RACE OVERVIEW
Race Date
April 26, 2026
Start Time
6:45 AM PDT
Course Time Limit
The Big Sur Marathon has a six hour time limit and will officially end at 1 PM when the course will reopen to regular two-way vehicular traffic. There will be NO support of any kind on the course (aid stations, medical, communications, etc.) for anyone not maintaining a 6-hour pace. Those who do not reach marathon mile 13.2 by 10:05 AM or mile 21.2 by 11:50 AM will not be allowed to proceed past that point and will be provided transportation to the finish.
ENTRY LIMITS AND QUALIFICATIONS
The Marathon is limited to about 4500 total entrants. All entrants must be 16 years or older, in good health and well trained.
BSIM is a challenging course with a 6-hour cut-off time (13:45 per-mile pace).
2026 Entry Cost (Random Drawing Winners): $295
REGISTRATION
Key Registration Dates for the 2026 Race:
August 13, 2025 – August 27, 2025
Random marathon drawing opens for two weeks
August 13, 2025
Guaranteed Entry paths open on first-come, first-served basis (VIP, presented by HOKA, Race Benefactor Program (formerly known as Youth Fitness), Marathon Tours, Charity Bib Entries)
September 4, 2025
Random drawing winners announced
October 1, 2025
Boston 2 Big Sur, presented by HOKA, opens
COMMUNICATIONS
Prior to race weekend you will receive a series of communications containing important information. If you have a Gmail account, be sure to check your ‘All Mail’ folder as our eBlast or eNewsletter may not land in your inbox.
Communications are sent via our registration platform, haku.
CONFIRMATION
Online entries will be confirmed by email from haku. If you have spam filters and/or firewalls in place, we cannot guarantee you will receive this email. You may also confirm your entry by calling haku at 831.713.2227.
START
The marathon begins at 6:45 AM at the Big Sur Station in Big Sur. To view a map of the start area, click HERE (Please note that the map is subject to change).
COURSE
| The course is from Big Sur to Carmel on scenic Highway 1, the nation’s first nationally-designated Scenic Highway. The course is USATF, AIMS, and World Athletics certified and is an official Boston Marathon qualifier. The course reopens to traffic at 1:00 PM, an approximate 6-hour course limit, just over a 13:45 pace per mile.
COURSE POLICY NOTICE: Please note: Service animals are welcome at the expo and the finish festival, in accordance with ADA guidelines, but for safety reasons they are not allowed on the course without explicit written permission from race management. To view the marathon course map and elevation chart, click HERE. Start elevation: 356′ |
AID STATIONS
Aid station amenities include Nuun, water, refill stations for you to refill your personal bottles, portable restrooms, and first aid. First aid includes medical personnel and general medical supplies including feminine products. GU energy gel will be available at mile 12.2 and 19.0. Fruit is available at later stations. The Strawberry Station is at mile 23.2. Aid station locations are as follows:
Mile 2.5
Mile 4.8
Mile 7.8
Mile 10.4
Mile 12.2
Mile 14.7
Mile 16.9
Mile 19.0
Mile 21.2
Mile 23.0
Mile 24.5
TIMEKEEPING - PACE
Bib chip timing is provided by SVE. There will be split mats near miles 5, 8.1, 13.1, 15.2, 17, 21.2 and 24. There are large mile markers on the marathon course but there are no clocks or split callers. There are not separate mile markers on the course for the 21-Miler or the 11-Miler.
ELITE RUNNERS
The Big Sur International Marathon does not offer prize money, appearance money, hotel, or travel assistance. There are a very limited number of complimentary entries available for elite athletes who have achieved the following standard within the last 24 months. Elite standards are as follows:
Marathon:
Men – 2:27:00
Women – 2:59:00
Non-Binary – 2:59:00
When the quota for elite entries has been reached, the entry option will be closed.
Please fill out the form below if you have a qualifying time.
MARATHON AWARDS
To be eligible for overall and divisional awards, one must show a time crossing all split timing mats near miles 5, 8.1, 13.1, 15.2, 17, 21.2 and 24.
Awards (based on GUN, not chip time) go to the top five male and female finishers and the top male and female masters (age 40 and over).
Divisional (age group) awards are based on CHIP time and go three deep in five-year incremental age divisions, both male and female, after 16-19. Double-dipping is not permitted. Top male and female age group winners will be announced at the stage and 2nd and 3rd place will be presented at the Awards Tent.
Special division awards are given to top male and female in the following categories (based on CHIP time):
- Monterey County Resident
- Active Military
You are not automatically assigned to a special division. You must check a specific box during registration to be eligible for awards in that division. You may only pick one special division.
Awards will be given three deep to both male and female participants under age 40 and the top male and female masters (age 40 and over) in the Boston 2 Big Sur Challenge based on the fastest combined Boston and Big Sur times.
The awards ceremony will begin at 11:30 AM at the stage in Marathon Village (time subject to change).
There are also awards in the Marathon Relay. There are no age group or overall awards in the 21-Miler, 11-Miler, 12K, or 5K.
COURSE RECORDS
Male: Brad Hawthorne, 1987, 2:16:39
Female: Svetlana Vasilyeva, 1996, 2:41:34
BUS TRANSPORTATION
All participants are transported from one of several Monterey Peninsula locations to the start at Big Sur Station. Please visit our Race Day Transportation page for more details. Free bus transportation to the start is for official runners only. Each participant must show race bib number and bus ticket upon loading. Bus loading begins at 3:30 a.m. Why do the buses leave so early? It takes one hour for a bus to travel SAFELY to Big Sur along a narrow winding road in the dark. after unloading, it takes one hour for a bus to travel back to Carmel. Therefore, allowing for possible delays, the final buses must leave for the start by 4:30 am. Because not all buses can leave at the last minute, bus departures are staggered between 3:30 and 4:00 a.m. The bottom line is that moving thousands of runners from multiple locations to several start destinations along a narrow, winding road in the dark TAKES TIME!
Click HERE to view bus departure times and locations.
IPODS AND AUDIO DEVICES
We strongly discourage the use of ear buds, headphones, iPods, or other MP3 or headphone devices in any of our events. We believe using an audio device will compromise your safety and that of others by hindering your ability to hear verbal instructions or commands from race officials including course marshals on bicycles or to hear vehicles in the lane next to you or emergency vehicles on the course. You are sharing a narrow lane with runners of different speeds completing different race distances. In addition, there is live traffic in the land-side lane of Highway 1 during the race. You must be aware of your surroundings at all times.
Because the safety of all of our participants and volunteers is our first priority, we ask that you leave your headsets at home and instead let the incredible scenery, the sounds of waves crashing against the rocks, the music we provide on the course, and your fellow runners serve as your motivation and inspiration.
