Weather
Climate Avg| Time | Temp | Dew Pt | Humidity | Wind | Conditions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Start | 50.9 – 50.9°F | 48° Ideal | 91 – 91% | 8 mph N | Partly cloudy |
| 8:00 AM | 51.7 – 51.7°F | 48° Ideal | 87 – 87% | 9 mph N | Partly cloudy |
| 9:00 AM | 54.4 – 54.5°F | 49° Ideal | 81 – 82% | 7 mph NW | Drizzle |
| 10:00 AM | 56 – 56°F | 48° Ideal | 75 – 75% | 8 mph SW | Drizzle |
| 11:00 AM | 55.4 – 55.4°F | 48° Ideal | 75 – 75% | 10 mph SW | Drizzle |
| Finish | 55.9 – 55.9°F | 48° Ideal | 75 – 75% | 10 mph SW | Drizzle |
Based on 3-year average for this date. Real forecast available in 267 days.
Elevation Profile
Course Stats
Mile Splits
| Mile | Grade |
|---|---|
| 1 | -0.4% |
| 2 | -1.5% |
| 3 | -0.8% |
| 4 | +0.2% |
| 5 | -0.1% |
| 6 | +0.2% |
| 7 | +0.1% |
| 8 | +0.4% |
| 9 | +0.5% |
| 10 | -0.7% |
| 11 | +5.1% |
| 12 | -2.0% |
| 13 | -1.6% |
| 14 | -1.5% |
| 15 | -0.7% |
| 16 | +1.0% |
| 17 | -0.7% |
| 18 | +0.6% |
| 19 | -0.5% |
| 20 | -0.2% |
| 21 | -0.1% |
| 22 | +1.6% |
| 23 | -1.3% |
| 24 | -1.6% |
| 25 | +0.5% |
| 26 | -0.6% |
| 27 | +0.0% |
RM Difficulty Index
Race-Day Weather History
Race-morning conditions on this date over the past 8 years: median 54°F with a 49°F dew point and 11 mph wind. 1 of 8 years were warm enough to slow race pace.
| Year | Temp | Dew Pt | Wind | Rain | Sky |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 53°F | 48°F | 10 mph | — | Drizzle |
| 2023 | 55°F | 46°F | 12 mph | — | Partly cloudy |
| 2022 | 55°F | 48°F | 11 mph | — | Partly cloudy |
| 2021 | 52°F | 49°F | 2 mph | — | Drizzle |
| 2020 | 66°F | 52°F | 13 mph | — | Partly cloudy |
| 2019 | 59°F | 52°F | 3 mph | — | Partly cloudy |
| 2018 | 51°F | 50°F | 3 mph | — | Partly cloudy |
| 2016 | 50°F | 42°F | 17 mph | — | Partly cloudy |
Morning conditions (race window) on the Big Sur Marathon calendar date each year, from the ERA5 reanalysis archive — the race’s usual slot, not necessarily each edition’s exact day.
Big Sur Marathon Pace Calculator & Race Plan
Big Sur is not a PR course. It's a 283-meter elevation gain course on a narrow highway along the California coast, with Hurricane Point at mile 10 being a two-mile climb that gains over 500 feet. The scenery is incredible, but the terrain is relentless.
Our model is especially useful here because even splits are basically impossible. The climbs and descents are steep enough that your per-mile pace should vary by 30-60 seconds depending on the grade. The splits give you a realistic effort-based plan rather than a pace-based one.
Big Sur Marathon FAQ
When is the next Big Sur Marathon?›
The next Big Sur Marathon is on Sunday, April 25, 2027.
How long is the Big Sur Marathon?›
The Big Sur Marathon is 26.2 miles (42.195 km), the standard marathon distance. It runs in Big Sur to Carmel, CA.
How much elevation gain does the Big Sur Marathon have?›
The Big Sur Marathon has about 928 ft (283 m) of climbing and 1,143 ft of descent, with a maximum grade of 5.11%.
Is the Big Sur Marathon flat, downhill, or hilly?›
The Big Sur Marathon is a net downhill course, dropping 213 ft (65 m) from start to finish, with 928 ft of climbing along the way.
How hard is the Big Sur Marathon?›
Runner's Math scores the Big Sur Marathon 44/100 (Challenging) — #7 of 38 marathon courses in our library, ranked by modeled time cost. The profile costs about 1:40 versus a flat course for a runner at 4:00-marathon pace.
What's the weather usually like at the Big Sur Marathon?›
Over the past 8 years on this date, median race-morning conditions were 54°F with a 49°F dew point and 11 mph wind. 1 of 8 years were warm enough to slow race pace.