I have run each distance of this race multiple times and this year was an absolute joke. Signed up last minute for the 5K, so the date change and course … MORE
I have run each distance of this race multiple times and this year was an absolute joke. Signed up last minute for the 5K, so the date change and course issues didn’t impact me. Expo was the same as always, not many vendors, parking fee is a ripoff for such a small expo. There was immediate confusion at the start line, the announcer directed runners to a couple of folding chairs that was the “start line”, even though the timing mat was no where near it. Then the national anthem started and that’s where my issues start. The announcer recommended that people remove their hats like always. Some folks did not, probably because they are about to start a race and had everything situated. That’s when a security guard decided to enforce patriotism and put his hands on people demanding they remove their hats. These were females that he did this too and one was clearly bothered by it. This is completely unacceptable, especially with the way things are in this country. I left a comment on their Instagram post and was told an incident report would be filed, but they refused to issue an apology or even acknowledge it happened. Oh, then there’s the post race food. Did they forget that we are still in a freaking pandemic??? Unwrapped food that had been just sitting out for people to breathe on and put their hands all over, disgusting.
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Never Again
I have run each distance of this race multiple times and this year was an absolute joke. Signed up last minute for the 5K, so the date change and course … MORE
I have run each distance of this race multiple times and this year was an absolute joke. Signed up last minute for the 5K, so the date change and course issues didn’t impact me. Expo was the same as always, not many vendors, parking fee is a ripoff for such a small expo. There was immediate confusion at the start line, the announcer directed runners to a couple of folding chairs that was the “start line”, even though the timing mat was no where near it. Then the national anthem started and that’s where my issues start. The announcer recommended that people remove their hats like always. Some folks did not, probably because they are about to start a race and had everything situated. That’s when a security guard decided to enforce patriotism and put his hands on people demanding they remove their hats. These were females that he did this too and one was clearly bothered by it. This is completely unacceptable, especially with the way things are in this country. I left a comment on their Instagram post and was told an incident report would be filed, but they refused to issue an apology or even acknowledge it happened. Oh, then there’s the post race food. Did they forget that we are still in a freaking pandemic??? Unwrapped food that had been just sitting out for people to breathe on and put their hands all over, disgusting.
Lot of hate, so a different perspective
Sounds like everyone already mentioned the big things that went wrong with this race so ill keep this review limited to other things. This marathon got a lot of hype … MORE
Sounds like everyone already mentioned the big things that went wrong with this race so ill keep this review limited to other things.
This marathon got a lot of hype from some of my running friends so I decided to give it a go to BQ. As much as I wanted it to, the race didn’t live up to the hype (again, this is aside from the big issues already written about in other reviews this year)
I’ve never been a fan of expos in the first place, but this one definitely didn’t do anything to make me excited about this race. It did it’s job–the volunteers were great–but it was just kinda small and uneventful. I guess I was expecting more since we had to pay $10 to park there.
The race had busses chartered to take you to the top of Ojai. It seemed like they had tons of busses and that whole system really worked well.
The start of the race was ok. There were a lot of portajohns but lines were very long–pretty typical of any race. The PA and music system was really low. My guess was that there is some sound ordinance in Ojai so they had to keep the volume low. Standing in the corrals, a bunch of us kept asking “What did he say?” over and over again which got to be really alarming the after 6am came and went and the race hadn’t started. We all started to get frustrated standing there–but you can read that in other reviews. But again, usually the pomp and circumstance gets you fired up before a race with the music blasting, and I just didn’t feel any of that. Kinda just “line up lets go.” and then “hurry up and wait”. The only fun part of standing in the coral was when someone got a chant started (that was much much louder than the PA system) and we were all chanting “LET’S GET STARTED” CLAP CLAP, CLAPCLAPCLAP.
The start of the race was a little touch and go. Yes, the missed turn that costs us about half a mile. Other than that, the first 4 miles or so, we shared half the two lane road with cars. There was a cone to help “guide” us and keep us in the lane, but there are always people trying to make there way around the pack and cars were surprisingly frequent on these roads. No close calls or anything, but we were out there yelling “CAR!” a bunch so no one got hurt. After that, larger areas of roadways were blocked off so it felt safer later on.
