Hold back to downtown
The first three miles drop about 230 feet. It feels easy, but the climb to Echo Park comes right after. Run the descent at goal effort, not goal pace plus.
Los Angeles, CA · Sunday, March 7, 2027
Los Angeles Marathon race guide
The LA Marathon’s “Stadium to the Stars” course starts at Dodger Stadium and finishes in Century City, touring downtown, Echo Park, Silver Lake, Hollywood, West Hollywood and Beverly Hills on the way. It finishes about 225 feet lower than it starts, but it’s not a downhill course: there are about 720 feet of climbing, with a climb out of downtown, rolling miles through Hollywood, a steep drop off the Sunset Strip, and an out-and-back to West LA late in the race.
Pace plan
Plan your race on this course
Set your goal and start time. Your checkpoints, the time of day you’ll reach each one, and the course guide below all update to match.
Build your plan01
Pacing
A little slower on the climbs, a little faster on the downhills and flats, for the same finish time. Based on where this course climbs. Treat it as an effort guide.
The race starts at 7:00 a.m. Later corrals cross the line a few minutes after that.
Splits
Your LA Marathon02
Average pace
8:01/mi
- First half
- 1:45:08
- Second half
- 1:44:52
- Finish line
- 10:30 a.m.
Hover or tap a bar to see that mile.
| Checkpoint | Elapsed | Clock |
|---|---|---|
| Little TokyoMile 3 · Off the downhill. Don’t bank time | 23:27 | 7:23 a.m. |
| Echo ParkMile 5.1 · Top of the first climb. Effort, not pace | 40:55 | 7:41 a.m. |
| Hollywood BoulevardMile 9 · Settled into goal effort | 1:12:11 | 8:12 a.m. |
| Halfway, HollywoodMile 13.1 · Even effort. Don’t press yet | 1:45:08 | 8:45 a.m. |
| Off the Sunset StripMile 15 · Steep downhill. Short stride | 1:59:52 | 9:00 a.m. |
| Century CityMile 18 · Past the finish, but 8 miles to go | 2:24:04 | 9:24 a.m. |
| Bundy turnaroundMile 22.5 · Mostly downhill or flat from here | 3:00:17 | 10:00 a.m. |
| FinishMile 26.2 · Avenue of the Stars | 3:30:00 | 10:30 a.m. |
Save it to your phone, or send the link to the people cheering for you.
- Date
- Sunday, March 7, 2027
- Start time
- 7:00 a.m. PT
- Start
- Dodger Stadium
- Finish
- Santa Monica Boulevard at Avenue of the Stars, Century City
- Time limit
- 6 hours 30 minutes from when the last runner crosses the start line
- Elevation gain
- About 720 ft
- Official site
- mccourtfoundation.org
- Profile
- Downhill to downtown, a climb to Echo Park, rolling through Hollywood, then down to Beverly Hills and rolling to the finish
- Best for
- A sightseeing marathon with big crowds. A PR is possible on a cool day
- Biggest mistake
- Running the downhill start too fast and paying for it on the climb to Echo Park
- Course
- Point to point, so plan how you’ll get home from Century City
The course
Mile by mile, at your pace
- Miles0–3
Dodger Stadium & downtown Downhill
You start at Dodger Stadium and drop about 230 feet into downtown, past the Chinatown Dragon Gate, Olvera Street, City Hall and Little Tokyo. It’s crowded and it’s downhill. Don’t bank time. The next two miles climb.
7:49 /miMile 3 at 23:277:23 a.m.
- Miles3–5.2
Bunker Hill to Echo Park Climb
Grand Avenue climbs past the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels and the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, and the course keeps rising along Temple Street and Bellevue Avenue toward Echo Park, about 170 feet in all. Run it by effort and let the pace slow.
8:18 /miMile 5.2 at 41:437:42 a.m.
- Miles5.2–8.5
Echo Park & Silver Lake Rolling
Sunset Boulevard rolls through Echo Park and Silver Lake, with lively crowds. Settle into goal effort and start fueling.
8:01 /miMile 8.5 at 1:08:088:08 a.m.
- Miles8.5–14.2
Hollywood & the Sunset Strip Rolling
Hollywood Boulevard takes you past the Pantages, Capitol Records, Hollywood and Vine, the Walk of Fame and the Chinese Theatre, then you rejoin Sunset Boulevard to the Strip. It rolls gently around 350–415 feet. Halfway comes in Hollywood. Enjoy the sights, but keep your rhythm.
8:00 /miMile 14.2 at 1:53:448:54 a.m.
- Miles14.2–16
Down to Beverly Hills Downhill
Past the Whisky a Go Go, the course drops about 150 feet in less than a mile off the Strip toward Santa Monica Boulevard and Beverly Hills, the steepest part of the race. Keep your stride short; your quads have 10 miles to go.
7:50 /miMile 16 at 2:07:509:08 a.m.
- Miles16–18.5
Beverly Hills & Century City Rolling
Burton Way, Wilshire, Rodeo Drive and Beverly Hills City Hall, then up Santa Monica Boulevard into Century City, about 75 feet. You pass the finish area, but you’re not done.
8:05 /miMile 18.5 at 2:28:029:28 a.m.
