Santa Monica Classic
Santa Monica, CA
- 10K, 5K
- Road (Paved)
- Official race website
The Santa Monica Classic is the perfect end of summer race for runners, joggers, and walkers of all ages and abilities! All new Start Line conveniently located near the familiar Finish Line on Ocean Avenue Updated courses with more distance along Ocean Avenue New Finish Festival experience on the 3rd … MORE
Local Historical Weather (Sep 13):
| 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | |
| H (°F) | 74 | 74 | 73 | 78 | 67 |
| L (°F) | 65 | 66 | 66 | 69 | 57 |
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Willing to try again but....
This was my first time doing ANY 10k. However, I have done multiple half marathons, full marathons, and 5ks. Course is more difficult than they let on. Gradual climb that … MORE
This was my first time doing ANY 10k. However, I have done multiple half marathons, full marathons, and 5ks.
Course is more difficult than they let on. Gradual climb that gets steeper from miles 2-5.
Mile markers were a mess, none at mile 1, and mile 5 was about a half mile off.
Water was also interesting, miles 1,2 and then nothing till 5.
At about mile 4.5 there was a huge mess with the incoming runners having to cross right into the outgoing runners. Huge potential for damage.
At the end they made you leave immediately and there was a sign for “Finish line festival”. However I only saw one and figured that it was a way to get people to leave. However, about a half mile away there was one. They need to be better about allowing runners to know where the festival is. Plus when you finish they immediatly move you AWAY from the beach with is the scenery you want at that point.
Smooth check-in but poor route selection
Pros: - Enough parking spaces in the surrounding garages - Fast same-day bib pickup Cons: The 10K course design was the worst I have ever seen so far - The … MORE
Pros:
– Enough parking spaces in the surrounding garages
– Fast same-day bib pickup
Cons:
The 10K course design was the worst I have ever seen so far
– The road was too narrow to fit thousands of participants
– No pace zones
– You passed the starting line and sped up a little bit, then you reached the 5K narrow starting gate, and everyone slowed down again to walk through it
– That Vincente Blvd 8-shape turnaround at ~4 miles. So confusing and so dangerous. To enter or exit the turnaround, runners had to cut directly across those going the opposite way—two fast-moving streams intersecting each other. A staff asked people to be cautious when I entered the turnaround, but no guidance was given when I exited. I was with about a dozen runners who, trying to avoid the collision point, ended up staying right and running in the bike lane/sidewalk on the wrong side of Ocean Ave for half a mile before realizing it. Then we had to cut across incoming runners again just to rejoin the course. It’s hard to believe the race of this scale would allow such a chaotic and unsafe setup.
Best You Could Ask For Given the Heat!
This is not my first SMC. However, it was my first 5k- I've done the 10k several times. We had over 100 degree weather for days beforehand, so they bumped … MORE
This is not my first SMC. However, it was my first 5k- I’ve done the 10k several times. We had over 100 degree weather for days beforehand, so they bumped the time up and make it an official 5k and unofficial 10k. It was so hot and humid I gave up on the 10 and dropped to the 5. I’m glad they made that call! It was well communicated and supported.
fun race as it’s my hometown
there’s an incline - so train for it ! race day was hot and humid so that was tough, got a PR but I could have done better with ideal … MORE
there’s an incline – so train for it !
race day was hot and humid so that was tough, got a PR but I could have done better with ideal race conditions!
post hydration was good !
race swag was not good lol shirt is really thick cotton
Late start
Start at 8:30 am. It was already hot to run rolling hills. Good course, wide path. Significant distance between finish and start line made parking not very convenient. They give … MORE
Start at 8:30 am. It was already hot to run rolling hills. Good course, wide path. Significant distance between finish and start line made parking not very convenient. They give you a t-shirt after the race (I don’t really need it AFTER). This race is a part of LA 5K challenge (along with Rose bowl in January and Big5 in March)
What’s not to love?!
Beautiful scenery, quick easy parking, and a competitive race. Production is smooth, I love the race shirts, and the post race party is amazing. I’m local so it’s great to … MORE
Beautiful scenery, quick easy parking, and a competitive race. Production is smooth, I love the race shirts, and the post race party is amazing. I’m local so it’s great to see friends come out for the race. Always a great time.