I want to say 70% of the race is on a bike trail. Which was actually pretty nice since the group thinned out by this point. Not to mention running downhill finally. The only issue was that the bike lane wasn’t closed for the race. I remember seeing signs that basically said for non-racers to be cautions on the trail, but as I was running, I passed a good deal of (non-race) walkers and I was passed by several cyclist. I almost ran into one walker near the end of the bike trail because i was toast at that point and just didnt have all my wits about me anymore.
Near the end of the race, we got running down (ahem… UP!) Main Street in Ventura and–while that street is permanently blocked off for cars–it is completely open to the public. And the Ventura residence/visitors were not there to watch us run. Myself and others found ourselves having to weave around people enjoying the day on Main Street. And 23-24 miles in, this street was a freaking mountain to climb. Not to mention the sun was in full force and you are running straight towards it. I got hammered. No June gloom to help us out that day. So at this point, between the extra .4, the people, and the sun; I gave up on my BQ and just wanted this race to be over. But i digress…
The last stretch of race was flat along the beach. This was the only place sanctioned for spectators so it was nice to finally see the people that came to watch me run.
As for the end, the medal we got was cool, a little different than typical metals being wood and metal. The only kinda crappy thing is that it says “marathon, half, and 5k” on it, so if you display it, its not obvious which race you ran. The ribbon does specify but… who’s looking at that.
The food at the end of the race was weird. All I wanted was a banana and gatorade but only water was provided at the end. As for the food, I was handed a basket full of “samples”. From what I remember, it was a third of a banana, a quarter of a bagel, an orange slice, a twizzler, and a couple of peanut m&ms. I think there were a few more odds and ends in there, but I just wasn’t feeling it. Fortunately, when I went up to the volunteers and asked for a whole banana they came through for me.
In the finisher area, the only talk was of the extra mileage we ran and people were livid. People also mentioned that the course was changed from previous years and that Main Street run was a new addition to the race and was way more uphill than anyone expected–so just be warned when reading old reviews about the course. Anyway, the finish area totally killed the vibe, so my family and i decided to bail on Ventura pretty quickly so we didnt experience any of the afterparty.
Overall, this race had a small town vibe. I’m not sure why I expected more out of it, honestly it made sense. My biggest takeaway was that this race is meant for runners from southern california. As someone traveling from far way, the amount of travel arrangements we had to make should have tipped me off. I felt pretty out of place the whole time. Everyone other than me seemed to be from SoCal. Not to mention the loose-y goose-y production of the whole event (see anyone else’s reviews). I’ve already given my running mates crap for recommending this one to me. Overall, this race was a big let down.
TL;DR: Only run this if you live near Ventura.
Do not run this marathon!
If you care at all about your time or how a race handles itself, do not sign up for Mountains 2 Beach. From beginning to end, they really fouled things … MORE
If you care at all about your time or how a race handles itself, do not sign up for Mountains 2 Beach. From beginning to end, they really fouled things up; however, what is most upsetting is the lack of accountability and their idea of “damage control.”
If you’ve read other reviews, I won’t belabor the details. 20 min late start with no communication why or much longer only “we’re starting soon” (meanwhile the sun is cresting over the hill; valuable cooler weather wasted). The missed turn marker was a complete debacle. We knew by mile 2 something was wrong — and not by just a little.
It takes a lot for me to write a review like this cause I think the running community is amazing and most RDs and organizations are supportive and want to do right by runners — but not this one.
If a race could somehow get its certification revoked due to mismanagement, M2B would be a good candidate for that.
What is most bothersome about all of this is the lack of accountability and blame shifting.
In various communications (social media and email to participants), they routinely shifted the blame to the sheriffs and volunteers.
Ie, it was the lead cyclists and motos fault for missing the turn. Meanwhile, hundreds of runners followed in pack.
They keep saying it was marked but I sure didn’t see it. Nor did hundreds of others.
But I guess we’re all wrong, eh?
Deflection. No accountability. No one from the race saying “yes, it was up to us to make sure that turn was clear as day and we failed you.”
Nope, let’s blame it on the sheriff and continue feeding us a line that the marker was there. It wasn’t.
