Come experience one of the most scenic events in California, “Run Long Beach”. 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 …
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Come experience one of the most scenic events in California, “Run Long Beach”. 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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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.
Awesome race
Second time running the Long Beach HM and it was even more fun than last year! The crowd, support, and race organizers are all great. Definitely recommend! MORE
Second time running the Long Beach HM and it was even more fun than last year! The crowd, support, and race organizers are all great. Definitely recommend!
Beautiful scenery, flat course
The course itself is beautiful especially the first half. Does get a little lackluster in the second half when you run through more of the inland neighborhoods and the college … MORE
The course itself is beautiful especially the first half. Does get a little lackluster in the second half when you run through more of the inland neighborhoods and the college campus. But running along the marina and beach was amazing! Course is mostly flat with some inclines here and there. Seemed like a big community event, a lot of families had come out with Gatorade and things like that. More spectators are always nice, but I appreciated them when they were there. Only thing is that I wish there were more aid stations the last few miles of the full, when everyone is really struggling! Extremely organized race, would certainly run again.
This is a one and done for me
Never received email confirmation on my bib number, was given wrong bib number at expo (partly my fault for not checking name in lower corner). Expo did not check I’d … MORE
Never received email confirmation on my bib number, was given wrong bib number at expo (partly my fault for not checking name in lower corner). Expo did not check I’d when given bib. Didn’t find out until I went to check my results. They race people were very quick to get it resolved once I contacted them.
Was a little disappointed we didn’t run closer to the Queen Mary. On the positive side get course support . Had to get medical attention after race the medics were so amazing .
Love LBC!!
This race is a lot of fun! It’s flat and fast, except for going over the Queen’s Bridge at miles 2 and 4. (The bridge being so early in the … MORE
This race is a lot of fun! It’s flat and fast, except for going over the Queen’s Bridge at miles 2 and 4. (The bridge being so early in the race makes it easier to handle if you’re prepared for it, but might be rough on first-timers). Beach and ocean scenery is beautiful.
Will race again!
This race was fantastic honestly. The crowd/spectator support was so lively and through a majority of the half marathon route. The first 3.5-4 miles is done around Queensway bridge and … MORE
This race was fantastic honestly. The crowd/spectator support was so lively and through a majority of the half marathon route. The first 3.5-4 miles is done around Queensway bridge and Queen Mary, which is neat but the only downside was having to go up and over the bridge twice in the first third of the race. The stretch along the beach strand was peaceful but this was where less spectators were so you needed to be in the zone here. Plenty of available water/electrolyte stations and bathrooms along the course. Mile 10 was super fun – you turn the corner to Ocean Ave and it’s essentially full of spectators and fun the final 5k. There were donut holes, pretzels, red vines, snacks galore and there was even some people handing out beer, wine and Jell-O shots. There is a minor hill at maybe mile 11ish that felt easy compared to the bridge in my opinion. You go up that small hill and it’s a fast finish from there. Tons of crowd support and the chute to finish is nice and downhill. I was able to sprint the last .2 miles downhill. I walked here and there so I definitely have goals to beat my time but this is absolutely a race I will do again in the future. Only complaint was limited swag and fun at the expo. Also the weather was PERFECT. See you next year!
perfect conditions; scenic
perfect race conditions: gloomy, cool weather by the water scenic route in the beginning and end ended up getting a PR in my half marathon and full marathon times a … MORE
perfect race conditions: gloomy, cool weather by the water
scenic route in the beginning and end
ended up getting a PR in my half marathon and full marathon times
a couple u-turns on the course but didn’t mind it so much.
overall, great vibe and atmosphere from the course and spectators all over the route
It’s the best for your first long run
Well organized, offers race day parking at expo so you don’t have to worry on race day. The corral breaks are great. Lots of bathroom options, the views are amazing. … MORE
Well organized, offers race day parking at expo so you don’t have to worry on race day. The corral breaks are great. Lots of bathroom options, the views are amazing. The cheering crowds is the best. I always recommend this race to friends and family when it’s their first long race. Long Beach was my first half and my first marathon.
