The Big Sur International Marathon is an annual

marathon The marathon is a long-distance foot race with a distance of , usually run as a road race, but the distance can be covered on trail routes. The marathon can be completed by running or with a run/walk strategy. There are also wheelchair div ...

held in

California California is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, located along the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the List of states and territori ...

, United States along the Pacific coast. The marathon was established in 1986 and attracts about 4,500 participants annually. In addition to the marathon, the event usually includes a race, a relay, a 5K run, and various walks. Runners in the marathon have 6 hours in which to complete it. Since the marathon was first run, over $2 million in grants has been disbursed to charities. The finish line for all events is the Crossroads Shopping Center in

Carmel, California Carmel-by-the-Sea (), often simply called Carmel, is a city in Monterey County, California, United States, founded in 1902 and municipal corporation, incorporated on October 31, 1916. Situated on the Monterey Peninsula, Carmel is known for its n ...

. The Marathon begins south of Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park, the Power Walk and race begin at

Andrew Molera State Park Andrew Molera State Park is a , relatively undeveloped state park on the Big Sur coast of California, United States, preserving land as requested by former owner Frances Molera. Situated at the mouth of the Big Sur River, the property was part ...

, and the walk and run begin at Rocky Point Restaurant. The and 5 km races begin and end at the finish line. The Marathon route follows State Route 1 and crosses the Bixby Creek Bridge at the halfway point. Hurricane Point is the summit of 560 feet between mile markers 10 and 12. There are 11 aid stations along the route. The marathon course is known for its challenging hills in the second half of the race. The 2020 and 2021 editions of the race were cancelled due to the

coronavirus Coronaviruses are a group of related RNA viruses that cause diseases in mammals and birds. In humans and birds, they cause respiratory tract infections that can range from mild to lethal. Mild illnesses in humans include some cases of the com ...

pandemic A pandemic () is an epidemic of an infectious disease that has spread across a large region, for instance multiple continents or worldwide, affecting a substantial number of individuals. A widespread endemic (epidemiology), endemic disease wi ...

, with all registrants of the 2020 edition receiving a 60% refund and given the option to sign up during a priority registration period for 2022 or 2023.

Winners

The ''Ultimate Guide to Marathons'' described the Big Sur Marathon as the best marathon in the world.

Notes

References

External links

Big Sur International MarathonBig Sur International Marathon Elevation ProfileArticle about Jonathon Lee's last marathon concert
in

Monterey County Monterey County ( ), officially the County of Monterey, is a county located on the Pacific coast in the U.S. state of California. As of the 2020 census, its population was 439,035. The county's largest city and county seat is Salinas. Montere ...

Weekly {{Big Sur, state=collapsed Marathons in California Marathons in the United States Foot races in California Recurring sporting events established in 1986 Tourist attractions in Monterey County, California Sports in Monterey County, California Big Sur Wheelchair marathons