Their party line is “mistakes happen” — yes, mistakes do. And when people make mistakes, they apologize and take proper responsibility. M2B failed continually to do that.
If you want a BQ, and want to do it in California, don’t come here. Go to CIM!
Oh for what it’s worth, I still PR’d despite all that. But my official result will never reflect the accurate time cause of the extra 0.4 mi. Which is super sad and they won’t do anything about it.
Do not run this race.
Here are the facts: Six weeks before the event, the race director notifies all runners that the race has to be moved from May 29th to June 5th. They claim … MORE
Here are the facts:
Six weeks before the event, the race director notifies all runners that the race has to be moved from May 29th to June 5th. They claim that the police department forced them to move the race. They also claim that hotels should be cheaper since the race is no longer on a holiday weekend.
Hotels jacked up prices for race weekend higher then what they were Memorial Day weekend. We were forced to pay the higher prices too even though we already had reservations made through the race travel agency.
Race is scheduled to start at 6am. After we get in the corrals, the race director continually states that we are delayed due to something entirely out of their control. Also heard reports of police removing runners hats during the national anthem. We finally started running at 6:20 (so extra time standing, extra time in the sun later).
The course leader took the wrong direction about 3 miles into the race, causing everyone to run an additional .4 miles. No one was really certain what was going on during the race since all of our watches said we were .4 miles longer than what the mile markers showed throughout the remainder of the course. Race officials have since said that this was the Sheriff’s fault.
Here are my opinions:
If the race director is to be believed (all three items were someone else’s fault) then you shouldn’t run this race. If the race can get this messed up out of the organizer’s control, then how can anyone trust this race can be run properly? I personally don’t believe the race director. I think this organization dropped the ball and did a lackluster job and the rest of us paid the price. Speaking of, they offered no refunds after moving the event until the social media backlash. Unless they can get their act together in the future, don’t run this race.
This race is not meant for anyone but those from southern California. I spent a small fortune on flights, cars, and hotels to be there. After the news of the race moving by a week, I had to spend another small fortune to change all our plans and dates. I figured I was already in the hole so much already, might as well make it work for a BQ. Turns out not attending the event would have been the better use of my time. After I realized the course was wrong and not my watch, I had to try to make up for nearly 4 minutes of lost time and wound up burning myself out in the last few miles which is purely uphill.
From start to finish, this race took the fun out of marathoning. I’ve never finished a race and seen so many people angry in the finisher’s area. Being a marathoner is something to celebrate, and somehow this race ruined that–all while taking zero responsibility.
Not sure if will work, but I added the race’s Instagram post link where you can read comments from a bunch of demoralized runners.
https://www.instagram.com/p/Ceb-abIvda2/?hl=en
Warning! Find Find Another Race to BQ!!
2022’s marathon consisted of a last minute date change, unexplained 20 minute start delay, and participants being lead off course within the first 2 miles resulting in an extra half … MORE
2022’s marathon consisted of a last minute date change, unexplained 20 minute start delay, and participants being lead off course within the first 2 miles resulting in an extra half mile added to the race. Pacers were forced to push the pace to attempt to make up the additional distance and burned out runners that were unaware that they were taken off course. These errors cost a lot of runners their BQs and the race directors took zero responsibility for any of it and continually blamed others and did absolutely nothing to attempt to make things right. They had little to no signage and no personnel at an important course turn that was missed. STAY AWAY FROM THIS MARATHON AT ALL COSTS!
Tougher than it seems but beautiful!
This run starts in Ojai and has beautiful views of the mountains and countryside. There are gradual intense inclined the first 8-9 miles in Ojai area then most of the … MORE
This run starts in Ojai and has beautiful views of the mountains and countryside. There are gradual intense inclined the first 8-9 miles in Ojai area then most of the course is downhill after that. I burned myself out with too fast a pace and paid for it (as many runners were struggling towards the end) but the ocean view and breeze to end the race was great! This is not a very spectator-friendly course with lots of time on bike paths away from main streets.. be prepared to run more alone than with a group if you don’t stick with a pace.
Also, pretty sure this year they messed up the length of the race so that we all ran an extra .5 mile!
Many people Boston qualified!
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.