Orange County Marathon guide

Sun, May 2, 2027 · Newport Beach / Costa Mesa, California, USA · Start 5:30 AM

What to know when planning this race

Start, finish & getting there
Point-to-point: you start in Newport Beach and finish at the OC Fair & Event Center in Costa Mesa.
Convenient areas to stay
Costa Mesa near the fairgrounds, where you'll park and the expo is held, or Newport Beach near the start.
Confirmed vs. carried over
The race date and start time were checked against official race information on Oct 15, 2026. Aid station mile markers are approximate.
Plan around before race morning
  • Park at the fairgrounds and take the official runner shuttle to the start; it stops running well before the gun.
  • The 5:30 AM start is early.
  • Aid station locations are approximate; check the official course map.

Sources for Orange County Marathon:

Race overview

Organizer
OC Marathon
Date
Sun, May 2, 2027
Distance
Marathon
Start time
5:30 AM
Start location
Newport Beach Marriott Hotel & Spa
Finish location
OC Fair & Event Center, Costa Mesa
Official race website

Last verified Sep 22, 2026. No source on file.

Course

Cumulative elevation, mile by mile. Amber bars are the significant climbs.

Significant climbs

  • Mile 6–7 · +74 ft
  • Mile 14–15 · +69 ft
  • Mile 11–12 · +54 ft

Significant descents

  • Mile 14–15 · −72 ft
  • Mile 11–12 · −42 ft
  • Mile 22–23 · −42 ft
Mile-by-mile course notes
  • Mile 0–1 +14 / −22 ft · Course totals ≈ 559 ft gain / 681 ft loss (source: official course description + FindMyMarathon).
  • Mile 1–2 +14 / −22 ft
  • Mile 2–3 +14 / −22 ft
  • Mile 3–4 +14 / −22 ft
  • Mile 4–5 +14 / −22 ft
  • Mile 5–6 +14 / −22 ft
  • Mile 6–7 +74 / −32 ft · Climb from about 15 ft to 75 ft between miles 6.5 and 7.
  • Mile 7–8 +14 / −22 ft
  • Mile 8–9 +14 / −22 ft
  • Mile 9–10 +14 / −22 ft
  • Mile 10–11 +14 / −22 ft
  • Mile 11–12 +54 / −42 ft · Short hill near mile 11.
  • Mile 12–13 +14 / −22 ft
  • Mile 13–14 +14 / −22 ft
  • Mile 14–15 +69 / −72 ft · Climb over the I-405 overpass (~55 ft) near mile 14.5.
  • Mile 15–16 +14 / −22 ft
  • Mile 16–17 +14 / −22 ft
  • Mile 17–18 +14 / −22 ft
  • Mile 18–19 +14 / −22 ft
  • Mile 19–20 +14 / −22 ft
  • Mile 20–21 +14 / −22 ft
  • Mile 21–22 +14 / −22 ft
  • Mile 22–23 +54 / −42 ft · Small incline around miles 22–23.
  • Mile 23–24 +14 / −22 ft
  • Mile 24–25 +14 / −22 ft
  • Mile 25–26 +14 / −22 ft
  • Mile 26–26.2 +3 / −4 ft

Aid stations

  • Mile 2

    First station — heavy congestion, take fluid on the far side.

  • Mile 4

  • Mile 6

  • Mile 8

    GEL

    Gels available just past the tables.

  • Mile 10

  • Mile 12

  • Mile 14

    GEL

  • Mile 16

  • Mile 18

    GEL

    Last full-service station before the closing miles.

  • Mile 20

  • Mile 22

    GEL

  • Mile 23

  • Mile 25

    GEL

    Final fluids before the finish chute.

Rules & important information

Race rules
Bib must be visible on the front. Headphones allowed. No pets or unregistered runners; strollers are not permitted on the marathon course. Gear check at the start is transported to the finish at the OC Fair & Event Center.
Cutoff times
Roughly a 6.5-hour limit from your wave start. Runners behind pace are moved to the sidewalk in the closing miles while Costa Mesa streets reopen.
Transportation
Point-to-point course: park at the OC Fair & Event Center finish and take the official runner shuttle to the Newport Beach start, which runs early and stops well before the gun.
Other notes
Point-to-point course from Newport Beach to the OC Fairgrounds in Costa Mesa. Confirm details with the organizer. Aid station mile markers are approximate — official locations are only published on the organizer's course map; check it before race day.

Last verified Sep 22, 2026. No source on file.

Race week & expo

  • OC Fair & Event Center

    88 Fair Dr, Costa Mesa, CA

    Fri, Apr 30, 202712:00 PM – 7:00 PM
    Sat, May 1, 20279:00 AM – 5:00 PM
    Packet pickup
    Bib, shirt and race packet are collected together at the expo. Nothing is mailed and there is no race-morning pickup — plan to attend on one of the open days.
    ID requirements
    Government-issued photo ID required for every runner. Picking up for someone else requires a signed authorisation form and a copy of their ID.
    Parking
    Paid garage and surface lots adjacent to the venue; the final afternoon is the busiest window.
    Transit
    Rideshare drop-off at the main entrance; transit and hotel shuttles serve the venue on expo days.

    Verification date unavailable. No source on file.

Ready 2 Race recommendation: visit the expo on the first day it opens if your travel allows — final-afternoon queues are the longest. This is guidance, not an official requirement.

Athlete tracking & results

Open tracking & results

Tracking and results come from the race organizer.

Hotels near the start, Airbnb and travel planning are available when you create your account.

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