FAQs

IT’S ABOUT PERFECT, EXACTLY WHAT YOU WOULD EXPECT IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA. FOR THE LAST 14 YEAR, THE RACE HAS BEEN HELD ON THE FIRST SUNDAY IN MAY. IN THE 14 YEARS THAT WE HAVE HELD THE EVENT ON THE FIRST SUNDAY IN MAY, WE HAVE HAD ONE RAIN DAY AND IT WAS A DOOZY. IN FACT IT EVEN HAILED! MOST YEARS THE DAY BEGINS AT 58° AND TOPS OUT AROUND 70. IF THE CLOUDS BURN OFF, IT CAN GET WARM WITH OUR WARMEST DAY NEARING 80° AROUND NOON.

There will be 7 water/hydration stations on the front half and another 8 on the second half. Electrolyte drinks will be served at four of the first half stations and at five on the second half. We will have Energy Gel/drink at one location on front half and one on the second half.

THE COURSE, BOTH THE FULL AND HALF ARE NET DOWNHILL COURSES, STARTING AT 170′ AND ENDING AT 60′. THE COURSES REACH A HIGH POINT JUST AFTER MILE 1 AT 260′ AND THE LOWEST POINT IS AT MILE 7 AT 10′. THE FIRST FEW MILES ARE ROLLING BUT THERE ARE TWO HILLS ON THE HALF MARATHON, JUST AFTER 7 (55′ TOTAL) AND AT MILE 11 (45′) AND ON THE FULL MARATHON, THE OVERPASS AT MILE 14 LOOMS LARGE BUT HAS ONLY 50′ OF ELEVATION CHANGE. THE MOST COMMON COMMENT I GET IS, “IT WAS HILLIER THAN I THOUGHT BUT I GOT A PR.”

WHILE THERE IS NOT A STRICT TIME LIMIT TO FINISH, WE DO HAVE A STATED “OFFICIAL” TIME OF 3.5 HOURS FOR THE HALF AND 7:00 FOR THE FULL. THIS IS A 16:00 PER MILE PACE. THIS “OFFICIAL” TIME IS SO THAT OUR POLICE AND PUBLIC SAFETY OFFICIALS CAN BEGIN TO REOPEN PORTIONS OF THE COURSE AS WELL AS ALLOW OUR VOLUNTEER WATER STATIONS TO BEGIN BREAKING DOWN. WE HAVE A “BALLOON LADY” AT THE BACK OF BOTH THE FULL AND HALF MARATHONS WALKING AT THE 16:00 PER MILE PACE, SIGNIFYING TO THE PD THAT CERTAIN INTERSECTIONS OR ROADS CAN REOPEN. WALKERS THAT FALL BEHIND MAY BE ASKED TO UTILIZE SIDEWALKS AND INTERSECTION WALKWAYS AS ANY NORMAL PEDESTRIAN. WE PROVIDE TURN-BY-TURN INSTRUCTIONS AND A BOTTLE OF WATER TO THOSE THAT REQUEST. NO MATTER HOW LONG IT MAY TAKE YOU, WE WILL BE AT THE FINISH LINE FOR YOU AND YOU WILL GET YOUR MEDAL.

THE COURSE IS ABSOLUTELY WALKER FRIENDLY!  WALKERS THAT FALL BEHIND MAY BE ASKED TO UTILIZE SIDEWALKS AND INTERSECTION WALKWAYS AS ANY NORMAL PEDESTRIAN. WE PROVIDE TURN-BY-TURN INSTRUCTIONS AND A BOTTLE OF WATER TO THOSE THAT REQUEST. NO MATTER HOW LONG IT MAY TAKE YOU, WE WILL BE AT THE FINISH LINE FOR YOU AND YOU WILL GET YOUR MEDAL.

YES. WE HAVE PACE TEAMS FOR ALL OF THE MILESTONE TIMES AND Boston Qualifying TIMES. 

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STROLLERS ARE NOT ALLOWED FOR THE SUNDAY MARATHON OR HALF MARATHONS UNLESS SPECIAL ARRANGEMENTS ARE REQUESTED AND GRANTED BY THE OC MARATHON (INFO@OCMARATHON.COM). THESE REQUESTS MAY INCLUDE ABLE-BODIED ATHLETES/PARENTS PAIRING WITH ATHLETES WITH DISABILITIES OR IN THE RARE INSTANCE A REQUEST TO BREAK A RECORD, ETC. WE DO ALLOW STROLLERS IN OUR SATURDAY 5K ALTHOUGH WE PREFER THAT THEY START NEAR THE REAR.

IN-LINE SKATERS, BICYCLISTS, AS WELL AS PETS WILL BE PROHIBITED ON THE COURSE IN ORDER TO ENSURE THE SAFETY OF ALL RUNNERS.

YES. WE REQUIRE CHAIR ATHLETES TO COMPETE IN THE FULL MARATHON ONLY AND HANDCYCLISTS MUST NOT EXCEED A 5:00 MINUTE PER MILE AVERAGE PACE (2:11 MARATHON).

ALL PARTICIPANTS MUST ATTEND THE OC LIFESTYLE AND FITNESS EXPO TO PICK UP THEIR BIBS AND PACKETS ON FRIDAY BETWEEN 3:00 P.M. AND 7:00 P.M OR SATURDAY, BETWEEN 10:00 A.M. AND 5:00 P.M. YOU WILL BE REQUIRED TO SHOW YOUR IDENTIFICATION TO PICK UP YOUR OWN RACE BIB, D-TAG TIMING CHIP, TECHNICAL SHIRT OR T-SHIRT.

IF YOUR TRAVELS PLANS DO NOT ALLOW YOU TO BE ABLE TO GET TO THE EXPO DURING THESE HOURS, YOU MUST ORDER THE BIB TO BE MAILED IN ADVANCE TO YOUR HOME OR OFFICE. THERE IS A $35 FEE FOR THIS SERVICE AND THE SHIPMENT ONLY INCLUDES YOUR BIB, (4) SAFETY PINS AND AN EVENT INFORMATION PAGE. NOTE: BIB SHIPMENT IS SUBJECT TO A CUTOFF DATE WHEN BIBS ARE SENT TO THE PRINTER (ROUGHLY APRIL 1ST EACH YEAR).

SPORT PHOTO GROUP WILL BE THERE ON THE COURSE AND AT THE FINISH LINE TO CAPTURE YOU IN PHOTOS AND VIDEO ON THE DAY OF YOUR BIG RACE.
PHOTOS WILL BE AVAILABLE ONLINE WITHIN 36 HOURS AFTER YOU HAVE FINISHED AND ALL PARTICIPANTS WILL BE ABLE TO ORDER A DIGITAL PACKAGE, ORDER PRINTED PHOTS AND BE ABLE TO DOWNLOAD A FREE FINISHER CERTIFICATE.
YOU WILL BE NOTIFIED VIA EMAIL (IF IT WAS PROVIDED ON YOUR REGISTRATION FORM) WHEN THE PHOTOS ARE READY. AFTER THE EVENT WE WILL POST A LINK TO THE WEB SITE FOR YOUR CONVENIENCE.

YES, THE OC MARATHON IS A BOSTON QUALIFIER AND USATF CERTIFIED. YOUR HALF MARATHON TIME WILL NOT QUALIFY YOU FOR BOSTON. GOOD LUCK!

FOR ALL QUESTIONS AND INQUIRIES, PARTICIPANTS AND SPECTATORS CAN VISIT THE INFORMATION TOWER, LOCATED IN THE FINISH LINE FESTIVAL AT THE OC FAIR AND EVENT CENTER.