Start in the mountains, end at the beach! Uniquely situated and completely surrounded by beautiful mountains, the city of Ojai holds the start of the Mountains 2 Beach Marathon while the half starts closer to the beach. This point to point race winds through the Ventura River Valley as it makes …
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Start in the mountains, end at the beach! Uniquely situated and completely surrounded by beautiful mountains, the city of Ojai holds the start of the Mountains 2 Beach Marathon while the half starts closer to the beach. This point to point race winds through the Ventura River Valley as it makes its way to the pristine beaches of the last great surf town in California, Ventura. Runners will love the gradual downhill nature of the race, which is prime to make you faster but not hurt the knees, and the amazing weather of the area. After a final tour of beach front Ventura, runners and their families are treated to a finish line party only steps away from the surf and the shops and restaurants of Historic Downtown Ventura. As a certified Boston Qualifier, the course (marathon only), the race and the surrounding communities make for the perfect destination marathon and half.
The Clif Mountains 2 Beach Marathon is 26.2 miles of mountain and beachfront scenery. Starting in beautiful downtown Ojai California, the course begins at just over 700 ft. and gradually descends to sea-level over 22 miles, and finishing near the historic Ventura, California Pier. The course is a lightning fast, USATF certified Boston Marathon Qualifier (CA16086RS).
The Clif Bar Mountains 2 Beach Half-Marathon is a fast, beautiful, point to point 13.1 mile course. The race starts in the quiet town of Oak View at the half way point of the full marathon and runs gently downhill to the Ventura beachfront finishing just past the historic Ventura Pier with the Clif Bar Mountains 2 Beach Marathon finishers.
With a beautiful ocean side start the Inside Track Beachfront 5k starts near the finish line for all three events and heads directly to downtown Ventura where it joins in with the full and half marathon at miles 23.5 and 10.5 respectively. From there the course will take you east and after a downhill run you will come back to the beach and your final mile of the race.
LESS
Posting this as a warning!
I signed up in January to run the Mountains 2 Beach marathon with my mom over memorial day weekend. We chose this weekend specifically because I'm getting married this year … MORE
I signed up in January to run the Mountains 2 Beach marathon with my mom over memorial day weekend. We chose this weekend specifically because I’m getting married this year and am short on time off! We specifically looked for a memorial day weekend race. Unfortunately I received a message 6 weeks before notifying me that the race is now moved to June 5 (a week later)–after we booked airfare, an airbnb and pet sitter arrangements. This race is only offering a “deferral” or “transfer.” No refunds.
So Cal Downhill BQ Favorite
It's an early start on the buses at 430am. Multiple pick up points throughout downtown Ventura. Weather in Ojai is brisk and then warms up as the day/race progresses. Don't … MORE
It’s an early start on the buses at 430am. Multiple pick up points throughout downtown Ventura.
Weather in Ojai is brisk and then warms up as the day/race progresses. Don’t burn yourself out. The terrain in Ojai has hidden elevation and although the course is net downhill there are some rolling hills in the teens.
Miles 20+ are flat but after the steady downhill, they feel like you are climbing a mountain.
The shirts are terrible, but who cares.
If you BQ, get in line early to ring the gong.
Runners are dressed to impress.
