Mountains 2 Beach Marathon
The Lowdown
Mountains 2 Beach is Southern California's premier net-downhill Boston Qualifier, starting at just over 700 feet above sea level in downtown Ojai and dropping roughly 700 feet over 26.2 miles to finish near the historic Ventura Pier. After a short opening loop through east Ojai and Meiners Oaks, the course settles onto the shaded Ventura River Bike Path for its first 17 miles before emerging into open coastline for the final stretch to the beach. The USATF-certified, fast, smooth profile has made it one of the highest Boston-qualifying-rate marathons in the country -- 21.6% of 2025 finishers and 18.3% of 2026 finishers hit a BQ time -- and it's frequently ranked among the fastest marathon courses in California. The race sells out months in advance every year, with a Half Marathon, 10K, 5K and Kids 1K run alongside it.
Race Day
Weather Forecast
Elevation
Terrain Profile
Relatively flat course
Participants
Field Size
Medium-sized race
Crowd Rating
Spectator Support
Good crowd energy
Boston Qualifier
This race is a certified Boston Marathon qualifying event. Achieve your qualifying standard here on a verified course.
Downtown Ojai
Ventura River Bike Path
Historic Ventura Pier
Meiners Oaks
Other distances available during the event weekend:
Ojai to Ventura, California
US
Average rate for 3-star accommodations near the start line
Eligibility
- No confirmed minimum age published by the organizer for the marathon/half; 18+ used as a conservative estimate pending official confirmation.
- Runners must maintain roughly a 14 min/mile pace through course checkpoints at miles 6.4, 13 and 23 to continue with full event support.
Required Documents
- Photo ID
- Signed waiver
Entry Methods
- Online registration via RunSignUp
Cancellation & Refund Policy
No refunds after 12/31 of the prior year unless RegShield was purchased at checkout; deferral and bib-transfer options are offered instead.
Organizer (Fast Green Racing Inc.) reserves the right to cancel, postpone, or adjust the route without notice for safety.
USATF-certified, net-downhill course; not affected by USATF/Boston's downhill-adjustment rule for BQ times.
Ranked among the fastest marathon courses in California and a favorite Boston Qualifier for first-timers and PR-chasers.
2026 finisher count: 2,060 marathoners (up from 1,755 in 2025, 1,654 in 2024), reflecting steady year-over-year growth.
Event historically sells out several months before race day.
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Community
Stories, tips, and race-day snapshots from runners who have tackled this course.
Community Reviews
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