LONG BEACH () — What organizers called a “precautionary course adjustment” was made for Sunday’s 42nd annual Long Beach Marathon, rerouting approximately a mile-and-a-half of the course away from the beachfront path just before mile 8 due to the forecast of elevated tides and oceanfront conditions.
The 26-mile, 385-yard marathon course starts on Shoreline Drive at Shoreline Village Drive. Runners will then pass through The Pike at Rainbow Harbor retail and entertainment center, run on an on-ramp to the 710 Freeway, cross the Queensway Bridge to the bow of the Queen Mary.
The field will loop around the Lighthouse at Rainbow Harbor, head to Pierpoint Landing, then back through the start/finish area.
The sixth through 10th miles were planned to be run a few feet from the Pacific Ocean. However, organizers announced Saturday runners would exit the beachfront path just before mile 8 and rejoin the official course at approximately mile 9.
The course then goes through the Belmont Shore neighborhood, passes Marine Stadium, goes around Colorado Lagoon, passing the Long Beach Recreation Golf Course.
The 16th through 20th miles are a 5-kilometer loop through Cal State Long Beach. The field then runs on Ocean Boulevard to the finish line on Shoreline Drive.
High winds, light to moderate rain and significantly high tides are expected in Long Beach through Sunday, with rainfall totals generally expected to remain below a half-inch, according to a statement from the city government issued Saturday.
The National Weather Service issued a Coastal Flood Warning that will be in effect until 3 p.m. Sunday. It also urged the public to stay off beaches, coastal walkways and vulnerable roads and structures, and warned motorists not to drive around barricades or through floodwaters of unknown depth.
Eight peninsula homes were marked unsafe as the remnants of Rachel damaged the boardwalk and sent waves breaching the seawall.
The race will be run regardless of weather conditions. The marathon will start at 5:30 a.m. for the third consecutive year. The start time for the 2024 marathon was moved a half-hour earlier due to a rare October heat wave. Race officials opted to keep the earlier start for the 2025 race to ensure runner safety, race publicist Dan Cruz told City News Service.
The marathon has drawn a record field of 7,500, breaking the previous record of 6,500 set last year, Cruz said. Its field includes Kenny Williams, the only runner to have finished all 41 previous Long Beach Marathons.
A 13.1-mile half-marathon is set to begin at 6:30 a.m., also at Shoreline Drive at Shoreline Village Drive. It has drawn 16,500 entrants, topping the previous record of 14,000 set last year, Cruz said.
A finish line festival will be held from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Marina Green, at Shoreline Drive and Linden Avenue with a beer garden, team village, food trucks and photo opportunities.
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