Beachside Run
Easy parking in Santa Monica on day of race (free in fact as we left about an hour after finishing as no restaurants yet open for brunch). Easy bib pickup … MORE
Easy parking in Santa Monica on day of race (free in fact as we left about an hour after finishing as no restaurants yet open for brunch).
Easy bib pickup at start line.
10K racers were in 2 waves with about 2 minutes between the waves (I was at front of 2nd wave). Not sure if the age awards were based on chip or gun time.
Some 5K walkers (5K started first) still on course as 10K racers passed the 5K turn-around but not enough of them to cause an issue.
Tough long up-hill miles 2-3 but downhill all the way to the finish after that.
Cotton finisher t-shirt was a bit of a turn-off but nice medal for the collection.
PR for me despite it being a somewhat humid day.
Gotta love the finish
The first time I ran this...years ago!...it was called the Santa Monica 5000. When I ran it again in 2019, I thought...when have I seen this course before??? Well organized … MORE
The first time I ran this…years ago!…it was called the Santa Monica 5000. When I ran it again in 2019, I thought…when have I seen this course before???
Well organized by the owners of the L.A Marathon. Start “near” the beach although you don’t run on or in view of it. Parking is a struggle, or has been for us the last couple times. Chose to park near the end, so the walk to the start was at least a mile. Maybe parking at the start is better? Then you have to walk a long way to your car after…eh, personal preference.
But I like the course; it is fairly flat the first 3 miles, then some rolling, then a long-ish clime and then all downhill. If you can get that climb done without shredding your legs and lungs, you can really race the last mile. I love to run fast (for me). It makes me feel like a kid and I get to the last mile of this race. I don’t remember finish line so it was probably the usual bananas, etc. 1st AG…the AG medals are pretty impressive. I was happy.
Virtual Race due to Covid-19
Not much to say created my own local course for 10K distance - missing real races very much!!!! 2021 should be a very busy race schedule to make up for … MORE
Not much to say created my own local course for 10K distance – missing real races very much!!!!
2021 should be a very busy race schedule to make up for the lost year since LA Marathon (which we just made by a week) before they did the major shutdowns of real events.
First part of Conqur LA
I ran this as part of the Conqur LA challenge. Like all the Conqur events I have done it is very well-organized. I parked at one of the public parking … MORE
I ran this as part of the Conqur LA challenge. Like all the Conqur events I have done it is very well-organized. I parked at one of the public parking lots close to the finish line. The start line was about a mile away. This is best so you can get a warm-up walk in before the race and not have to walk far after. Parking was just a few bucks. Bib pick-up in the morning was super easy and fast. Pretty much my only complaint about the production is there was not enough porta potties at the start line and I waited in line so long I ended up in wave 3 even though I am more of a wave 2 runner. As a result I had to weave around some walkers and slower runners in the beginning of the race. The course is fine but it is on the road and there isn’t as nice of ocean views as I expected. There are no hills per se but the first four miles are a gradual incline. The final 2 miles are a slight decline and are super fast. I feel like they could have designed a better course so there is more downhill and less uphill but I understand it may be logistically tricky since they can only do the race on the main roads as opposed to beach paths since it is such a large race. The finisher medal is really nice especially for a shorter distance. It’s probably my nicest 10K medal. I liked the shirt design but I wish it was tech. The finish area on the pier was okay it was kind of crowded and there were very large lines. I just got my shirt and left for brunch. Overall it was a well-organized and good 10K but I’m not sure I would do it outside of the Conqur LA challenge.
Great First 10k
This was my first 10k and I had a great time. I parked at the finish line and walked about a mile to the start. There was plenty of other … MORE
This was my first 10k and I had a great time. I parked at the finish line and walked about a mile to the start. There was plenty of other people walking over and I didn’t find it to be an issue. It was a good warm up.
I couldn’t make it the day before to the expo, but bib pick up was really quick and easy. The race started smoothly and the course was pretty great. Miles 4-5 are slightly uphill and that was a bit hard for me because I had only been training on flat road. The last mile was all downhill and I really enjoyed sprinting through to the end. I smashed my 5k personal best and did better than I expected so I had a great time.
The expo at the end was decently big and the live band playing grateful dead covers was nice. My only complaint is the lines were long and some of the booths ran out of swag. Also, I am not a fan of the yellow shirt or the non-technical fabric.
I did this as part of the CONQUR LA challenge and I will definitely be coming back next year.
