Ventura Marathon

The Ventura Marathon is a Boston Marathon-qualifying, net-downhill point-to-point race held every February between Ojai and Ventura, California, tracing the paved Ojai Valley Trail and Ventura River Trail along the Ventura River. The concept began as a 2008 club run from Ojai to the ocean led by co-founder Josh Spiker; Steve Doll, Josh Spiker, and Jen Livia turned it into an official race in 2013, and the 2027 edition marks its 13th running. The marathon course totals roughly 332 feet of elevation gain against 1,267 feet of loss, dropping from about 1,010 feet in Ojai to near sea level in Downtown Ventura, and it ranks among the fastest and most PR-friendly courses in the country -- 26.7% of 2026 finishers hit a Boston Qualifying time, placing the race 1st in California and 10th nationally for BQ percentage. Runners can enter the full Marathon or the Half Marathon, both point-to-point courses starting in Ojai and finishing at a post-race festival in Downtown Ventura with food, craft beer, and live music. As of July 2026, the Marathon has about 34 entries remaining before its next price increase and the Half Marathon has about 197 remaining.