narrow paths.
I did enjoy the race overall though. The spectators are a lot of fun at this race. Nice run along the beach after the half way point.
Waste of potential
As my first marathon outside of Texas I had a lot of expectations (too many) and running Long Beach seamed a good way to check them. Scenerie is just 6-7 … MORE
As my first marathon outside of Texas I had a lot of expectations (too many) and running Long Beach seamed a good way to check them. Scenerie is just 6-7 of the 26 miles, otherwise running in a ghost town with no ambiance. bare minimum swag. Medal somehow focused on some skyscrappers instead of the beach, the lighthouse, queen mary… anything recognizable. Course itself has a lot a u-turns and few port-a-potties making for a frustrating experience. Aid stations were OK but very cluttered on the first 10 miles (these 2-3 stations should have been doubled in size)
Normally good but not this year
Normally a very nice race, but multiple problems led to disappointment for lots of runners. The marathon started 25 minutes late. On a hotter-than-usual day, that's a problem. There's little … MORE
Normally a very nice race, but multiple problems led to disappointment for lots of runners. The marathon started 25 minutes late. On a hotter-than-usual day, that’s a problem. There’s little shade on the course so you got more sun exposure and dealt with the heat longer. The on-course electrolyte drink remains a mystery. Nothing about the brand or product name on their web site. It was there in two flavors and one tasted awful. The first aid station to have it was 6 miles in and it was only in really small cups the whole way. I heard that they ran out of medals for those completing the Beach Cities Challenge. Easily fixed if they mail them later, but still disappointing. A couple of friends reported timing problems, with one showing no finish time. The corrected results the next day showed a time about 2 hours faster than the true time. Drinks at the finish line were not cold. On a hot day, that’s bad.
It wasn’t all bad though. The finisher’s medals are very impressive. The shirts are a quality product with a nice design. The course has some hills, but nothing terrible. Conserve on the uphill portions, take advantage of any downhill portions, and you can get a fast time. I got a BQ here one year.
Hopefully race management fixes all this because this is usually a fun race. Lots of good scenery along the way and the spectator support always provides some memorable highlights. People were handing out Otter Pops during mile 23 and there were not one, but TWO people in unicorn costumes at mile 10.
Good, but we pay for a GREAT experience.
I live in LB, so i know the course and I love it. Over all i would give this 3 out of 5 running shoes. Where I think misses is … MORE
I live in LB, so i know the course and I love it. Over all i would give this 3 out of 5 running shoes. Where I think misses is 1st, the goodie bag prior to race day. Essentially, aside for my shirt. empty. Maybe some gels, electrolytes to sample or whatever will be on the course, please. And if that can’t happen, can we please move both races up 1 hour or 30 mins. Runners, we’re already crazy and will start earlier. I ran the half this year but have ran the full other years, in 3 hrs time. The Sun/weather in SoCal, in October?!? I feel this would help immensely. I do get to the aid stations early enough, but I also hear they ran out of items for the later crowds. So the early start/ cooler temps might help as well. Still signing up for next year, but I would like to start earlier if possible. Please & thank you.
Fun city, fun race
Long beach is a beautiful city to visit! Everyone is super friendly and the course is easily accessible to watch from many different angles and mile makers and is easy … MORE
Long beach is a beautiful city to visit! Everyone is super friendly and the course is easily accessible to watch from many different angles and mile makers and is easy to traverse. Race support was super friendly and it was great to see everyone participating!
I had too high expectations.
The race is advertised as flat and fast. It could have been fast, if not were flat. Many hills. Challenging course. The day’s temp was forecasted as high. The race … MORE
The race is advertised as flat and fast. It could have been fast, if not were flat. Many hills. Challenging course. The day’s temp was forecasted as high. The race started late, about a half hour. Very frustrating. Scenic route along the beach. About 2-3 miles (guessing). Not a lot of crowd support.
Great Scenery and flat course
Great Scenery in Long Beach. The only marathon I have run where you get a mix of the beach, downtown, and a suburban type of scenery. The course is fairly … MORE
Great Scenery in Long Beach. The only marathon I have run where you get a mix of the beach, downtown, and a suburban type of scenery. The course is fairly flat with a few hills hear and there. What makes the course “difficult” is the weather. It is a little warm for a marathon. Running the half is probably ideal. I have run marathons in all of the major cities in California LA, San Francisco, San Diego, Oakland, Sacramento& Hunington Beach and Long Beach has the best scenery in the state thus far. It should definitely be on every Southern Californian runners bucket list. I would suggest moving it to early December to bring in more runners as that period of time isn’t as congested on the “Marathon and half marathon” calendar.
Good, good, GOOD VIBRATIONS!
From the start of the expo, volunteers and staff are courteous, professional and happy to be there! On the race course, it gets even BETTER with loads of smiling faces … MORE
From the start of the expo, volunteers and staff are courteous, professional and happy to be there! On the race course, it gets even BETTER with loads of smiling faces handing you water, and sending you off with encouragement and positive vibes! Constant local support and cheering along the race course is something I always look forward to! THANK YOU LONG BEACH!!!