Gorgeous, fast, and well organized
I targeted this marathon for the scenery and advertised fast course and it delivered. My fiance and I made an extended weekend LA trip out of this race, as it's … MORE
I targeted this marathon for the scenery and advertised fast course and it delivered. My fiance and I made an extended weekend LA trip out of this race, as it’s only about an hour and half away. Love that it’s over Memorial Day weekend. The organizers were friendly and prompt with communication, and the athlete packet sent the a week or so prior was comprehensive, explaining everything in detail. You really have no excuse to be unprepared for this race. That said, it sells out quickly and if you register later, you’ll be stuck with the 4am shuttle. That means you’re getting up at 2:30 so you can get breakfast in. But I mean you made it this far through hard training so deal with it. The race is well worth it. Downtown Ojai is a great place to get some stretches and strides in. Just be quick with the portapotties as those lines get pretty long, as usual with these events. The first 20 miles are beautiful. Mountains, trees, I mean it really is impressive. While downhill, there are some uphill sections to be aware of, specifically the first few miles – they’re not bad at all but just don’t go out too fast. Try to keep your MP, even when the steep drops make you want to run 20 sec under. I got greedy and paid for it in the last couple miles – there’s an uphill in downtown Ventura that sucks the life out of you. Know it’s there and save for it. We lucked out with temps remaining below 60* – in fact, I had to throw on a sweater after cooling down. The BQ gong is a nice touch, and honestly, something in the back of your mind during the race. You can say it’s not, but it is. Overall, I hope to return next year! P.S. recovery was not bad at all – sore quads thanks to the downhill, but probably my quickest recovery process so far.
Loved everything about it
I definitely recommend this race for 1st timers doing a half marathon..mostly because it's down hill, so this is a good one to sign up for, MORE
I definitely recommend this race for 1st timers doing a half marathon..mostly because it’s down hill, so this is a good one to sign up for,
Gorgeous
What a beautiful course!! (It was hard to focus on finishing, I was too busy taking in my surroundings.) The weather was amazing! Staff/volunteers were very helpful along the way. … MORE
What a beautiful course!! (It was hard to focus on finishing, I was too busy taking in my surroundings.) The weather was amazing! Staff/volunteers were very helpful along the way. Expo pre and post race were not very impressive but it’s still a newer race. Also, I would recommend having someone drop you off at the starting line, the shuttles are super early. We ended up sitting in Ojai for almost 2hours before we started. Overall great! I would recommend it to all my running friends!
Great course if you want to BQ!
This was my first ever marathon and I qualified for Boston. The course has a gradual downhill trail with only a few small hills. Volunteers were great!! Only complaint was … MORE
This was my first ever marathon and I qualified for Boston. The course has a gradual downhill trail with only a few small hills. Volunteers were great!! Only complaint was trying to use the bathroom right before the race. It could have been better organized.
Unique & well implemented. Great fun!
It's a rare opportunity to run a race down fresh, mountain roads & end up at a beautiful Pacific Ocean beach. This is that! Well organized & thought out, not … MORE
It’s a rare opportunity to run a race down fresh, mountain roads & end up at a beautiful Pacific Ocean beach. This is that! Well organized & thought out, not too big to be frustrating, and the runners seemed like real runners, who understand the culture & way we run together. We will be back. I highly recommend this race.
A BQ & PR
Fabulous location, we loved Ojai, mtns on both sides, vineyards & orchards!. We would go there again to enjoy the area. We stayed in Ojai and there were no return … MORE
Fabulous location, we loved Ojai, mtns on both sides, vineyards & orchards!. We would go there again to enjoy the area. We stayed in Ojai and there were no return shuttles there from Ventura which was a bummer. The course is beautiful, running by orchards, downtown Ojai, into valleys and finally through Ventura, along the sea…lined with flags for Memorial Day. Ringing the Gong was great. The support teams were great! Plenty of volunteers manning the hydration tents which occurred about every 1-2 miles. There were no digital clocks during the race, so I was thankful for my garmins. My pacer was a bit fast, but he was accommodating the hydration stops & hills. I would easily run this race again. The downhill was fairly gentle on paved road & bike path. There are 4 uphill sections (the 1st 3 miles are uphill, barely noticed it). I definitely noticed the last uphill sections during the last 3 miles….ugh. But still, with optimum weather for us (55-57 cloudy) it proved to be a super-fast course, if the sun would have been out/with humidity it would have slowed me down by at least 5 mins.