OK, but could be improved
Parking was a mess - the wait at the ticket kiosk was over an hour. Should have had free parking until noon to save everybody the hassle. The 10K race … MORE
Parking was a mess – the wait at the ticket kiosk was over an hour. Should have had free parking until noon to save everybody the hassle. The 10K race was crowded since the 5K race started 5-10 minutes before and we caught up to the slower 5K runners within the first mile. Also, both races finished at the same place so we had to weave around the 5K runners again at the finish. For the entry price, I was expecting a tech shirt instead of cotton. Finish Festival was minimal but had a good blues band.
Race was Great, Before and After Not.
We parked kind of far and walked. After reading other reviews, I see we made the right call. The line for portapotties was crazy long- we ended up at a … MORE
We parked kind of far and walked. After reading other reviews, I see we made the right call. The line for portapotties was crazy long- we ended up at a local Starbucks with quite a few others. As we were with a stroller, we knew we were at the end, but we couldn’t hear a thing back there. I knew we had started once people moved, but that was it. The race itself was fine. Clearly marked with plenty of volunteers. The finish festival was a complete disappointment, though- it was so crowded, and the lines were insane. People kept cutting just because there were too many people and it wasn’t obvious what was a line, and what was just people stuck in a spot. Most of the swag required signing up for something, so the only things we walked away with were a resistance band, a banana, a CLIF bar, and a paper crown. The medal is gorgeous and a good weight, so that’s nice, but that festival needs some serious work. It’s making me concerned for the LA Marathon one, which I believe is in the same spot.
Poor organization parking, start line
This is my second year completing the Santa Monica Classic. It's a beautiful course and overall an enjoyable race, but this year there were some disappointments that lessened the overall … MORE
This is my second year completing the Santa Monica Classic. It’s a beautiful course and overall an enjoyable race, but this year there were some disappointments that lessened the overall experience. First, the parking at the start line was very poorly organized. There was ONE payment kiosk available, no parking attendants, so the line to pay for parking took almost an hour for some participants. I got there early and waited about 20-30 minutes. An in person parking attendant is absolutely needed for this volume of participants. Second, the race was late to start. The 5K participants didn’t get started on time, which meant that the fast 10K participants caught up to the back of the 5K pack very quickly. This made for some frustrating crowd control moments on the course. Third, the shirts given at the end, now sponsored by Asics, ran very small and were made of cotton, not tech fabric. I participated with my local running club and everyone was very disappointed in the quality of shirts, and the lack of flexibility in being able to trade for larger sizes.
Average race misses the mark
I should have read the RaceRaves reviews: I would have known earlier that it had a 3 mile incline! I registered for this race because it is local and I … MORE
I should have read the RaceRaves reviews: I would have known earlier that it had a 3 mile incline!
I registered for this race because it is local and I needed to get my race season started. I presumed since Santa Monica is flat, near the ocean and close to home, I would have a good test of where I am in shorter distances and test my finish kick after summer training.
Not until you receive the “final instructions” email do you read “there is a gradual incline from mile 1 to mile 4”. I would still have run this 10k, but my mind-set and race plan would have been a little different. Being a seasoned racer, I simply tweaked that plan and it was fine.
If you are new to 10k or avoid inclines, be advised. I say “incline” and not “hill” because it really isn’t much of a grade, but just enough to feel like a slog. The GREAT thing about it is the hard part is over at mile 4 and you can fly down the last 2 miles. Going down after 3 miles of up is amazingly enjoyable! I kept expecting it to flatten out, but really, it is slightly down “hill” to the finish. I ran the last 2 miles at 8:05 pace and would have gone a little harder if I’d felt confident of that continual decline. Next year I will know!
Park at the finish line area; cheaper and you don’t have to walk so far to your car afterward. Walking TO the start is a good warm up.
Pros: >Lots of communication from Conqur (organizers) via email, with reminders, parking info, the 3-race series the SMC is part of, your results afterward, etc.
>Bib pick up was easy at Reed Park, if a bit of a headache for parking (see cons).
>Well marked mileage signs
>You get your race shirt at the end of the race on the pier. It is quick.
>After the finish chute, you mosey down the pier to the “festival”, an area aside from the main pier businesses. There are booths there. (See cons)
>The timing/results are updated regularly. I was at first listed as 4th AG, but by the afternoon it was corrected and I finished 2nd AG. Seems a couple folks who ran 6:20 pace in my AG were actually quite a bit younger.