- Miles18.5–24
West LA out-and-back Rolling
West along Santa Monica Boulevard to Sepulveda, then a climb of about 100 feet along Wilshire and San Vicente to the turnaround at Bundy Drive around mile 22.5, and back. This is the hardest part mentally: you’ve run past the finish and the road rises. Focus on the turnaround.
8:02 /miMile 24 at 3:12:1410:12 a.m.
- Miles24–26.2
Back to the Stars Rolling
Downhill back toward Sepulveda, then a gentle climb of about 45 feet along Santa Monica Boulevard to the finish at Avenue of the Stars. It’s gradual. Count down the blocks.
8:01 /miFinish at 3:30:0010:30 a.m.
Every mile split for 3:30:00
| Mile | Terrain | Pace /mi | Elapsed | Clock |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Downhill | 7:40 | 7:40 | 7:08 a.m. |
| 2 | Downhill | 7:51 | 15:32 | 7:16 a.m. |
| 3 | Flat | 7:56 | 23:27 | 7:23 a.m. |
| 4 | Climb | 8:23 | 31:50 | 7:32 a.m. |
| 5 | Climb | 8:16 | 40:07 | 7:40 a.m. |
| 6 | Downhill | 7:59 | 48:05 | 7:48 a.m. |
| 7 | Downhill | 7:55 | 56:00 | 7:56 a.m. |
| 8 | Rolling | 8:06 | 1:04:06 | 8:04 a.m. |
| 9 | Rolling | 8:05 | 1:12:11 | 8:12 a.m. |
| 10 | Flat | 8:00 | 1:20:11 | 8:20 a.m. |
| 11 | Flat | 7:58 | 1:28:09 | 8:28 a.m. |
| 12 | Flat | 7:56 | 1:36:04 | 8:36 a.m. |
| 13 | Climb | 8:12 | 1:44:16 | 8:44 a.m. |
| 14 | Flat | 7:57 | 1:52:12 | 8:52 a.m. |
| 15 | Downhill | 7:39 | 1:59:52 | 9:00 a.m. |
| 16 | Flat | 7:59 | 2:07:50 | 9:08 a.m. |
| 17 | Rolling | 8:07 | 2:15:58 | 9:16 a.m. |
| 18 | Flat | 8:07 | 2:24:04 | 9:24 a.m. |
| 19 | Flat | 7:55 | 2:32:00 | 9:32 a.m. |
| 20 | Flat | 8:03 | 2:40:02 | 9:40 a.m. |
| 21 | Climb | 8:15 | 2:48:18 | 9:48 a.m. |
| 22 | Flat | 7:59 | 2:56:17 | 9:56 a.m. |
| 23 | Flat | 7:59 | 3:04:16 | 10:04 a.m. |
| 24 | Rolling | 7:57 | 3:12:14 | 10:12 a.m. |
| 25 | Downhill | 7:51 | 3:20:05 | 10:20 a.m. |
| 26 | Flat | 8:08 | 3:28:13 | 10:28 a.m. |
| Finish | Flat | 8:09 | 3:30:00 | 10:30 a.m. |
Lap your watch at each marker; GPS distance drifts over 26.2 miles. Even-pace card for 3:30:00
Race strategy
How to pace the LA Marathon
Respect the late out-and-back
Running past the finish at mile 18 and heading out to Bundy is tough mentally, and it climbs about 100 feet. Plan for it, fuel before it, and treat the turnaround as your finish line.
Watch the weather
Early March in LA can be cool or surprisingly hot, and there’s little shade. If it’s warm, start slower and drink at every station.
The last few weeks
Train for this course
- Include rolling routes in your long runs, with a sustained climb a few miles in.
- Practice a steep downhill around mile 14 of a long run, so the drop off the Strip doesn’t hurt.
- Put a gradual climb in the last 6 miles of your longest runs to prepare for the West LA out-and-back.
Race-day weather
Early March in Los Angeles is usually mild, with race mornings in the 50s°F. But it can be hot: some years have reached the 80s by the finish, and the course has little shade. Check the forecast in race week and adjust your goal if it’s warm.
Race morning
Getting to the start
- The race starts at Dodger Stadium at 7:00 a.m. Check the official parking and shuttle options, since it’s a point-to-point course.
- Bib pickup is at the expo in the days before the race; check the official site for times.
- The finish is in Century City, on Santa Monica Boulevard at Avenue of the Stars. Plan your meet-up and ride home ahead of time.
Questions runners ask.
Is the LA Marathon downhill?
It finishes about 225 feet lower than it starts, but there are about 720 feet of climbing along the way. The biggest climbs are out of downtown to Echo Park and the out-and-back to West LA late in the race.
What is the time limit?
Six and a half hours, counted from when the last runner crosses the start line.
Is the 2027 course the same as 2026?
The race’s current map and course line are the 2026 route, which this guide follows. Check the official site for any changes before race day.
Where should friends and family watch?
Downtown in the early miles, Echo Park and Silver Lake on Sunset Boulevard, Hollywood Boulevard, and Century City, where the course passes at mile 18 and again at the finish.
Last checked October 21, 2026. This is an independent guide from Miles. We’re not affiliated with the race organizer. Start times, cutoffs, and logistics can change, so confirm everything on the official race site before race day.
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