M2B - a "Runners Race"
Surprisingly well supported, more water & electrolyte drink stations than I've seen over other races...including the substantially more expensive Rock and Roll marathon events. The only difference is there's not … MORE
Surprisingly well supported, more water & electrolyte drink stations than I’ve seen over other races…including the substantially more expensive Rock and Roll marathon events. The only difference is there’s not multiple bands playing on the route and fewer people cheering…and it’s $100 less. Put in some headphones and enjoy the views.
Bathrooms galore at the start, be prepared to be waiting outside in the cold if you take and early tram…the only place for “refuge” is the Post Office which can only hold about 100 people. Plan on using bag check or a thermal blanket.
Mainly downhill, although not at a fantastically steep grade, small uphill the first couple miles, small uphill around mile 23-24…all in all, relatively fast course.
Having the beer garden on one side of the finish line “trough” is a phenomenal way to close out a race.
Ran it back in 2018, although you can’t predict the weather the 2019 course was phenomenally beautiful with green grass lining the hills and low hanging clouds. 2018 – sunny, dry, and warm. It’s coastal CA, you get what you get.
Town of Ventura is a nice little sleepy beach town, perfect sized for this race and good options to eat/drink without the hustle and bustle of LA. I get the same feeling at this race as I did the San Dieguito Half Marathon – its a “runners race”. You are going to see faster times and a lot of BQ’s. If you’re looking to run/walk half the course with people cheering you on every step of the way – probably look elsewhere.
Good race and views,
Overall good run. Very nice area/part of CA I flew in for the race and would do again. I spent a few days in Venture to make a weekend trip … MORE
Overall good run. Very nice area/part of CA I flew in for the race and would do again. I spent a few days in Venture to make a weekend trip out of it.
The race is quick, just getting back into running I had a nice strong finish with this run and many people I talked to after the race got their BQ. Aid stations very well ran and stocked.
Fantastic
This was my first marathon. It was challenging but doable for first timers. I felt that every part that. Needed to be covered with volunteers was great and spectators along … MORE
This was my first marathon. It was challenging but doable for first timers. I felt that every part that. Needed to be covered with volunteers was great and spectators along the route were helpful. It was a great day for a run and beautiful scenery!
My 16 year old son ran his first half, too!
Amazing road, you can have enjoy now
Incredible route, beautiful valleys and forests, I enjoy it a lot, clean air and many runners of the same rhythm, that force you to give the best of you, not … MORE
Incredible route, beautiful valleys and forests, I enjoy it a lot, clean air and many runners of the same rhythm, that force you to give the best of you, not qualify to Boston, but I made my best time for more than 10 minutes below, I am happy and I hope to return some day without so much hurry, to be able to admire more the landscapes, the towns and their people, thanks.
Fantastic race - great place to run fast
Course is great - miles 4 to 23 are just enough downhill to be fast. Organization and support were excellent. Race expo is small but sufficient. Finish at the ocean … MORE
Course is great – miles 4 to 23 are just enough downhill to be fast. Organization and support were excellent. Race expo is small but sufficient. Finish at the ocean is very cool.
Good Race for Time Goals
Heard about this race through friends, and read reviews about it online. This race is extremely well organized, no last minute surprises in the pickup, the shuttle, the finish, or … MORE
Heard about this race through friends, and read reviews about it online. This race is extremely well organized, no last minute surprises in the pickup, the shuttle, the finish, or race course. One of the best organized races I’ve experienced.
Unique things about this race: Run with pacers in other racers and either they go too slow or too fast; I went with the 3:45 and my time was 3:44:53. They did effort based pacing so I felt good the whole course too. Expo/Packet pickup, shuttle to start, and the finish were all in one place — so convenient. My watch clocked in at 26.23 miles, I’m not the best tangent runner, so a lot of times I finish and my watch is reading close to 26.5-7, this course is great if you want to just follow the pack and run. And of course the net downhill is a HUGE bonus.
