Long Beach Marathon

Overall great event. Loved the course so much. Just a bit frustrating when the half-marathoners merged in for like the last 2+ miles or so. There were so many of them. Some were taking selfies or having their spectator friends come into the course to take pics with them - completely oblivious to the fact that some people had gone twice as long as them and were on the final stretch pushing through pain to clock a time. I almost tripped and fell maneuvering between two of them, and quite a few times had to break stride and dodge to avoid collision. My last marathon had full on dividers to keep them separated and I wished this one would've as well.

INTRODUCTION: I am a racewalker with a median marathon completion time of 5:25:41. The Long Beach Marathon was my sixty-ninth 26.2-miler accomplished. COURSE: It was a great day for a marathon: 68 degrees, 89 percent relative humidity, overcast skies and no wind. The course started on Shoreline Drive adjacent to the waterfront. Traveling west for the first mile, we backtracked to the bridge crossing over Queensway Bay. The bridge, at 36 feet in elevation, was the only noticeable incline we had for the first ten-plus miles. Several views of the Long Beach landmark Queen Mary were present during the first several miles, beginning with the crossing over the bay. After a loop on Queensway Drive, we went back over the Queensway Bay bridge returning to Shoreline Drive. We then turned back toward the bay, passing by the Aquarium of the Pacific at mile 4.6, eventually embarking on a walkway running alongside Queensway Bay and Rainbow Harbor. Of interest to marathoners, there were park benches along the course commemorating earlier Long Beach Marathon events. About six and a half miles into the race, we went onto a three-mile bike trail that took us on Alamitos, Junipero, and Belmont Beaches that afforded us with unobstructed view of the San Pedro Bay. At the end of the trail, we reversed course on Ocean Boulevard where, at a little more than halfway into mile 11, we headed inland on an out-and-back, an out-and-back within an out-and-back, and a loop course. The first crest, at 36 feet in elevation, took place on Nieto Avenue at East Vista Street between miles 11 and 12. Our out-and-back within an out-and-back was alongside Marine Stadium, site of the 1932 Olympic rowing competition, beginning at mile 12 and ending just after mile 13. The second crest, at 54 feet in elevation, was located at Clark Avenue and Pacific Coast Highway, about halfway between miles 15 and 16. Beginning just before mile 17, we embarked on a loop around California State University, Long Beach. It was here where we approached the highest point of the course, at 83 feet, at mile 18. We began our return toward the coast just past mile 19, arriving at Ocean Boulevard just before mile 24. The final two miles took us westward on Ocean Boulevard, allowing us a final view of the coastline and the Queen Mary as we travelled past Bluff Park. At mile 26, we turned left on Shoreline Boulevard, where we crossed the finish line just steps away from where we started. Weather at the finish was 73 degrees, 69 percent relative humidity, scattered clouds, and southwest wind of 6 mph. ORGANIZATION: Fairly organized event run by Motiv. Decent water station support by the volunteers, though a few of them got distracted in the latter stages of the event. Excellent traffic control by the Long Beach Police Department. SPECTATORS: Sparse. Some spectators on the course. No live bands present. CONCLUSION: For those who like running alongside the Pacific coastline, this would be a race to consider. With the half marathon starting 90 minutes after the marathon, there is little interference with the other race, giving marathon participants plenty of space to run in. Well done, Long Beach.