A flat coastal loop through Southern California sounds easy — until October heat, ocean wind, and 20 miles of relentless flat terrain test your mental game. Signal Hill at mile 19 is the only real climb, and it comes when you least expect resistance. Get a plan built for Long Beach's unique challenges.
Long Beach is one of the flattest marathons in the US — until Signal Hill at mile 19 breaks the monotony with the only real climb on the course. The real challenge is mental: 20+ miles of flat terrain with coastal wind and potential heat.
Each segment of the Long Beach course demands a different strategy. Here's what your plan prepares you for.
Without terrain changes to break up the effort, flat courses demand exceptional discipline. Here's the data-driven approach for a 3:30 goal.
| Segment | Pace/mi | Strategy |
|---|---|---|
| Miles 1–8 | 7:55–8:00 | Flat coastal. Hold back despite the easy terrain. |
| Miles 9–13 | 7:55–8:00 | Wind zone. Maintain effort, not pace if windy. |
| Miles 14–18 | 7:55–8:00 | Flat residential. Stay mentally engaged. |
| Miles 19–22 | 8:10–8:30 | Signal Hill. Accept 15–30 sec/mi slower on climb. |
| Miles 23–26.2 | 7:45–8:00 | Finish push. Flat coastal to the finish. |
Get custom splits for your goal time and the Long Beach course profile
Free Pacing Calculator →Even a flat course needs course-specific preparation. Here's what makes this plan different.
Complete weekly training with progressive mileage, quality sessions, rest days, and cross-training. Periodized into base, build, peak, and taper phases.
Wind-adjusted pacing strategies and long runs with headwind simulation. Drafting techniques for the exposed coastal and Seal Beach sections.
Late-race hill sessions that simulate climbing at mile 19 on fatigued legs. Hill repeats at the end of long runs to build resilience.
Five personalized training zones based on your max HR and lactate threshold. Every workout has a target zone so you train at the right intensity.
Course-adjusted pacing splits, fueling schedule, aid station strategy, mental cues by segment, and weather contingency adjustments.
October heat preparation with pace adjustments for Long Beach's 55–85°F range. Cooling strategies, hydration protocol, and race-day decision framework.
Southern California in October can range from pleasant to punishing. Your plan includes adjustments for every scenario.
Ideal for performance. Rare for Long Beach but perfect when it happens. Singlet and shorts. No pace adjustment needed.
Typical Long Beach race day. Manageable with proper hydration. Slow 1% from goal pace. Take water at every station.
Performance declines significantly. Slow 2–3% from goal pace. Ice sponges, water over head. Switch to effort-based racing.
Survival mode. Slow 4–6%, aggressive hydration, ice at every station. Consider the race a training run. No exposed shade on coastal sections.
Personalized pacing, Signal Hill prep, heat strategy, wind adjustments, and race-day fueling — all calibrated to your goal time.
Get My Long Beach Training Plan — $19 →Course-adjusted mile-by-mile splits for Long Beach's elevation profile. Enter your goal time for custom pacing.
Personalized carb, fluid, sodium, and caffeine targets based on your body weight and goal pace.
Predict your Long Beach finish time from recent race results or connect Strava for AI-powered prediction.
5-day carb loading protocol with daily gram targets. Maximize glycogen for race day.
Assess your readiness for warm conditions. Long Beach's race-day weather can be variable.
New to marathons? Start here for training fundamentals, gear, and race-day preparation basics.
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