Fan of the old course
Having run this race several times starting in the early O2O days I must say I am a fan of the original course that started at the high school and … MORE
Having run this race several times starting in the early O2O days I must say I am a fan of the original course that started at the high school and was mainly on the bike path and oceanfront. More hills on this course and coming later so it is not as fast as it used to be. Scenery is still top notch and the weather is always good. T shirt design is hit or miss and this year it was a big miss. Something to clean the yard in. Plenty of aid stations. Not even close to enough bathrooms at the start. Access to the expo was very easy. No hassle with plenty of parking. All in all a decent race.
Fun, scenic race!
Really enjoyed this race last Sunday. It was pretty well-orchestrated, but could be better considering the number of runners (2500?) that now attend the event. For instance, there were limited … MORE
Really enjoyed this race last Sunday. It was pretty well-orchestrated, but could be better considering the number of runners (2500?) that now attend the event. For instance, there were limited shuttles at 5am, even with rain in the forecast, so that meant we had to sit around in the cold and wet for nearly 2 hours. Also, bag check was very disorganized at finish.
However, the race was beautiful, mile markers were on point (and cute surfboards :)), scenery was lovely and most of the race was downhill or flat. If I had not been under the weather, this would have been a PB for sure.
The expo was easy to get to, though relatively small, and it would have been nice to not have to pay for parking. Overall, I would go back to run the full, even though I live in the southeast.
Thanks for a great experience!
BE AWARE
I chose this race because I was looking to BQ asap, the route seemed amazing, the race size was good and everthing seem just ideal. So the race day came … MORE
I chose this race because I was looking to BQ asap, the route seemed amazing, the race size was good and everthing seem just ideal.
So the race day came and yes, the Race is amazing, it has very good runners, great pacers and great scenery but the Atlimetry and the course is not as “fast” as it seems, the course gives you a lot of speed at the beginning of the race (first 21k), beyond that point it just gets tougher and tougher, it really takes everything out of you, I’ve never seen a race that has so many crying runners at the finish line. I would definitely come back because I know that with a different strategy I could do much better.
Great Race
Fast mostly down hill race. Would of like more of the trail to be along the beach. Expo wasn't has big as I thought it would of been. Great volunteers! … MORE
Fast mostly down hill race. Would of like more of the trail to be along the beach. Expo wasn’t has big as I thought it would of been. Great volunteers!
Will probably be back for next year.
Truly a great race
The course is honestly gorgeous. We were surrounded by mountains and greenery for almost the entire course before finishing in beautiful downtown Ventura. There's a lot to appreciate about the … MORE
The course is honestly gorgeous. We were surrounded by mountains and greenery for almost the entire course before finishing in beautiful downtown Ventura. There’s a lot to appreciate about the scenery if you can break your concentration long enough to look around. The 770 ft net drop in elevation is certainly an advantage, though not as great as you’d think. The course rolls mostly rolls you along. It feels flat, though you’ve got a bit of a downhill that helps with turnover and keeping the heart rate in check. There are a half dozen places along the course where the drop becomes more significant, and you can really bank some time. There is some uphill in the course as well – in the first six miles and then again at mile 24.
Overall, this run is well-organized and has ample support along the course itself. I ran with the 3:10 pacer for the first ten miles or so of the race and found him to be very consistent and engaging. When checking times after the race I saw he was able to finish right on schedule, which is awesome.
This course offers a great opportunity for a PR and a BQ. I’ve done it twice now and would say it’s my favorite race due to the scenery, the downhill, and the great support. Highly recommended!
Great and Fast Course, Perfect to PR!
It was my 1st time in this race but my 4th Full Marathon. It is a excellent race, with a beautiful scenery (a lot of nature), a very fast course … MORE
It was my 1st time in this race but my 4th Full Marathon. It is a excellent race, with a beautiful scenery (a lot of nature), a very fast course (some high hills), perfect organization and a lot of happy people cheering us!
Its a perfect race to win a PR or a BQ.