A smooth, beautiful run!
This was my third go-around with the Long Beach Half Marathon, and it remains a smooth, fast race. The race-day environment is fun, the course is scenic, and it’s a … MORE
This was my third go-around with the Long Beach Half Marathon, and it remains a smooth, fast race. The race-day environment is fun, the course is scenic, and it’s a reliable fall classic that I really enjoy and recommend.
Expo / pick-up:
-After spending last year in the open-air plaza outside the Long Beach Convention Center, the race expo and packet pick-up returned inside to the Convention Center’s Hall C. There were more vendors and sponsors than before, and I appreciated the free, official plastic tote bags we got upon bib pick-up. It’s handy for all the samples, shirts, etc. at the expo, and a useful way to remember the event throughout the rest of the year after you go home! I also liked the booth selling race-day parking, which I think was new. It’s a huge time-saver, and makes the race-day morning much easier. I wasn’t thrilled with the official merch on sale, however. It was hard to find tech shirts with the official Long Beach logo, instead of cotton-poly blends. Maybe it’s just me, but sweat-wicking features are so important on running shirts.
Parking:
-Tip: instead of panicking and wondering where to park your car on race-day morning (all the while nervous that you won’t make the start-line on time), you can pre-purchase parking either online or at the expo. It makes your morning less stressful! The designated parking lot right outside the Convention Center is conveniently close to the start/finish area, right across from Shoreline Drive.
Pre-race:
-The start area began near the corner of Shoreline Drive and the Rainbow Lagoon, and stretches back all along the Marina Green Park. There were plenty of porta-potties, with a higher concentration near the start. Gear check was also available in the Park’s lawn area, along with merch sales and shirt pickups. If you’re doing the Half, be aware that the Marathon and Bike Tour begin an hour earlier. There are other racers speeding through the area and/or finishing, so make way for them if you’re further east on Shoreline Drive near the finish area.
-The start corral on Shoreline Drive was divided by pacers holding up signs, but it was so crowded that it spilled into the hilly Marina Green park to the south. I wish the corral was organized slightly better to allow all racers to gather on the road rather than being pushed up the hill. I couldn’t step into the corral on the road until the first wave had already crossed the start line.
Course:
-Miles 1-5: Here the crowds are the biggest, right out of the start line. From Shoreline Drive, you loop under Ocean Boulevard, navigate twisty turnarounds near Long Beach’s famous piers and shipping industry, and go over and under bridges. The Queens Way bridge here is the steepest elevation change on the course, and you have to climb it twice. At least you can get it out of the way early!
-Miles 5-7: This section includes many of Long Beach’s most popular landmarks including the Aquarium, Shoreline Park, the lighthouse, Rainbow Harbor, the Marina boats, and the best views of the Queen Mary. This was probably my favorite part of the race since it feels less like a race and more like a sight-seeing tour!
-Miles 7-10: A straight, flat stretch along the beach with sand and crashing waves on your right. It’s pretty, but after a few minutes, the view of the beach pretty much blurs into the background since it doesn’t change much. This portion is also the least shaded, provides the least water/aid support, and had the smallest spectator crowds. It can sometimes get annoyingly hot here, but this year the cooler, overcast weather made it easier.
-Miles 10-13.1: The turnaround onto Ocean Blvd, into the Belmont Shores neighborhood is a relief. The crowds and aid stations are back. The city is back, some shade is back again, and local businesses, residents, and running clubs are out to support you! There’s a small hill around Mile 11, but it’s so gradual I barely noticed it due to the crowd noise. I got an extra boost of energy throughout this stretch— extra thanks to the official and unofficial snacks (some folks with donut holes), fruit (orange slices), and other refreshments from volunteers. As the course merges from Ocean Blvd onto Shoreline Drive, the crowds in the final quarter mile make it so much fun, and it’s a great way to finish the race.
