Save 15% w/code RACERAVES15 *** The OC Marathon Course will start in front of our Official Start Line Hotel, the Newport Beach Marriott Hotel & Spa just south of Santa Barbara Drive. You will run through the beautiful coastal communities of Newport Beach, Costa Mesa and Santa Ana finishing off …
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Save 15% w/code RACERAVES15
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The OC Marathon Course will start in front of our Official Start Line Hotel, the Newport Beach Marriott Hotel & Spa just south of Santa Barbara Drive. You will run through the beautiful coastal communities of Newport Beach, Costa Mesa and Santa Ana finishing off at the OC Fair and Event Center conveniently located just off the 55 freeway in the heart of Costa Mesa. THE OC MARATHON CAN BE USED AS A QUALIFIER FOR ANY MARATHON IN THE COUNTRY, INCLUDING THE BOSTON MARATHON.
The first mile of the OC Marathon course includes a breathtaking panorama of the Pacific Ocean before winding through the seaside village of Corona del Mar including the spectacular Ocean Blvd. with cliff side views of Big Corona del Mar State Beach. It traverses down Bayside Drive, past the Newport Harbor Yacht Clubs and homes and boats of Newport Harbor. Exceptional views await runners at the bluffs overlooking the Upper Newport Bay Estuary Reserve as are the supportive cheers of neighborhood residents. Marathoners continue into the heart of Orange County, Costa Mesa, passing by the Segerstrom Center for the Arts, around South Coast Plaza. Runners hear the cheers from students as you go past one of our largest participating schools in our kids program with over 400 kids, then run through the campus of Segerstrom High School. One more mile in Santa Ana before turning onto the Santa Ana River Trail for 1.5 miles before exiting at Gisler foot-bridge. Runners will go through beautiful Mesa Verde neighborhoods and then the “Bird Streets”, providing you with that much needed support on the home stretch towards the OC Fair & Event Center.
The Full Marathon course is net downhill in elevation from start to finish. The first 6.5 miles will be extremely fast with only minor inclines. Mile 6.5 to 7.0 is the only significant hill on the course taking the runners from 15 feet to 75 feet. The course is then mostly flat through mile 10.5 with a couple rolling hills to 11.5. There is another 45′ incline at mile 14.5 over the 405 overpass and a 40′ incline slightly over 1/4 of a mile in length at mile 23 after. These are all relatively small hills.
The Half Marathon course starts 45 minutes after the marathon from the same location, with a breathtaking panorama of the Pacific Ocean before winding through the seaside village of Corona del Mar including the spectacular Ocean Blvd. with cliffside views of Big Corona del Mar State Beach. The Half Marathon course is net downhill in elevation from start to finish. The first 6.5 miles will be extremely fast with only minor inclines. Mile 6.5 to 7.0 is the only significant hill on the course taking the runners from 15 feet to 75 feet. The course is then mostly flat through mile 10.5, a couple rolling hills to 11.5 with a flat and fast final stretch into the OC Fair & Event Center.
The OC 5K will take place on Saturday at 5:30 PM. The Full and Half Marathon events will take place on Sunday morning. With the 5K on Saturday, you can enjoy the festival and great music (you won’t be disappointed) on the main stage and still get home early enough to do the half or full on Sunday. The Combo for Overachievers is called the “OC COMBO CRUSH.” All runners that complete the 5K and half or full will get the OC COMBO CRUSH medal. Two Races/Two Shirts/THREE Medals.
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The Best Marathon!
The course is gorgeous, especially with the coastal scenery, and the energy from the crowd and other runners really adds to the experience. What sets it apart is how well … MORE
The course is gorgeous, especially with the coastal scenery, and the energy from the crowd and other runners really adds to the experience. What sets it apart is how well it’s organized—everything flows smoothly, from start to finish, making race day a breeze. This will be my third year running it, and I’m excited to relive that sense of accomplishment and excitement again. It’s become more than just a race—it’s something I look forward to each year.
Beautiful Course, Great Community Race!
I've been running the OC half over a decade + since 2011. The OC half was my first half in SoCal and the beautiful course and great community atmosphere keeps … MORE
I’ve been running the OC half over a decade + since 2011. The OC half was my first half in SoCal and the beautiful course and great community atmosphere keeps my coming back year after year. The race weekend has become a family event with both my husband and son having run their first half marathons at OC! My younger daughter has had a blast running the 5K. The finish line race festival is always a blast! I’m so grateful the OC marathon weekend is my local race!