Great swap, scenery, and support but hot
I am a beach bum which means I have run this several times. It was my first race I have run and I come back every year. Loved this year's … MORE
I am a beach bum which means I have run this several times. It was my first race I have run and I come back every year. Loved this year’s medal and shirt – nothing on the back of the shirt and I am going to wear this shirt as it fits great. Marathon got a purple ribbon and purple on the medal. Lots of crowds on the course, great water stations with cold water and the kids knew finally to only fill the cups half full. Near the end when you wanted to walk, there were beers, mimosas, pretzels and candy – this was after the donut hole mile. It is a great course but I wish we could start earlier because running when it over 80 for someone over 60 = slower times which means more time in the heat. I will be back next year. FYI – I hope they will change the expo. I was out in the same heat the day before and I was in and out of the expo and back to my hotel. I have stayed at Hilton, Westin and Hywatt – love Hywatt if you want to splurge and walk 100 feet from your room to the start of the race. Stayed this year at Westin which had 12:00 check out – finish race, drink beer, walk uphill, take nap, shower, and sign for next year’s race.
Beautiful views, weather lottery
Gorgeous race set in Long Beach, great course support and views. Weather is a roll of the dice in October - some years you’re blessed with clouds and others like … MORE
Gorgeous race set in Long Beach, great course support and views. Weather is a roll of the dice in October – some years you’re blessed with clouds and others like this year was 80 degrees. Will be back to complete my beach cities challenge!
Flat course that was fun
This was a flat course with a sizeable number of runners. I had fun running this course. My goal was just to come away with a PR which I did! … MORE
This was a flat course with a sizeable number of runners. I had fun running this course. My goal was just to come away with a PR which I did! I would recommend this marathon to anyone looking to run their first or another marathon.
Definitely a repeatable event
Ran this half marathon with my adult daughter. Love this race and will definitely do it again, maybe the full marathon next time. The route for the half was fantastic, … MORE
Ran this half marathon with my adult daughter. Love this race and will definitely do it again, maybe the full marathon next time. The route for the half was fantastic, seems like we ran on two sides of the Queen Marry. Volunteers were great. The ONLY frustrating thing for me as a first time of this race was the lack of complete info on parking. Only three sites were listed and no indication whether these would fill up or not and what to do if they did. So I ended up having someone drop me off at the drop-off zone which worked well, but my friend ended up parking a million miles away on the street. Just added stress to race morning. But a great event. Loved it and recommend it.
Beautiful and Fast Course
This was my second time running this race and although I didn't get the time I wanted, I still had a blast. A couple little hills early but other than … MORE
This was my second time running this race and although I didn’t get the time I wanted, I still had a blast. A couple little hills early but other than that it is super flat. Running past the iconic Queen Mary is awesome as well as running past all the amazing spectators! Not the mention the perfect weather we had! I highly recommend running this race!
Fun if you live local
If you live local, it's fun. It went smoothly. The start was pretty seamless. Very flat overall. The end merges with the 1/2 marathon group. i was stuck behind a … MORE
If you live local, it’s fun. It went smoothly. The start was pretty seamless. Very flat overall. The end merges with the 1/2 marathon group. i was stuck behind a ton of walkers. Not ideal.
Meh
Long Beach is my hometown, that said, this race was incredibly disappointing. The aid stations for the half are VERY sparse. I do not carry my own hydration for races … MORE
Long Beach is my hometown, that said, this race was incredibly disappointing. The aid stations for the half are VERY sparse. I do not carry my own hydration for races but I would recommend you do for this half.
The expo itself is ok, once you’re able to get in. There were apparently two entrances. But nobody knew that, so the line to enter the expo went back a quarter mile, through a parking garage. Once in the expo, you can clearly see there was another entrance. However, nobody made that clear.
Next up is the course itself. For 10 out of the 13.1 miles you are running with virtually no spectators. Down towards the 710, up and over the Queensway Bridge and around the QM, back up the bridge and around the lighthouse. No one. It’s not incredibly scenic. It’s the harbor so you see a ton of 18 wheelers and dock workers. Again, this is my hometown and I’m not surprised by these guys…so don’t @ me. But if you’re looking for nice beach views, this ain’t it.
Once you hit the beach path you have nice water views, but it’s very short lived. When you’re finally up onto Ocean Blvd you get the cheers and run running clubs doing cheer/shot/donut stations. But that’s literally for the last 3 miles.
Upon finishing, they had what looked like cans of energy drinks being handed out. Where’s the water?? Omg, I didn’t get any water on the course…I’m dying! Where’s the water???
Oh….the tall cans of what look like booze or an energy drinks IS THE WATER. Well for the love of good running shoes, CAN SOMEONE TELL US THAT!? Or put up a sign or something? Sheesh. At any rate. They had some cute kids passing out chocolate milk so I took two and called it a day.
Except I couldn’t find my way out. Where do I walk back to my hotel? There were a zillion people milling about. Trash everywhere because I saw about 3 trash cans in the area, but no signs pointing me to where I can get out and get back to Ocean Blvd to walk home. Obviously I found my way, because I’m writing this…but I digress.
All in all, this was just “meh” at best. Will I run it again? No. Do I regret signing up? Also no. Long Beach is a great city. I was born and raised there. But the route, organization and amenities of the marathon are not that great.