PREDICTPACE
← Back to predictor

Course guide & time predictor

Los Angeles Marathon

Los Angeles, CA

Dodger Stadium to the Pacific — Hollywood, WeHo, and the Santa Monica finish

Elevation gain

900 ft

Course difficulty

1.2% slower than Berlin

Race month

March

See how your time translates to Los Angeles Marathon

Enter a time from any other marathon to compare.

Compare coursesPredict from a race

About the race

The Los Angeles Marathon runs 26.2 miles from Dodger Stadium to the Pacific Ocean in Santa Monica, passing through Hollywood, West Hollywood, Beverly Hills, Brentwood, and finishing steps from the beach. With approximately 27,000 finishers, it's one of the largest marathons in the US. The course is distinctive, the scenery ranges from gritty to glamorous, and the March date falls right in the middle of the US marathon racing calendar.

Course profile

The first 10 miles are rolling and demanding — the course climbs through Hollywood and over the Santa Monica Mountains' lower foothills before dropping into Beverly Hills and Brentwood. Miles 10–20 flatten out considerably as the course moves west toward the coast. The final 6 miles to Santa Monica are mostly flat, with the finish on Ocean Avenue. Total elevation gain is approximately 900 feet. This is not a PR course for most runners, but the back half rewards patience in the first half.

Race-day conditions

March in Los Angeles typically means 55–65°F at the start with the marine layer burning off by mid-morning. By miles 18–20, temperatures can climb to 70°F — warm for racing. Humidity is low and wind is rarely a factor. Check the forecast the week before; occasionally warm springs push race-day temperatures into the 70s from the start.

Using the predictor

LA runs about 1.2% slower than Berlin — roughly 2–3 minutes on a 3:30 finish. The rolling first half adds time that doesn't show up in pace per mile estimates for flat courses. Use this tool to set a realistic first-half target pace; if you treat the early miles like a flat course, the back half will be harder than expected.

Common questions

How do I enter the Los Angeles Marathon?

The LA Marathon uses a lottery system for general entry, with registration typically opening in summer for the following March race. Charity and guaranteed entry options are also available. The race typically sells out well in advance. The course is open to runners of all abilities with a generous time limit.

Is the LA Marathon a good course for a personal best?

For most runners, no. The rolling first 10 miles and the potential for warm morning temperatures make LA harder than its reputation suggests. This tool rates it at 1.2% slower than Berlin — similar to Marine Corps. Runners who've trained on flat courses are often surprised by the early hills. That said, the flat back half rewards conservative first-half runners.

What makes the LA Marathon course unique?

The route is genuinely one of a kind: you start in Dodger Stadium's parking lot, run through Hollywood and the Sunset Strip, turn down Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills, and finish a block from the Pacific Ocean in Santa Monica. No other major marathon covers this kind of social and geographic cross-section. The crowd support is thinner than Boston or NYC in some sections, but the entertainment and neighborhoods more than compensate.

Predict your Los Angeles Marathon time

Other course guides

Boston MarathonNew York City MarathonChicago MarathonBerlin MarathonLondon MarathonMarine Corps MarathonCIM (California International)Tokyo MarathonHouston MarathonTwin Cities MarathonBig Sur International MarathonPhiladelphia MarathonParis Marathon