Monterey Bay Half Marathon 5k & 3k

November 9, 2025

Monterey

Road

Distances

Half-Marathon, 5k

Starting Time

6:50 AM

Fees

$129+

Perfect For

Ready to sign up?

1,000-10,000

Challenging

Oceanfront

High: 65°

/ Low: 47°

The deep blues and greens of the Pacific Ocean crashing the rocky coastline, the kelp beds swaying back and forth with the waves, the sea gulls floating along the breeze and sometimes even seals and sea lions out on the large rocks in the water.

You’re likely to see all of it along the course at the November 13.1-mile race, which despite its name doesn’t actually run through Big Sur like its springtime counterpart, but still offers a gorgeous course with some challenging hills.

Runners start the half marathon in downtown Monterey along Del Monte Avenue, and from there follow the course first through the more touristy parts of the city, especially along Cannery Row and the Monterey Bay Aquarium, which overlooks the ocean right on the edge of downtown.
Once runners make it through the early miles in this section — right after they’ve made their way through the Custom House Tunnel along Lighthouse Avenue — the course then heads into Pacific Grove and Point Pinos, where it really shows off this city’s scenic beauty.
The course hugs the coastline for the next several miles of the race all the way around to the turnaround point in Asilomar State Beach, giving runners a view of the waters of Monterey Bay the entire way.
They’ll pass by the Point Pinos Lighthouse and the Pacific Grove golf course through this section twice, on the way out and on the way back, and then turn off Ocean View Boulevard and onto the Monterey Bay Coastal Trail just after passing the mile 11 marker.
They’ll follow it all the way back to Cannery Row, which they’ll rejoin for a stretch before heading back onto the trail, which will carry them all the way to the finish line at Custom House Plaza.

Monterey Bay Half Marathon 5k & 3k Results

Overview

For sheer natural beauty and dramatic coastal scenery, it’s pretty much impossible to top the Big Sur Marathon series of races, which hosts the annual Big Sur International Marathon in the spring and this race in the fall, formerly known as the Big Sur Half Marathon at Monterey Bay. The deep blues and greens of the Pacific Ocean crashing the rocky coastline, the kelp beds swaying back and forth with the waves, the sea gulls floating along the breeze and sometimes even seals and sea lions out on the large rocks in the water. You’re likely to see all of it along the course at the November 13.1-mile race, which despite its name doesn’t actually run through Big Sur like its springtime counterpart, but still offers a gorgeous course with some challenging hills.

Course Description

Past Results

Monterey Bay Half Marathon 5k & 3k Results