Overall Rating
Overall Rating (326 Reviews)
4.3
(326 Ratings)  (326 Reviews)
DIFFICULTY
2.7
SCENERY
4.2
PRODUCTION
4.2
SWAG
3.7
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 … MORE
Local Historical Weather (Oct 05):
  2023 2022 2021 2020 2019
 
H (°F)  94  78  77  89  81
L (°F)  63  69  65  67  58
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Recent reviews

    pt105 FIRST-TIMER '23

    I enjoyed this race—total SoCal vibe. The course was scenic (along the ocean) with very few hills. It did get hot as there was little shade on the course. I … MORE

    I enjoyed this race—total SoCal vibe. The course was scenic (along the ocean) with very few hills. It did get hot as there was little shade on the course. I highly recommend it.

    DIFFICULTY
    3
    PRODUCTION
    4
    SCENERY
    4
    SWAG
    4
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    marcelloruns REPEAT RUNNER '23

    The corral start needed work. There was one entrance a ways back and it was difficult to make one’s way forward to the appropriate corral. Each corral needs its own … MORE

    The corral start needed work. There was one entrance a ways back and it was difficult to make one’s way forward to the appropriate corral. Each corral needs its own entrance on the side.
    The 7:30 start is really late for October in Southern California. While weather this time of year is a bit unpredictable, it’s generally fairly warm and starting so late made it really rough.
    Also, the course is really crowded through the first 6 miles. So difficult to settle in to a good pace with strollers and slower runners on the narrow paths.
    I did enjoy the race overall though. The spectators are a lot of fun at this race. Nice run along the beach after the half way point.

    DIFFICULTY
    3
    PRODUCTION
    4
    SCENERY
    4
    SWAG
    4

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    basier.florian FIRST-TIMER '23

    As my first marathon outside of Texas I had a lot of expectations (too many) and running Long Beach seamed a good way to check them. Scenerie is just 6-7 … MORE

    As my first marathon outside of Texas I had a lot of expectations (too many) and running Long Beach seamed a good way to check them. Scenerie is just 6-7 of the 26 miles, otherwise running in a ghost town with no ambiance. bare minimum swag. Medal somehow focused on some skyscrappers instead of the beach, the lighthouse, queen mary… anything recognizable. Course itself has a lot a u-turns and few port-a-potties making for a frustrating experience. Aid stations were OK but very cluttered on the first 10 miles (these 2-3 stations should have been doubled in size)

    DIFFICULTY
    2
    PRODUCTION
    1
    SCENERY
    2
    SWAG
    2

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    fotogmike REPEAT RUNNER '23

    Normally a very nice race, but multiple problems led to disappointment for lots of runners. The marathon started 25 minutes late. On a hotter-than-usual day, that's a problem. There's little … MORE

    Normally a very nice race, but multiple problems led to disappointment for lots of runners. The marathon started 25 minutes late. On a hotter-than-usual day, that’s a problem. There’s little shade on the course so you got more sun exposure and dealt with the heat longer. The on-course electrolyte drink remains a mystery. Nothing about the brand or product name on their web site. It was there in two flavors and one tasted awful. The first aid station to have it was 6 miles in and it was only in really small cups the whole way. I heard that they ran out of medals for those completing the Beach Cities Challenge. Easily fixed if they mail them later, but still disappointing. A couple of friends reported timing problems, with one showing no finish time. The corrected results the next day showed a time about 2 hours faster than the true time. Drinks at the finish line were not cold. On a hot day, that’s bad.
    It wasn’t all bad though. The finisher’s medals are very impressive. The shirts are a quality product with a nice design. The course has some hills, but nothing terrible. Conserve on the uphill portions, take advantage of any downhill portions, and you can get a fast time. I got a BQ here one year.
    Hopefully race management fixes all this because this is usually a fun race. Lots of good scenery along the way and the spectator support always provides some memorable highlights. People were handing out Otter Pops during mile 23 and there were not one, but TWO people in unicorn costumes at mile 10.

    DIFFICULTY
    3
    PRODUCTION
    2
    SCENERY
    4
    SWAG
    4

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    aibarra0818 REPEAT RUNNER '23

    I live in LB, so i know the course and I love it. Over all i would give this 3 out of 5 running shoes. Where I think misses is … MORE

    I live in LB, so i know the course and I love it. Over all i would give this 3 out of 5 running shoes. Where I think misses is 1st, the goodie bag prior to race day. Essentially, aside for my shirt. empty. Maybe some gels, electrolytes to sample or whatever will be on the course, please. And if that can’t happen, can we please move both races up 1 hour or 30 mins. Runners, we’re already crazy and will start earlier. I ran the half this year but have ran the full other years, in 3 hrs time. The Sun/weather in SoCal, in October?!? I feel this would help immensely. I do get to the aid stations early enough, but I also hear they ran out of items for the later crowds. So the early start/ cooler temps might help as well. Still signing up for next year, but I would like to start earlier if possible. Please & thank you.

    DIFFICULTY
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    2
    SCENERY
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    SWAG
    1

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    miriamsosa12 FIRST-TIMER '23

    Long beach is a beautiful city to visit! Everyone is super friendly and the course is easily accessible to watch from many different angles and mile makers and is easy … MORE

    Long beach is a beautiful city to visit! Everyone is super friendly and the course is easily accessible to watch from many different angles and mile makers and is easy to traverse. Race support was super friendly and it was great to see everyone participating!

