The popular Tri-City Medical Center Carlsbad Marathon takes place on Sunday January 15th. Don’t forget that’s also the Martin Luther King holiday weekend – officially Monday the 16th!
If you are a runner you may be done with your training for the Carlsbad Marathon and Half Marathon and raring to go!
The Carlsbad Marathon is a very popular running event. Plus it’s a qualifying race for the famed Boston Marathon. There are usually plenty of runners from other areas of the US who plan on this world-class event!
The Tri-City Medical Center Carlsbad Marathon also offers the Double Down Challenge. This is 2 races, first the 5K (3.1 miles) and then the half marathon, a total of 16.2 miles.
The Carlsbad Marathon and Half Marathon are popular with both world class and amateur runners. And they are popular with plenty of appreciative viewers along the race courses, too. The Carlsbad marathon is a favorite event because of the location and views along the ocean. Who doesn’t appreciate Southern California weather in mid-January?!
The gently rolling course has fairly minimal elevation changes. A large portion of the course is along the Carlsbad coastline on Route 101/Carlsbad Boulevard. Enjoy the views!
The marathon and half marathon both start and finish at The Shoppes at Carlsbad Mall but follow different courses.
There is a Kids Marathon Mile for kids of all ages and abilities. This event is held at Legoland Carlsbad on Saturday January 14th. The Kids Marathon Mile takes place before Legoland officially opens to the public.
Carlsbad residents and visitors should be mindful of road closures before and during the races. Closures are from approximately 5 am until 2 pm on Sunday. Signs will be out soon around town as a reminder. Carlsbad Boulevard along the ocean from Oceanside to La Costa Avenue is a major closure. As noted above, a good part of the marathon and half marathon courses are along this route.
The Health and Lifestyle Expo is on Friday January 14th from 12 noon until 5 pm. The Expo will be held at the Holiday Inn at 2725 Palomar Airport Road in Carlsbad. The Expo continues on Saturday from 10 am until 4 pm. Runners should pick up their bibs during these times.
You can join the fun at the finish line at the Shoppes at Carlsbad. They’ll have refreshments, live music, and a beer garden (21 and older – be sure to bring your ID).
You can register online here if you haven’t already. But don’t delay since online registration usually closes before the event.
For questions, the FAQ section is worth a look for all you might want to know, as a participant or a spectator!