California · Marathon
Marathons in California
California currently has 41 upcoming marathons with a confirmed date listed in RaceRove. San Diego, Los Angeles, Huntington Beach and Ventura have the largest concentration of events.
December (8), May (7) and November (5) are the busiest months on the calendar right now. Another 13 annual marathons are waiting for next year's date to be announced.
- Upcoming, date confirmed
- 41
- Active listings
- 54
- Cities with races
- 44
More ways to browse California
Upcoming marathons in California
All 41 with a confirmed date, soonest first.
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Santa To The Sea 1/2 Marathon, 1/4 Marathon & 5KOxnard, CAMarathonHalf Marathon5K6.55 Miles +1 more ~29,453 runners
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Carlsbad Marathon, Half Marathon & 5KCarlsbad, CAMarathonHalf Marathon5KDouble Down Challenge (5K + Half) ~7,000 runners
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SOCAL River Marathon - 26.2 - 13.1 - 10K - 5KHuntington Beach, CAMarathonHalf Marathon5K10K ~3,914 runners
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Born to Run Ultra MarathonsLos Olivos, CAMarathonDay Pass One DayDay Pass Two DayDay Pass Four Day +2 more ~300 runners
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Operation Jack Marathon, Half Marathon & 5KManhattan Beach, CAMarathonHalf Marathon5K10K ~600 runners
Dates come from each race's own listing. Always confirm on the organiser's site before you book travel.
Largest marathon events in California
By estimated field size across all distances at the event.
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Santa To The Sea 1/2 Marathon, 1/4 Marathon & 5KOxnard, CAMarathonHalf Marathon5K6.55 Miles +1 more ~29,453 runners
When marathons happen in California
- January
- 3 upcoming races
- February
- 4 upcoming races
- March
- 4 upcoming races
- April
- 4 upcoming races
- May
- 7 upcoming races
- June
- 1 upcoming race
- July
- 1 upcoming race
- August
- 2 upcoming races
- October
- 2 upcoming races
- November
- 5 upcoming races
- December
- 8 upcoming races
California cities with the most marathons
- San Diego
- 3 upcoming races
- Los Angeles
- 2 upcoming races
- Huntington Beach
- 2 upcoming races
- Ventura
- 2 upcoming races
- Big Sur
- 1 upcoming race
- Castro Valley
- 1 upcoming race
- San Francisco
- 1 upcoming race
- Arcata
- 1 upcoming race
Annual events awaiting their next date
These marathons are held every year, but the next date isn't in the listing yet. The month shown is when each is usually held.
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Lake Tahoe Marathon EventsSouth Lake Tahoe, CA Usually held in October · next date not announcedMarathonHalf Marathon10K5K +2 more ~1,000 runners
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Big Sur Trail Marathon, Half Marathon & 5 MileBig Sur, CA Usually held in September · next date not announced5 Mile - Adult5 Mile - YouthHalf Marathon - AdultHalf Marathon - Youth +2 more ~300 runners
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Napa Fall Wine Country Marathon, Half Marathon, 10K, & 5KCalistoga, CA Usually held in October · next date not announcedMarathonHalf Marathon10K5K ~300 runners
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Humboldt Redwoods Marathon, Half Marathon, 5KWeott, CA Usually held in October · next date not announcedMarathonHalf Marathon5K10K ~230 runners
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Trail Run at Sly Park - FallPollock Pines, CA Usually held in October · next date not announced50KTrail Marathon17 MilerHalf Marathon +3 more ~100 runners
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Dick Collins FiretrailsCastro Valley, CA Usually held in September · next date not announced100kPacers - 100kPacers - 50 mile50 Miler +1 more ~97 runners
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The Peak 50K, Marathon & Half MarathonJulian, CA Usually held in October · next date not announced50KMarathon1/2 Marathon ~49 runners
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Sonoma Fall ClassicHealdsburg, CA Usually held in October · next date not announced100 Mile Sufferfest100 Mile Relay50 Mile RelayLake Sonoma 50 Mile +2 more ~26 runners
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Ruth Anderson Memorial Endurance RunSan Francisco, CA Usually held in October · next date not announcedMarathon50K50 Mile ~18 runners
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Trail Run at Sly Park - SummerPollock Pines, CA Usually held in August · next date not announced50KMarathon17 Mile1/2 Marathon +3 more ~12 runners
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LAKSA MarathonLos Angeles, CA Usually held in August · next date not announcedMarathonHalf Marathon11K
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Point Mariah Trail MarathonTruckee, CA Usually held in August · next date not announcedMarathonPartner Marathon5-Person Team
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Windfall Full Moon Trail RunAlpine, CA Usually held in August · next date not announcedMarathonWindfall Full Moon Trail Run 30KWindfall Full Moon Trail Run 15KWindfall Full Moon Trail Run 1
Marathons in nearby states
Guides from the RaceRove blog
- 8 min read How to Choose Your First Marathon A practical checklist for choosing a first marathon based on course, weather, cutoff, travel, field size and support.
- 7 min read How to Find a 5K, 10K, Half Marathon or Marathon Near You A practical way to find running races near you: pick a distance, decide how far you'll travel, read the listing properly and confirm the details before you register.
- 4 min read Diplo's Run Club 2026-27: Every City, Date and Course Diplo's Run Club is a 5K with a post-race concert. Every US date for 2026-27 (San Francisco, New York, Los Angeles, San Diego and Phoenix), start times and courses.
- Blog All guides Planning advice for finding, choosing and travelling to races.
Marathons in California: common questions
- How many marathons are there in California?
- RaceRove currently lists 41 upcoming marathons in California with a confirmed date, plus 13 annual events whose next date hasn't been announced yet.
- How long is a marathon?
- A marathon is 26.2 miles (42.2 kilometres).
- Which California cities have the most marathons?
- By upcoming events listed in RaceRove: San Diego (3), Los Angeles (2), Huntington Beach (2), Ventura (2) and Big Sur (1).
- When is marathon season in California?
- Of the upcoming marathons listed, the busiest months are December (8), May (7) and November (5).
- What is the biggest marathon in California?
- By estimated field size, the largest event with a marathon listed in California is the Santa To The Sea 1/2 Marathon, 1/4 Marathon & 5K, with about 29,453 runners across all of its distances.
Search every marathon in California
Filter by month, course profile and field size, save races to a shortlist and compare them side by side in the interactive search.