Long Beach Marathon

The Long Beach Marathon has been Southern California's flagship fall marathon since 1982, when local YMCA volunteers launched the race amid the national running boom; about 1,600 runners started that first edition. Financial trouble forced a hiatus in 1996, but new organizers revived the event in 1999, and it has run every fall since, celebrating a 40th-anniversary edition in 2022. The race currently carries the title sponsorship of 2XU and typically draws more than 28,000 participants across the full marathon, half marathon, 5K, bike tour, and kids fun run held over race weekend. The USATF-certified, Boston-qualifying marathon starts at 5:30 AM on Sunday near Shoreline Village and Shoreline Drive and follows a fast, flat, sea-level route along the Pacific Ocean past the Queen Mary, through Belmont Shore and Marine Stadium, and around the California State University, Long Beach campus before finishing on Ocean Boulevard. Runners have 7.5 hours to finish, and the minimum age is 18 with no exceptions. Race weekend opens Saturday with the Aquarium of the Pacific 5K and a Kids Fun Run, and the Half Marathon starts 90 minutes after the Marathon on Sunday. Expo and packet pickup move to the Long Beach Convention Center's Hall C for 2026. Every finisher earns a Long Beach-themed medal and access to a festival at the finish with live music and free beer.