>They mail medals to AG winners. This is GREAT! If you have ever had to wait for AG winners to be called, you know it can add an hour or 3 to your total time at the race!
Cons:
>Parking, at the bib pick up and at the race. Go early to both and it is easy. Go any time after it actually opens, and it will be a chore. Don’t even bother driving all the way to Reed Park on Saturday. Find a spot a couple blocks away and save yourself some time. If you can have someone drop you off and drive around the block a few times, it really is that quick.
>The start. What a mess. I had no idea what was happening since I could barely hear the announcer and there were wave starts, not noted in the race info but there are no markers, lines, tape, etc to let you know who is going. I couldn’t tell if the 5k people were leaving or if it was time to get in the crowd for 10k start. I asked several people and finally heard that the 5k had started but the next wave was still waiting….the 5k started 20 minutes late. I ended up in the 2nd 10k wave. Just after you cross the start mat the course narrows GREATLY and you will have trouble getting around all the walkers who feel they should be that far up in the start….I am sure I would have finished at least 20 seconds faster if not for that. Ten seconds would have moved me from 2nd to 1st.
>Support: there are 3 water stations but they are very short, meaning very congested. I bring my own hand-held bottle for 10k or longer so I didn’t get in that mess. Not much spectator support until the last couple hundred meters.
>The Finish Festival has a lot of booths…most of which have things to promote or sell. I saw one clif bar booth with samples, and a very long line of people waiting to spin a wheel at the chance to win a pair of shoes. The rest were just there to market their services. I think there was a massage tent. It was pretty unexciting.
I would run this again because it is local and after my first go at it, I know the ways to make the experience quicker and more enjoyable. I think this race could be a stellar rather than average experience, but the goal of the organizers seems to be having a sold out race in Santa Monica with nice signs and nice shirts and medals for people who live here, get vendors to pay for booths at the finish and to promote the LA Marathon.
Talk about narrow running lanes
I normally do my long runs on the Santa Monica path. I figured I’d run the classic and make it my semi long run for the week. All went well, … MORE
I normally do my long runs on the Santa Monica path. I figured I’d run the classic and make it my semi long run for the week.
All went well, except the running lanes were so narrow for the amount of runners in the race. I heard other people behind me after the race talking about how narrow the lanes were. Anyways, not sure if I’ll run it again next year. Overall a good race. For now, enjoy the full race by watching the SANTA MONICA CLASSIC FULL RACE VIDEO by pressing the link in the media area for this race. Or just search YouTube for the capital letters above. See you in the next race.
LA's Signature 10K
One of the few 10Ks in LA that really feels like its put on by professionals who organize races for a living. Great organization, wonderful scenery (can't beat running down … MORE
One of the few 10Ks in LA that really feels like its put on by professionals who organize races for a living. Great organization, wonderful scenery (can’t beat running down Ocean Ave next to Palisades Park), and good spectator support. I just wish the start and finish lines were a little closer together. Be prepared to walk about a mile to the start if you park in downtown Santa Monica.
Wouldn’t recommend it for a PR shot. No big hills but there is a long, steady uphill in the middle, and the weather in early September is pretty warm.
Well organized
Well organized race with a good course. Only critique is that the race organizers didn't advertise that there'd be a wave start, so it was chaotic at the beginning, with … MORE
Well organized race with a good course. Only critique is that the race organizers didn’t advertise that there’d be a wave start, so it was chaotic at the beginning, with many runners not knowing the significance of starting in the first wave (and getting in the way of faster runners).
Nice Beach Run
This is the first race in the Conquer LA Challenge. Nice smaller race. Be sure to get there early and park at the finish. About a 1+ walk to the … MORE
This is the first race in the Conquer LA Challenge. Nice smaller race. Be sure to get there early and park at the finish. About a 1+ walk to the start line.
Great Race!
Great race! Well-organized. Easy packet pick-up. Beautiful weather! Great - amazing - location! A couple of slight inclines, but mainly flat. Great volunteers. Cool finishers medal! MORE
Great race! Well-organized. Easy packet pick-up. Beautiful weather! Great – amazing – location! A couple of slight inclines, but mainly flat. Great volunteers. Cool finishers medal!