Scenery/Weather/Support:
-It was luckily a cool and overcast day, with temperatures ranging from 65 F on race-day morning to 70 F when I crossed the finish line. The cloud cover made for a comfortable run, especially along the unshaded beach. It also made it easier to enjoy all of Long Beach’s sights without having to squint if it were a hot, sunny day. Water and volunteer support was solid, but I really wish there was another aid station around Mile 8 or 9 around the beach.
Post-race:
-Cross the finish line and you’re funneled into the finish festival in Marina Green Park. Wind-down with an assortment of refreshments: True Moo chocolate milk, a banana, Snyder’s mini pretzels, a Bob’s Red Mill bar, an organic Jam Bar, and cans of Liquid Death water. I almost declined the water because when you’re exhausted and slightly disoriented, you really don’t expect to find water in the form of cans. Beer, energy drinks? Sure, but when your brain is on auto-pilot at the end of a race, you’re usually looking for water served in bottles or cups. The finish festival also featured several food trucks, a Michelob Ultra beer garden, merch sales, photo ops, and more, all along the marina waters.
Swag:
-The official Half Marathon shirt was a black tech shirt, with a blue/green city graphic on the front. The Long Beach marathon logo is centered in the front, as well as up top on the back. It’s a nice design, and a huge upgrade over last year’s cotton blend shirt. The Half Marathon medal is a chunky piece of black metal looped in a light blue ribbon. City buildings in green and purple form the backdrop of the medal, while a blue palm tree and blue Queen Mary ship surround the Long Beach logo in the foreground.
Bottom-line:
The Long Beach Half Marathon is a fun fall event with wonderful sights and energy—whether it’s your first race or a repeat, I heartily recommend it!
Crushed me
Excellent weather for the day, it was overcast. Route was good not a lot of uphill which was good. No loops thank goodness! Lots of water stations also they provided … MORE
Excellent weather for the day, it was overcast. Route was good not a lot of uphill which was good. No loops thank goodness! Lots of water stations also they provided electrolytes 🙌🏽
Decent race but could be better
The course did get crowded when running on the beachside and there was a lack of water stations past the 5th mile which eventually led me to dehydrate and cramp. … MORE
The course did get crowded when running on the beachside and there was a lack of water stations past the 5th mile which eventually led me to dehydrate and cramp. This race is byow, bring ur own water. The production was great and is a staple race in SoCal so I would still recommend to anyone.
Great Ocean-side Marathon
This is the first real race I’ve done post-Covid. Fortunately, Long Beach remembered how to put on a great event. There were a few changes to the course from the … MORE
This is the first real race I’ve done post-Covid. Fortunately, Long Beach remembered how to put on a great event. There were a few changes to the course from the previous year, but nothing major. The full marathon starts earlier than the half so the start was not as packed as you might expect. And as always, the weather was cool at the start and only slightly less cool for the rest of the race. The course is mostly flat with a few small hills here and there. In most cases you run down the hill and eventually loop around and go back up it. So you know what to expect. The very last 0.2 mile is downhill which really helps you pick up the pace so you can finish strong in front of the crowd. It’s a pretty scenic course with quite a bit of it along the ocean. Early in the race you loop by the Queen Mary and later you go through the CSULB campus. (The race photographers have finally figured out the best locations on the course for photos..)
There was a great shirt and medal and even with the social distancing the post run beer garden was good.
The only complaint was that some of the mile markers were off. But since we all have GPS’s that is not a big problem.
Favorite Race Weekend Of The Year
I have said it before and I will say it again: I LOVE Long Beach Marathon Weekend! It is my favorite race weekend of the year. All of my complaints … MORE
I have said it before and I will say it again: I LOVE Long Beach Marathon Weekend! It is my favorite race weekend of the year.
All of my complaints about the Run/Bike Combo in 2019 were addressed in 2021.
