Runners' Almanac
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Early May · West Coast · Point-to-Point

The Hoag OC Marathon Running Festival

Costa Mesa, CA · Saturday, May 1, 2027

Event listed as: Full Marathon

  • Best for PR
  • Boston Qualifier
  • Scenic
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Registration opens on the organizer's site

Typical start

62°

Cooler than 4% of U.S. marathons

Modeled historical conditions

Elevation gain

450ft

Flatter than 36% of races

Estimated total climb

Field size

2.5K

Larger than 79% 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

450 ft gain · -150 ft net

Net downhill course, point-to-point.

0510152026.2
Schematic profile drawn from total gain, total loss and course category, on a shared vertical scale of 400 ft. Not a surveyed GPS trace.

Race-day weather

Modeled from location, month and coastal proximity, not verified race history.

6 AM

54°

Start

62°

Midday

70°

ExcellentGoodWarmHeat risk

Typical start sits at 62°F, warm for racing.

Typical dew point 40°F, 6% chance of precipitation, wind around 7 mph. All modeled.

The bottom line

This is a course built to give time back.

The Hoag OC Marathon Running Festival is a strong choice for a fast time on tired legs, and the route gives back elevation for most of the 26.2 miles. The tradeoff is your quads, which will feel the descent in the closing miles.

Why runners choose this race

A point-to-point course around Costa Mesa, CA, that gives back elevation for most of the race.

The case for it

  • PR attempts
  • Boston qualification
  • Runners who care about scenery

The tradeoffs

  • No notable warnings in the data.

Course and logistics

Course type
Point-to-Point
Surface
Road
Profile
Net downhill
Total gain
450 ft(estimated)
Total loss
600 ft(estimated)
Net elevation
-150 ft(estimated)
Field size
~2,500 runners(estimated)
Crowd support
Pockets of spectators
Entry
Moderate
Entry fee
$129(most recent listed price)
Day of week
Saturday
Start / finish
Start and finish in different locations

Race details

Typical timing
Early May
Next confirmed date
Saturday, May 1, 2027
Registration
Open now
Region
West Coast
Editorial tier
Recommended
Data last reviewed
2026-08-26
  • Best for PR
  • Boston Qualifier
  • Scenic
  • Point-to-point
  • Net downhill

Similar races

Races with a comparable profile.

Late May · West Coast

Mountains 2 Beach Marathon

Ventura, CA

Weather
61°Ftypical startModelled estimate
Field size
~2,000 runners
Course
Net downhill
Elevation
150 ft gain · -700 ft net

Ojai to Ventura coast; popular BQ

PR9Weather8Experience8

Early April · West Coast

Yakima River Canyon Marathon and Half-Marathon

Yakima, WA

Weather
37°Ftypical startModelled estimate
Field size
~600 runners
Course
Net downhill
Elevation
200 ft gain · -600 ft net

Event: Yakima River Canyon Marathon

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