- Weather
- 43°Ftypical startModelled estimate
- Field size
- ~400 runners
- Course
- Flat
- Elevation
- 40 ft gain · 0 ft net
Event listed as: Full Marathon
PR9Weather9Experience6
Late January · Southeast · Loop
Big Beach Marathon, Half Marathon & Safari 5K
Gulf Shores, AL · Saturday, January 30, 2027
Event listed as: Marathon
- Best for PR
- Boston Qualifier
Registration opens on the organizer's site
Typical start
50°
Cooler than 42% of U.S. marathons
Modeled historical conditions
Elevation gain
50ft
Flatter than 89% of races
Estimated total climb
Field size
600
Larger than 22% of races
Estimated field
PR potential
9.1/10
Ahead of 63% of races
Almanac model
Percentiles compare this race against all 224 U.S. marathons in the Almanac.
Course profile
50 ft gain · 0 ft net
Flat course, loop.
0510152026.2
Race-day weather
Modeled from location, month and coastal proximity, not verified race history.
6 AM
42°
Start
50°
Midday
61°
ExcellentGoodWarmHeat risk
Typical start sits at 50°F, excellent marathon conditions.
Typical dew point 43°F, 22% chance of precipitation, wind around 7 mph. All modeled.
The bottom line
A quietly fast race that does not ask for much beyond honest pacing.
Big Beach Marathon, Half Marathon & Safari 5K is a strong choice for a PR attempt, and Gulf Shores offers very little meaningful elevation. The tradeoff is atmosphere: expect long quiet stretches and few spectators.
Why runners choose this race
A loop course around Gulf Shores, AL, with very little meaningful elevation change.
The case for it
- PR attempts
- Boston qualification
- Runners who want a low-key start
The tradeoffs
- You want crowds and on-course energy
Course and logistics
- Course type
- Loop
- Surface
- Road
- Profile
- Flat
- Total gain
- 50 ft(estimated)
- Total loss
- 50 ft(estimated)
- Net elevation
- 0 ft(estimated)
- Field size
- ~600 runners(estimated)
- Crowd support
- Quiet, low-key
- Entry
- Easy
- Entry fee
- $95(most recent listed price)
- Day of week
- Saturday
- Start / finish
- Start and finish in the same area
Race details
- Typical timing
- Late January
- Next confirmed date
- Saturday, January 30, 2027
- Registration
- Open now
- Region
- Southeast
- Editorial tier
- Recommended
- Data last reviewed
- 2026-08-26
- Best for PR
- Boston Qualifier
- Loop course
- Flat course
- Easy entry
Similar races
Races with a comparable profile.
- Weather
- 44°Ftypical startModelled estimate
- Field size
- ~600 runners
- Course
- Flat
- Elevation
- 100 ft gain · 0 ft net
Event listed as: Marathon
PR9Weather9Experience6
- Weather
- 47°Ftypical startModelled estimate
- Field size
- ~600 runners
- Course
- Flat
- Elevation
- 120 ft gain · 0 ft net
Event listed as: Marathon
PR9Weather9Experience7