Santa Cruz Marathon

The Santa Cruz Marathon debuts on October 25, 2026, as the newest addition to Northern California's fall racing calendar. Organized by Motiv Sports — the team behind several established West Coast road races — this inaugural 26.2-mile event starts near the historic Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk and heads south along the coast into Capitola Village before turning back through Santa Cruz. Marathoners then push north into Wilder Ranch State Park, where rugged coastal trails and sweeping ocean bluffs replace city streets, before returning for a beachside finish near Cowell's. The course blends paved seaside roads with unpaved park trails, giving runners a genuinely varied Central Coast experience rather than a standard out-and-back. The race weekend also includes a Santa Cruz Half Marathon and a 5K, all sharing the same start/finish area, so runners of different distances and their families can take part together. Finishers receive an exclusive 2026 race shirt and finisher medal, and the course is supported by marked mile markers, hydration points, and on-route aid. Late October in Santa Cruz typically brings mild, dry weather — ideal for coastal running — with the town's surf culture and boardwalk energy setting the scene for race weekend. Because it is a first-year event, field size and some logistics (exact start time, course certification) had not yet been finalized as of registration opening, so runners should confirm final details on the official race site closer to race day.