Mountains 2 Beach Marathon
Ventura, United States · April · Independent
Why people love it
- Net drop of about 213 m (700 ft) from Ojai to the Ventura beach.
- Cool start near 11 °C (52 °F) in most logged years.
- Aid stations roughly every 2.4 to 3.2 km (1.5 to 2 mi), with toilets at each.
- 23.2% of 1,718 finishers qualified for Boston in 2025.
Watch out for
- The shuttle to Ojai leaves around 4:00 for a 6:10 start, about two hours early.
- A 42 m (139 ft) climb in the first 5 km (3.1 mi); the long descent is hard on quads.
- The bike path is open to cyclists and walkers, and crowds are thin until the beach.
- Sells out months ahead; the 2022 date change had no refunds and a missed turn.
- Cutoff at 10.3 km (6.4 mi) is 8:05; plan for 8:41 min/km (14 min/mi).
Race
How racers feel about it, how well it is run, and how it treats a first timer. Counts for 28% of the overall score.
Toughness: Tough
- Racer satisfactionLoved4.1
RaceRaves 4.3 from 129 reviews and BibRave 84% recommend it: fast, ocean finish, but a 4:00 shuttle and thin crowds hold it back. · Medium confidence
- OrganizationWell run3.7
Production 4.3 on RaceRaves and toilets at each aid stop, but the 2022 date change had no refunds and a missed turn. · Medium confidence
- First timer friendlyDoable3.0
The net downhill helps, but a 4:00 shuttle, tight timing cutoffs and quad-hammering descent make it better for experienced runners. · Medium confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- PR potentialFast4.4
Net drop of about 213 m (700 ft) and a 23.2% Boston rate in 2025 among 1,718 finishers. · Medium confidence
Course
Scenery, road surface, closures, and room to run. Counts for 20% of the overall score.
- Course sceneryBeautiful3.9
RaceRaves scenery 4.1: Ojai valley, Casitas Pass and a beach finish, though much of it is on a bike path. · Medium confidence
- Room to runRoomy3.5
A field of about 1,720 spreads out; the bike path is narrow in places and shared with the public. · Low confidence
- Road surfaceGood4.2
Road, then a paved bike path to Ventura; no surface complaints found. · Medium confidence
- Road closuresPartly closed2.7
About 70% runs on a bike path open to cyclists and walkers. · Medium confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- Course flatnessMostly flat3.8
Net downhill with a 42 m (139 ft) climb in the first 5 km (3.1 mi) and rises near 17 to 19 km (10.5 to 12 mi). · Medium confidence
- Net downhillDownhill4.4
Net drop of 213 to 230 m (700 to 755 ft), including the Casitas Pass descent from 13 to 24 km (8 to 15 mi). · High confidence
Support
Crowds, aid stations, the start, and pacers. Counts for 20% of the overall score.
- Start logisticsSome waiting2.8
Shuttle at about 4:00 for a 6:10 start; wake-up calls near 2:45 are the main complaint. · Medium confidence
- Pacers and timingGood3.8
Pace groups chase Boston times; reviewers say little about timing. · Low confidence
- Crowd supportSparse2.3
Runners describe lonely stretches; spectators appear on the final beach section and at some Ojai water stops. · Medium confidence
- Aid stationsStandard3.4
Aid roughly every 2.4 to 3.2 km (1.5 to 2 mi) with toilets, though electrolytes were uneven in 2026. · Medium confidence
Conditions
Air temperature, how predictable the weather is, setting, and spectating. Counts for 14% of the overall score.
- WindMostly calm3.8
Light west or southwest breeze, mostly a crosswind, 8 to 16 km (9.9 mi)/h (5 to 10 mph). · Low confidence
- Air temperaturePleasant4.3
Starts of 11 to 17 °C (52 to 63 °F) in 2019 to 2024, but finishes up to 26 °C (78 °F). · Medium confidence
- Weather reliabilityReliable3.8
April weather in Ventura County is usually mild and dry, with a few warm years. · Medium confidence
- Spectator friendlyTricky2.3
A point-to-point route on a bike path and early start make it hard for supporters to see runners. · Medium confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- Low altitudeSea level4.5
Starts at about 213 m (700 ft) and drops to sea level at the Ventura beach. · High confidence
Stay and travel
Hotels, walkability, getting there, and the town around the race. Counts for 10% of the overall score.