OC Half Marathon
I first ran the OC half marathon in 2012 and twice again these last 2 years. This year, I also ran the 5k with my 3 year old in a … MORE
I first ran the OC half marathon in 2012 and twice again these last 2 years. This year, I also ran the 5k with my 3 year old in a jogging stroller. The half marathon course is full of beautiful neighborhoods and scenic views along the beach. The after party with live band is always a blast! You cannot beat the perfect SoCal weather and SoCal vibes. This is definitely one of my favorite races that I look forward to each year!
Running for Ainsley Angles
Wheather your running it for the first time or a return runner this event will keep you coming back every year. I enjoy being out on the field with so … MORE
Wheather your running it for the first time or a return runner this event will keep you coming back every year. I enjoy being out on the field with so many runners and sharing my experience with them all. So many people supported .e on the course with kind words and energy while I was pushing a wheelchair on the course. I appreciate everyone out there as we conquer the course together.
Beautiful course, and lots of energy by
Pre race parking/transportation is easy and convenient. The post race party is lots of fun, always a great band and the venders are welcoming and friendly. MORE
Pre race parking/transportation is easy and convenient. The post race party is lots of fun, always a great band and the venders are welcoming and friendly.
Never a dissapointment!
I have run this race every year since 2012. As a legacy runner I look forward each year to the goodies we receive. This year it was a very cool … MORE
I have run this race every year since 2012. As a legacy runner I look forward each year to the goodies we receive. This year it was a very cool water bottle that I know I will use again and again! Some runners didn’t quite get to the fairgrounds as soon as they needed and got dropped off a hair late but I am sure they all still started their race. I was later than I had hoped so it was a lesson to learn. The views along this race were so fabulous and never dissapoint. The weather was perfect again this year. The post race events are great as well with Flashback Heart Attack having everyone rock out when we were done. I even did the 5 K this year and that was fun as well. I will be back in 2025
Great race
It was a well-organized and very efficient race, creating a terrific experience for runners. The course, while containing a few hills, enjoys very nice ocean and bay views. I highly … MORE
It was a well-organized and very efficient race, creating a terrific experience for runners. The course, while containing a few hills, enjoys very nice ocean and bay views. I highly recommend it for your race calendar!
A Excellent Race by the Beach
The aid stations were excellent. The volunteers were able to fill my water bottle when asked. The most unique aspect of the race was the fatter course. The course could … MORE
The aid stations were excellent. The volunteers were able to fill my water bottle when asked. The most unique aspect of the race was the fatter course. The course could be improved with more restrooms.
Obstacle Course 5k
Too many obstacles on the course. Had to run between roadblocks and up and down curbs. Actually the worst race course I have ever done. The after party was good, … MORE
Too many obstacles on the course. Had to run between roadblocks and up and down curbs. Actually the worst race course I have ever done. The after party was good, expo okay but very crowded.
As of 2024, this race is now a disaster
Hands down the laziest organization I've seen at a race. Where do I even start? Shuttles were late to the start line, planned aid stations (and where the electrolytes would … MORE
Hands down the laziest organization I’ve seen at a race. Where do I even start? Shuttles were late to the start line, planned aid stations (and where the electrolytes would be) was completely inaccurate, took 3 hours to get out of the parking lot (there were no traffic attendants and instead the runners themselves took it upon themselves to direct traffic and open up exits), grabbing drop bags at the end took another hour. What kind of big race runs out of water, doesn’t have traffic attendants, doesn’t have enough shuttles, and basically citizens around town have to fill these gaps? I was speechless.
Every other race I’ve ran has been significantly smaller and still had way more attention to detail. There’s no excuse for a run this large to be such a disaster. I’ve heard there was a new race director this year, so if they’re the cause of this mess I hope it’s remedied.
The overall negativity amongst the runners and the amount of backlash I’ve seen on reddit and other boards over the past days is more than justified, and hope it drives some changes.
A must do race!
I’ve been running the OC 5k and Half Marathon since 2016 and will keep coming back year after year! The race has such a fun vibe, great views, course with … MORE
I’ve been running the OC 5k and Half Marathon since 2016 and will keep coming back year after year! The race has such a fun vibe, great views, course with variety without being so challenging you can’t PR. The expo/5k festival has some of the best vendors and giveaways! Awards are beautiful, have quality age group awards across all events. It’s a must do race!
A great race
This is a scenic, fast course. I’ve run my half marathon PR on this course. It’s well-organized and a lot of fun. Great announcers and spectator support. Fun after race … MORE
This is a scenic, fast course. I’ve run my half marathon PR on this course. It’s well-organized and a lot of fun. Great announcers and spectator support. Fun after race celebration.
Well organized, but hot, dull course!