There were volunteers registering bikes in the bike valet area BEFORE the bike tour. This avoided delays in transitioning from the bike to the run.
Upon crossing the bike tour finish line and receiving your medal, you could turn right to go directly into the bike valet area or continue straight to receive post ride snacks. I was delighted to be able to bypass the snack line since I had to get to the run. Every other year, this is a congestion point. You can’t go around people because you have your bike in tow. Many people aren’t in a hurry to go through the snack line because they are finished and don’t have a second event to get to. Kuddos to Long Beach for listening to participant feedback and improving the transition from the bike to the run.
My only complaint this year was that the Half Marathon was moved from 7:30 am start to 7 only a few days before the event. This was done due to infrastructure that was in place for the Grand Prix, which was also happening that weekend. The Bike Tour was scheduled to start at 6 am, but it started 15 minutes late! This greatly narrowed the window for people participating in both events. I PR’d the bike course, but still started the half marathon well after most participants had already started. The announcer was yelling, “Last call for people running the half marathon!” as I approached the starting line. I had to weave my way through people walking in groups for the first few miles before I caught up with runners and run/walkers. It was frustrating, but I still ran a course personal best. I do hope the half marathon goes back to starting at 7:30 in 2022… or I hope the Bike Tour at least starts on time!
I am already registered for 2022. I am shooting for 10 consecutive years with Long Beach. I will then take a year off to go run the Chicago Marathon, which almost always falls on the same weekend. Then, back to Long Beach for me!
Really pretty race
This was my first half marathon. It was a nice, flat course that had plenty of water and refreshments along the way. I appreciated the straight-away on the beach path. … MORE
This was my first half marathon. It was a nice, flat course that had plenty of water and refreshments along the way. I appreciated the straight-away on the beach path. Would do again!
2021 Long Beach Half Marathon is back!
I ran the Long Beach Half Marathon on a beautiful sunny day and it was great to be back. There were a lot of people so it was quite busy … MORE
I ran the Long Beach Half Marathon on a beautiful sunny day and it was great to be back. There were a lot of people so it was quite busy from the start but we all kept moving at a good pace. The course goes over a few bridges so these are the hills but you run on a wide beach path mid way and finish up on a slight incline on surface roads so all in all a pretty easy course. We are right by the Convention Center and Aquarium of the Pacific aquarium so lots of great scenery plus you are right next to the busiest port (many ships waiting to dock) and also home to the Queen Mary. The beach path is where can gather your thoughts for trip down the home stretch. This run is especially fun for me as I lived pretty much on the course so I have ran on that beach path so many times. To get to the start I rode my bike and parked it in a secure bike corral provided for the bike tour so transportation was easy for me and it was nice to bike back home. If you like beer, the beer garden is pretty big with plenty of tables and if you are a legacy member you have your own area to sit and relax. Overall a great weekend of running in Long Beach as I also did the Saturday 5K.
Beautiful course!!
From Dallas and was in town for the race. It's an absolutely beautiful race course, one of the prettiest I've ever run. Running into the sunrise along the beach was … MORE
From Dallas and was in town for the race. It’s an absolutely beautiful race course, one of the prettiest I’ve ever run. Running into the sunrise along the beach was very special and traversing around the CSULB campus was pretty cool, too! Pretty fast course with very few hills, and even those won’t slow you down too much. Could have been a more signage directing runners and cyclists to the proper starting areas and heard quite a few people asking for directions. Very impressed with the support shown by the locals when running through the residential areas. Came here to PB/BQ and was on pace to do so, but left with a personal worst due to a hamstring injury at mile 12. No matter, as this is a race that is worth the money to travel to.
My first time but not my last!
The course was awesome!! The volunteers were awesome!! My shirt and medal were both awesome!! This was my first time but not my last! Half marathons for me now though! … MORE
The course was awesome!! The volunteers were awesome!! My shirt and medal were both awesome!! This was my first time but not my last! Half marathons for me now though! I can’t wait for next year!! #RunLongBeach