- Hotel availabilityGood3.5
Book Ventura hotels early; prices rose for the 2022 date change. · Low confidence
- Hotel valueNormal3.0
Prices rise for race weekend; many runners stay in Ventura and shuttle to Ojai. · Low confidence
- WalkabilityMostly driving2.2
Runners stay in Ventura and take an early shuttle to Ojai; the finish is at the beach. · Medium confidence
- Travel easeOne connection3.3
Santa Barbara airport (SBA) is about 50 km (31 mi) away; Los Angeles is about 100 km (62 mi). · Low confidence
- LogisticsSome complexity3.0
A point-to-point race needs the early shuttle; runners who register late get the earliest one. · Medium confidence
- Town and foodGood4.0
Ventura and Ojai have good restaurants; no race-weekend food reviews found. · Low confidence
Entry
How hard it is to get a place, and what you get for the fee. Counts for 8% of the overall score.
- Getting inRegister early2.6
Organisers say the race sells out several months ahead every year. · High confidence
- Value for moneyFair3.3
Fee not found; a small but decent expo and swag rated 3.4, but a 2022 date change came with no refunds. · Medium confidence
Key facts
- Location
- Ventura, Ventura County (starts in Ojai), United States
- Typical month
- April
- Latest or next date
- 18 April 2027
- Organiser
- Independent
- Field size
- About 1,720 athletes
- Distances
- 42.2 km (26.2 mi)
- Course type
- point-to-point
- Descent
- 213 m (700 ft)
- Start time
- 06:10
- Boston qualifier
- Yes
- Surface
- Road, then a paved bike path to Ventura; reviewers put about 70 percent on the bike trail
- How to get in
- open
- Sells out
- Yes
- Air temperature
- 9–23 °C (48–73 °F)
- Humidity
- moderate, 60 to 75 percent in recent years
- Altitude
- 213 m (700 ft)
- Nearest airport
- Santa Barbara (SBA); Los Angeles (LAX) for more flights, 50 km (31 mi) away
- Where to stay
- Downtown Ventura, Ventura Harbor, Ojai (for a short walk to the start)
- Booking
- Book Ventura hotels early; prices rose for the 2022 date change. Many runners stay in Ventura and take the early shuttle to Ojai.
What racers and reviewers say
- RaceRaves (129 reviews)Raced 2019-2026 · aggregator · Positive
4.3 out of 5 (difficulty 2.7, scenery 4.1, production 4.3, swag 3.4). Most say net downhill and a strong PR or BQ course, though some find the descent steeper in feel than flat. Shuttle at 04:00 is the main grumble; aid and crowds are mixed; the 2022 edition had a missed turn.
“Having to wake at 2:45 for a 4am shuttle is brutal”
- Run Eat Repeat marathon recapRaced 2014 · blog · Positive
Calls it one of the easiest marathon courses she has run: flat, fast and few turns with a long downhill. Warm sun in the last miles; she saw four runners collapse and advises not going out fast on the downhill. Older edition on a different date.
“It is a great course to qualify for Boston”
- Run Eat Repeat half marathon recapRaced 2026 · blog · Positive
Half-marathon recap, April 19 2026: fast, gently net-downhill course with bigger hills near miles 10.5 to 11 and 12 (km 17 to 18 and 19). Cold start, little wind, easy shuttle, quiet course and uneven electrolytes. Her marathon-running friends chose it to chase big goals.
- Runner's Connect course guideRaced 2019-2024 data · article · neutral
Net 755 ft (230 m) downhill. Only real climbing is the first 3 mi (5 km); the Casitas Pass descent drops 381 ft (116 m) in miles 8 to 15 (km 13 to 24). Warns of quad fatigue and logs start temps of 52 to 63 °F (11 to 17 °C (63 °F)).
- BibRave reviewsRaced 2016 · aggregator · Positive
84 percent of 13 reviewers recommended it. A 2016 reviewer called it a great PR race with a small but decent expo; drawbacks were the early start and the shuttles needed for a point-to-point.
Show 2 more
- Ojai Valley News race coverageRaced 2025 · article · neutral
Local coverage says the 2025 race left downtown Ojai at 06:10 and falls gradually from just over 700 ft (213 m) to sea level; photos show thousands of runners at the first Ojai water station.
- Conejo Valley Guide results postRaced earlier edition · article · neutral
Early-edition results post (Memorial Day weekend, then called Ojai 2 Ocean) with 1,258 finishers and a 2:52 local top finish. Shows how long it has been a local fast-course favourite; dated.
Raced Mountains 2 Beach Marathon? Your notes on the course, conditions and logistics help the next athlete decide.
Sources
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