Rock 'n' Roll San Diego Marathon
San Diego, United States · June · Rock 'n' Roll Running Series
Why people love it
- Staggered start with 5 second mini-waves per corral
- Starts at Balboa Park and finishes downtown with on-course live music
- Close to sea level; the airport is 5 km (3 mi) from downtown
- Final three miles (4.8 km) pass through neighbourhoods with decent support
- Open entry and a 7 hour limit
Watch out for
- Long climb on Highway 163 from mile 22 to 24 (35 to 39 km); many walk it
- Miles 14 to 21 (23 to 34 km (21.1 mi)) run on trails with little crowd support
- Warm and humid in some years; 22 °C (72 °F) reported
- Road closures cause gridlock for several hours
- Hills come earlier than some runners expect; weekend field near 31,000
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: Very tough
- Racer satisfactionLiked3.2
MarathonGuide shows 3.1 from three recent reviews: a smelly course, too many participants and a very hard mile 22 climb. Good finish. · Low confidence
- OrganizationAdequate3.4
Five-second mini-waves in each corral are praised. Street closures cause gridlock for several hours. Based on a few reviews. · Low confidence
- First timer friendlyDoable2.8
A 7 hour cutoff and a good finish festival, but a hard course with a long climb after a quiet trail stretch. · Low confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- PR potentialSlow2.4
Reviewers call it hilly, with a big climb at mile 22 (35 km). One says most people were walking up Highway 163. · Low confidence
Course
Scenery, road surface, closures, and room to run. Counts for 20% of the overall score.
- Course sceneryPleasant3.1
Eight neighbourhoods and a good final three miles (4.8 km). The middle has a trail and freeway running; a 2026 reviewer called it smelly. · Low confidence
- Room to runSome pinch points3.2
Staggered five-second corral releases help. The marathon and half share a start, and about 31,000 take part over the weekend. · Low confidence
- Road surfaceMixed3.2
Asphalt road plus a trail-style stretch in miles 14 to 21 (23 to 34 km) and freeway running on Highway 163. · Low confidence
- Road closuresMostly closed4.0
Streets are closed for several hours, with gridlock reported. The freeway section is a closed lane per race photos. · Medium confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- Course flatnessHilly2.2
Reviewers describe rolling hills and a climb of about 1.6 km (1 mi) at mile 22. No gain figure was found. · Low confidence
- Net downhillEven3.2
Balboa Park to downtown suggests a modest net drop, but it was not confirmed. · Low confidence
Support
Crowds, aid stations, the start, and pacers. Counts for 20% of the overall score.
- Start logisticsSome waiting3.4
06:15 start at Balboa Park with staggered corrals. Closures cause gridlock for drivers. · Low confidence
- Pacers and timingGood3.5
The Rock 'n' Roll series offers pace groups and chip timing, but the reviews do not describe them. · Low confidence
- Crowd supportDecent3.0
Decent in the first half and at the finish party. Reviewers found little or no crowd in miles 14 to 21 (23 to 34 km). · Medium confidence
- Aid stationsStandard3.4
Standard series aid with no complaints found. Details are thin. · Low confidence
Conditions
Air temperature, how predictable the weather is, setting, and spectating. Counts for 14% of the overall score.
- WindMostly calm3.5
No wind complaints were found, but few runners wrote about it. · Low confidence
- Air temperatureWarm or cool3.0
Start about 14 to 18 °C (57 to 64 °F), but warm and humid later, reaching 22 °C (72 °F) in one year. · Medium confidence
- Weather reliabilityReliable3.6
The marine layer makes cloud and mild temperatures common, with heat in some years. · Medium confidence
- Spectator friendlySome viewpoints3.0
The start in Balboa Park and downtown finish are easy to reach, but the mid-course trail and freeway are not. · Low confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- Low altitudeSea level5.0
Near sea level, about 30 m (100 ft) at Balboa Park. · High confidence
Stay and travel
Hotels, walkability, getting there, and the town around the race. Counts for 10% of the overall score.
- Hotel availabilityGood3.9
Big hotel supply downtown. No runner has written about booking. · Low confidence
- Hotel valueNormal2.6
San Diego summer rates are high. · Low confidence
- WalkabilityWalkable3.5
The downtown finish is near hotels; the start at Balboa Park needs a short ride. · Medium confidence
- Travel easeVery easy4.6
San Diego International is about 5 km (3 mi) from downtown. · High confidence
- LogisticsSimple3.5
The expo and a point-to-point start need a bus or ride, and closures complicate driving. · Low confidence
- Town and foodGreat4.6
San Diego has excellent food, beaches and weather. · Medium 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 inEasy4.4
Open registration in a series event that rarely sells out. · Medium confidence
- Value for moneyFair3.0
Rock 'n' Roll fees are on the high side and one 2026 reviewer thought there were too many participants. The fee was not found. · Low confidence
Key facts
- Location
- San Diego, California, United States
- Typical month
- June
- Latest or next date
- 31 May 2026
- Organiser
- Rock 'n' Roll Running Series
- Field size
- About 6,000 athletes
- First held
- 1998
- Distances
- 42.2 km (26.2 mi)
- Course type
- point-to-point
- Start time
- 06:15
- Cutoff
- 7 hours
- Boston qualifier
- Yes
- Surface
- Asphalt, with a long trail-like stretch in miles 14 to 21
- How to get in
- open
- Sells out
- Rarely
- Air temperature
- 14–22 °C (57–72 °F)
- Humidity
- High marine layer humidity
- Altitude
- 30 m (98 ft)
- Nearest airport
- San Diego International (SAN), 5 km (3 mi) away
- Where to stay
- Downtown, Little Italy, Hillcrest
- Booking
- Downtown and Little Italy hotels sit close to the finish, Hillcrest and Balboa Park for the start.
What racers and reviewers say
- MarathonGuide race reviewsRaced 2022 · aggregator · Mixed
Runner found decent crowds in the first half, more hills than expected, miles 14 to 21 (23 to 34 km) on trails with little support, and a major climb at mile 22 to 23 (35 to 37 km). Liked the final three miles (4.8 km) through San Diego neighbourhoods.
“a major climb near mile 22/23 is very hard”
- MarathonGuide race reviewsRaced 2026 · aggregator · mixed-negative
Said the finish line was good but the course smelly and dirty.
- MarathonGuide race reviewsRaced 2026 · aggregator · Negative
Complaint of too many participants. Rated low.
- BibRave San Diego reviewsRaced 2019 · aggregator · Mixed
Search summaries of several BibRave reviews: course nice but wished for more cheering and music on the marathon route, the half felt better; staggered 5-second corral releases helped; one hot day around 22 °C (72 °F). Pages not read directly.
- NBC San Diego (2025 recap)Raced 2025 · article · Mixed
2025: 8,000 marathon runners (up 11%), cloudy with sprinkles and high humidity, runners say lots of hills and tougher than expected, closures cause gridlock.
Show 1 more
- Rock 'n' Roll official course pageRaced 2026 · article · Positive
Official: 06:15 start at Sixth Ave and Quince St, finish Ash and Union, 7 hour limit, eight neighbourhoods, on-course live music. Organiser source, used for facts only.
Raced Rock 'n' Roll San Diego Marathon? Your notes on the course, conditions and logistics help the next athlete decide.
Sources
Pages we used for facts and ratings. See how we rate.
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