    DIFFICULTY
    3
    PRODUCTION
    3
    SCENERY
    5
    SWAG
    3

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    Gazelle FIRST-TIMER '23

    The race is advertised as flat and fast. It could have been fast, if not were flat. Many hills. Challenging course. The day’s temp was forecasted as high. The race … MORE

    The race is advertised as flat and fast. It could have been fast, if not were flat. Many hills. Challenging course. The day’s temp was forecasted as high. The race started late, about a half hour. Very frustrating. Scenic route along the beach. About 2-3 miles (guessing). Not a lot of crowd support.

    DIFFICULTY
    3
    PRODUCTION
    3
    SCENERY
    4
    SWAG
    2

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    dvsanders1 REPEAT RUNNER '23

    Great Scenery in Long Beach. The only marathon I have run where you get a mix of the beach, downtown, and a suburban type of scenery. The course is fairly … MORE

    Great Scenery in Long Beach. The only marathon I have run where you get a mix of the beach, downtown, and a suburban type of scenery. The course is fairly flat with a few hills hear and there. What makes the course “difficult” is the weather. It is a little warm for a marathon. Running the half is probably ideal. I have run marathons in all of the major cities in California LA, San Francisco, San Diego, Oakland, Sacramento& Hunington Beach and Long Beach has the best scenery in the state thus far. It should definitely be on every Southern Californian runners bucket list. I would suggest moving it to early December to bring in more runners as that period of time isn’t as congested on the “Marathon and half marathon” calendar.

    DIFFICULTY
    3
    PRODUCTION
    5
    SCENERY
    5
    SWAG
    4

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    GidgetGurlie REPEAT RUNNER '23

    From the start of the expo, volunteers and staff are courteous, professional and happy to be there! On the race course, it gets even BETTER with loads of smiling faces … MORE

    From the start of the expo, volunteers and staff are courteous, professional and happy to be there! On the race course, it gets even BETTER with loads of smiling faces handing you water, and sending you off with encouragement and positive vibes! Constant local support and cheering along the race course is something I always look forward to! THANK YOU LONG BEACH!!!

    DIFFICULTY
    2
    PRODUCTION
    5
    SCENERY
    5
    SWAG
    5
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    jkahn95600 REPEAT RUNNER '23

    I am a beach bum which means I have run this several times. It was my first race I have run and I come back every year. Loved this year's … MORE

    I am a beach bum which means I have run this several times. It was my first race I have run and I come back every year. Loved this year’s medal and shirt – nothing on the back of the shirt and I am going to wear this shirt as it fits great. Marathon got a purple ribbon and purple on the medal. Lots of crowds on the course, great water stations with cold water and the kids knew finally to only fill the cups half full. Near the end when you wanted to walk, there were beers, mimosas, pretzels and candy – this was after the donut hole mile. It is a great course but I wish we could start earlier because running when it over 80 for someone over 60 = slower times which means more time in the heat. I will be back next year. FYI – I hope they will change the expo. I was out in the same heat the day before and I was in and out of the expo and back to my hotel. I have stayed at Hilton, Westin and Hywatt – love Hywatt if you want to splurge and walk 100 feet from your room to the start of the race. Stayed this year at Westin which had 12:00 check out – finish race, drink beer, walk uphill, take nap, shower, and sign for next year’s race.

    DIFFICULTY
    1
    PRODUCTION
    4
    SCENERY
    4
    SWAG
    5
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    avocadosallday REPEAT RUNNER '23

    Gorgeous race set in Long Beach, great course support and views. Weather is a roll of the dice in October - some years you’re blessed with clouds and others like … MORE

    Gorgeous race set in Long Beach, great course support and views. Weather is a roll of the dice in October – some years you’re blessed with clouds and others like this year was 80 degrees. Will be back to complete my beach cities challenge!

    DIFFICULTY
    3
    PRODUCTION
    3
    SCENERY
    5
    SWAG
    3
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    rayalanchow FIRST-TIMER '22

    This was a flat course with a sizeable number of runners. I had fun running this course. My goal was just to come away with a PR which I did! … MORE

    This was a flat course with a sizeable number of runners. I had fun running this course. My goal was just to come away with a PR which I did! I would recommend this marathon to anyone looking to run their first or another marathon.

    DIFFICULTY
    3
    PRODUCTION
    3
    SCENERY
    3
    SWAG
    3

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    runthrudajungle REPEAT RUNNER '22

    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.

    DIFFICULTY
    2
    PRODUCTION
    4
    SCENERY
    5
    SWAG
    4

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    adamdgr13 REPEAT RUNNER '22

    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!

    DIFFICULTY
    1
    PRODUCTION
    5
    SCENERY
    5
    SWAG
    5
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    runninggis FIRST-TIMER '22

    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.

    DIFFICULTY
    1
    PRODUCTION
    4
    SCENERY
    4
    SWAG
    4

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    yousassybeach FIRST-TIMER '22

    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.

    DIFFICULTY
    1
    PRODUCTION
    2
    SCENERY
    3
    SWAG
    1
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    lisasrunning1 REPEAT RUNNER '22

    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!

    DIFFICULTY
    3
    PRODUCTION
    5
    SCENERY
    5
    SWAG
    4

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    tgs103 FIRST-TIMER '22

    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.

    DIFFICULTY
    3
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    5
    SCENERY
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    samie_stewart FIRST-TIMER '22

    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 .

    DIFFICULTY
    2
    PRODUCTION
    2
    SCENERY
    2
    SWAG
    5

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    patricedark REPEAT RUNNER '22

    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.

    DIFFICULTY
    3
    PRODUCTION
    4
    SCENERY
    5
    SWAG
    4

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  1. Races
  2. Long Beach Marathon & Half Marathon