ENTRY LIMITS
The 21-Miler is open to 1,000 entrants, age 16 and older.
REGISTRATION & ENTRY FEES
The entry fees for the April 27, 2025 Big Sur 21-Miler are as follows:
21-Miler Monterey County Residents – $165
21-Miler – $195
START-6:30 AM PDT
The 21-Miler will start at 6:30 a.m. at Andrew Molera State Park on Highway 1, approx. 5 miles north of the Marathon start. There will be coffee/hot chocolate, water, portable restrooms, entertainment, and gear check at the start area as well as a group yoga session before the race. Click HERE to view the start area map.
COURSE
The 21-Miler is the final 21.2-miles of the Big Sur International Marathon course which is regarded as one of the most beautiful and challenging marathon courses in the world. The course is point-to-point running north on historic California Highway 1 from Andrew Molera State Park to Carmel. 21-Miler participants share the course with full marathoners and other shorter distance events using one lane of the scenic two lane-winding road.
The course features several significant hills including a two-mile steady climb to Hurricane Point between miles five and seven and numerous rolling hills between miles 17 and 20. Be prepared for an incredible journey!
Due to the nature of the course, no animals, pacers, skates, skateboards, bikes, wheelchairs, hand cranks, baby joggers or children/infants in backpacks are allowed on the course. No bandits. No exceptions.
View a map of the 21-Miler course.
Start elevation: 64′
Finish elevation: 10′
Total elevation gain: +2,060′
Total elevation loss: -2,114′
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 marathon mile 12.2 and 19.0. Fruit is available at later stations. The Strawberry Station is at marathon mile 23.2. Aid station locations are as follows:
(Marathon) 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
COURSE TIME LIMIT
The 21-Miler course time limit is 6:30, a pace of 18:30 minutes-per-mile. This is required by our race permit and is closely monitored with no exceptions. There is no course support (aid stations, medical, entertainment, etc.) for any 21-Miler not maintaining a 6:30 finish pace.
There are several check-points on the course and any 21-Miler who reaches these points behind a 6:30 finish pace will not be allowed to proceed and will be transported to the finish. The course officially reopens to regular vehicular traffic at 1 p.m.
FINISH
The 21-Miler ends at the Marathon finish line at Highway 1 and Rio Road. The Finish Village includes light runner refreshments, a beer garden with craft beer, live entertainment, merchandise, gear bag retrieval, and free bus transportation back to your morning pick-up location.
TIMING and AWARDS
The event is timed but not scored. Every official finisher receives a unique, hand-painted ceramic finisher medal. There are no overall or age group awards or awards ceremony for this event.
TRANSPORTATION
Please see our transportation page for all transportation details.
IPODS and AUDIO DEVICES
We strongly discourage the use of iPods, headphones, ear buds or other MP3 or headphone devices in any of our events for safety reasons. Due to the nature of this course, you need to be able to hear verbal instructions or commands from race officials including course marshals on bicycles and to hear other vehicles or emergency vehicles on the course alongside you. We ask that you leave your headsets/earbuds at home to best enjoy the incredible scenery, the sounds of waves crashing against the rocks, the course entertainment and the experience with your fellow runners.