I was well-trained for another marathon but ended up not going and thought I could try for a fast marathon on this course as they tout it as relatively flat … MORE
I was well-trained for another marathon but ended up not going and thought I could try for a fast marathon on this course as they tout it as relatively flat and easy. Not sure if it was the heat, all the concrete, or the rolling hills (which usually I like!) but I had a terrible race here. Or maybe it was just me, not sure! But it was hard to get engaged in this race. I never felt the energy I usually do in a marathon as it was not fun/scenic, besides the few stretches along the beach, but after those brief spots, you’re running through pretty dull OC neighborhoods and city streets. Felt like a grind to me, much more so than other marathons, and even though there were some spectators occasionally out on the course, they were only looking for their own and did not generally cheer on other runners. Going through (what looked like) a dry river bed in the hot sun at the end was not a positive or fun way to wrap it up and finish strong, and I absolutely could not wait for it to be over. Was trained to go under 3:40 and ended at 3:51 and change. Good enough for first in my age group but disappointing for what I should/could have done on this course. On a positive note, I liked the early (5:30am!!) start!! Helped a bit with the heat, but not enough. But it was so early that I thought it would be a good idea to stay across the street from the start at the race headquarters hotel (Vea Newport Beach Marriott) to avoid extra travel/parking. Even though I booked early enough, it ended up being $380 but the final bill was crazy expensive – almost $500 for one night after the hotel tacked on taxes, resort charge, parking fee, etc. Too much $$ for what was supposed to be a quick and easy marathon close to home. Maybe worth it if you bring a significant other and make a weekend of it!
One of my Favorites
A great race with a lot of scenic variety, one of the highlights of the year. Great homebase at the OC Fair. Well run and supported. Every year, they have … MORE
A great race with a lot of scenic variety, one of the highlights of the year. Great homebase at the OC Fair. Well run and supported. Every year, they have the top 80s cover band in the area play the finish festival too! The only major OC race actually in Costa Mesa and arguably one of the best. Airport 5 minutes away if you fly into SNA, not far from LAX. Tons of hotels of all quality in the area. Technically not a hard course with an extremely fast start, but the middle/late hills can feel a bit challenging.
A beautiful, well produced Half.
The O.C. Half Marathon has beautiful views of the ocean, travels through some nice neighborhoods, and has wonderful support and swag. I ran and walked with an injury, and still … MORE
The O.C. Half Marathon has beautiful views of the ocean, travels through some nice neighborhoods, and has wonderful support and swag. I ran and walked with an injury, and still really enjoyed the course.
Super fun 5k with great bands!
O.C. always has a good crowd for this 5k, with a talented announcer and great bands. the course is a loop around the fairgrounds through the stadium and a perfect … MORE
O.C. always has a good crowd for this 5k, with a talented announcer and great bands. the course is a loop around the fairgrounds through the stadium and a perfect shakeout for the marathon or half the following day. for those of you who like to compete, there are always some fast runners ready to challenge you. I recommend keeping the 5k at easy pace if you are doing a Marathon the following day.
A must do race with great views
I loved everything about this race from the medal, the aid stations, and the course. The course was gorgeous by the water with perfect weather, it was also mostly flat. … MORE
I loved everything about this race from the medal, the aid stations, and the course. The course was gorgeous by the water with perfect weather, it was also mostly flat.
As far as short sleeve shirt go, its a great looking shirt with a cool design and the medal really has a unique look and presence, its awesome and one of the best parts of the race! After the race there was a lot going on and I just felt the vibes!
Great for a first timer!
1. The workers need to be more educated. As a first timer, I knew nothing, where to go, how to start etc...nobody had any answers, so that added additional stress. … MORE
1. The workers need to be more educated. As a first timer, I knew nothing, where to go, how to start etc…nobody had any answers, so that added additional stress.
2. The event was great and awesome!
Run by houses you wish you owned!
Over the many years I have ran this race, it just gets better and better. It shows there is a lot of work to make this a wonderful event. The … MORE
Over the many years I have ran this race, it just gets better and better. It shows there is a lot of work to make this a wonderful event. The OC marathon will be a race I run every year. Love the people and the running community that run year after year. Gary (RD), Rudy Novonty, Fitz Koehler, Kelsey, and all the other staff do an amazing job and always are having fun. I try to run any race close to me that has Rudy and Fitz announcing.
A Fun Race by Exciting Cities
The aid stations were awesome and the volunteers assisted me to refill my water bottle when needed. The most unique aspect about the race was the mostly flat course. The … MORE
The aid stations were awesome and the volunteers assisted me to refill my water bottle when needed. The most unique aspect about the race was the mostly flat course. The course could be improved with more variety of snacks.