On October 5th, 2024, I ran the Pacific Beach (PB) Half Marathon which takes place in Mission Bay and Pacific Beach in San Diego. This race is fairly new and it was my first time running it! When I was preparing for the race, I didn’t find much info out there about the race so I knew I wanted to do a recap to help future runners out! (I chose this race on my own, paid for my own entry and was not paid by the race organizers, FYI!)
Why I Chose To Run The Pacific Beach Half Marathon
Right now I am training for the Every Woman’s Marathon, which takes place November 16th in Savannah Georgia. The reasons I chose the PB half was because it was at the perfect time to do a tune up race (6 weeks out from the marathon) and the course resembled the Every Woman’s Marathon (flat, several turns and out and backs).
I also love that the PB half marathon is only a 25 minute drive from where in live in Encinitas, parking seemed to be easy and I could get my bib mailed (which cost $18) to me so I didn’t have to go to an expo. Plus, the race is on a Saturday which I prefer!
Pacific Beach Half Marathon Race Recap
The PB half is a one way route, with free shuttles departing from the finish line (which is near the pier) in the morning back to the start. However, I decided to park at the start line at De Anza Cove (right off the freeway) with the plan of running back to my car for a cool-down afterward.
The race started at 6:15 AM. I arrived at De Anza Cove around 5:30 AM and got a spot on the street leading into the parking lot. Within 15 minutes, cars were backing up, so if you’re parking there, I recommend getting there at least by 5:30. I sat in my car and finished my coffee and finished listening to a podcast. It was super easy to run across some grass to the porto-o-potties and by the time I was done, it was time to warm up.
My plan was a mile with strides . There was plenty of room to run the warm-up but on the way back, I didn’t have as much room to do the strides as the path was crowded and I did not want to run in the grass in the dark and risk spraining an ankle. I didn’t feel particularly good during the warm up but tried not to over think it.
I rarely run races alone so it was kind of weird to be at the start without a friend or someone to talk to! My podcast helped and I tried to just get in the zone. When it was time, I lined up at the back of the first corral.
It was still completely dark when the race started and there were some tight turns at first. I didn’t look at my watch at all for a while, just focused on effort. I was surprised when mile 1 came in at 7:55 – i assumed that I would have slowed during the craziness. My coach had told me to start at 8:15…oops.
I continued to run by feel and look at my watch occasionally. I was happy to see that the pace in the high 7s/low 8s always felt really manageable. The sun started to rise over the bay and it felt really peaceful! I lived in Pacific Beach for many years and trained for my first marathon with the VAVI Run Club along mission bay, so I had lots of memories on the course.
Mile 2 and 3 were both 7;55 on the dot as well.
Around this point, the 1:45 pace group caught up to me and my friend Kevin Hopp, who used to be part of the same run club as me, was one of the pacers. He gave me some words of encouragement and I made a mental note to not let the pace group pass me. I picked it up a bit.
Through the next several miles, I continued to feel strong. When the pace group would get a little closer, I’d push to get ahead of them. Mile 4 was 7:52, mile 5 7:56 and mile 6 7:51. During this section we did a few out and backs and I got a boost (I love seeing other runners) from seeing the runners who were faster than me first, and then the runners behind me after that.
Mile 7 was when things started to feel slightly harder and I kept struggling to stay ahead of the pace group but kept telling myself that I COULD do it. That it was just an excuse to let them go ahead and there was absolutely no reason why I should let them go ahead. I also knew the pace group must be slightly ahead of pace which gave me some comfort in my goal of a sub 1:45 half. Mile 7 clocked in at 7:55.
There were several turns in the next section as we entered mission beach, and then it happened – the overpass hill. I need to change this mindset but I’ve never been a strong uphill runner. When the pace group passed me on the hill I told myself I would catch them and it wasn’t a problem. I’m a fast downhill runner, but I didn’t catch them on the downhill. I made a goal to catch them in the final 5K. Mile 8 with the hill was 8:15.
This is when it started to feel harder and I just focused on getting to mile 10 so I could pick it up. I told myself it was a rough patch and to focus on staying steady and working my way through it. I was fueling like a champ (gel every 30 min, alternating Huma and Maurten)
In South Mission Beach, just before the turn around, a woman in front of me was starting to collapse. Although it wasn’t sunny, it was fairly warm and humid, and who knows what else was at play. A runner in front of me was bracing her and a couple who were on a walk came to help her, so I didn’t feel like I needed to stop.
After I saw that, I reminded myself that although I wasn’t feeling amazing, I was healthy and OK. I’ve been reading the new Liane Moriarity Book, Here One Moment, which is about death and knowing when it may come for us and what we’d do, and it’s been making me think a lot about my own mortality! This made me really thankful to be healthy and alive and running so strong.
Once we got to the beach side in South Mission Beach, all I had to do was get to the pier. However, first we had to do yet another loop and turn. I tried to pick up the pace, but my legs really just didn’t want to go faster. I focused on staying positive and holding on. The beach path was open to the public and very sandy – so my racing shoes were kind of slipping off of it. There were dogs and strollers and people walking the other direction and crossing the path of the race (not a ton, but enough!).
Miles 9 and 10 were 8:01, 8:03 and I managed a 7:59 at mile 11.
Mission Beach is characterized lots of small “streets” that have walkways, NOT driveways, so the houses are all very close together, but right on the beach. When I went to the University of San Diego, my college boyfriend lived in South Mission Beach and I spent a LOT of time down there going to parties. We all rented out the beach houses for 9 months of the year and then during the summer the owners would rent to short term vacationers (I wonder with AirBnB if that’s still true or if the college students are out of luck now!). I started focusing on doing little surges to get to the next street.
I saw the 1:45 pacer ahead, but I could NOT catch them. I was disappointed as I was hoping to be able to pick it up and finish closer to 1:42/1:43 on a good day, but I felt confident that I’d be running a sub 1:45! At this point I had been pretty close to the mile markers, but all of a sudden at mile 12, I was WAY off the mile marker, a whole 0.2 miles. I hoped that that was just a fluke and I didn’t actually have to run extra, but turned out it was not. Miles 12 and 13 were 8:02, 7:58.
The finish line wasn’t on the board walk – we had to turn off the coast and head toward the street, run down the street, and then back up another street to finish with the beach ahead of us. As soon as I realized that 1:45 was no longer guaranteed, I tried to run as fast as I could but it wasn’t quite enough! My pace in the final .27 was 7:11. Although my Garmin time shows a 1:44:20 finish for 13.27 miles and 7:57 average, the official time is 1:45:35. Which I’m happy with!
Looking back at the data – I’m really proud of my consistent splits. Although I would have liked to have more energy & push at the end to pick it up, the fact that I maintained pace despite not feeling as great was solid. And after running back to my car, I got 17 miles in.
Would I Recommend the PB Half Marathon?
I absolutely would recommend the Pacific Beach Half Marathon! There are very few fast fall half marathons in San Diego. In the past I’ve gone up to Long Beach for a fall tune up race, but I prefer PB Half (plus being able to sleep in my bed is helpful). I’ve still never run the Silver Strand but I’ve heard such bad things I don’t think I ever will!
As for perks & swag – there was a fun finish line party on the sand that I didn’t partake in – although no beer garden, they give you a ticket to redeem a free beer at one of 3 bars nearby (very PB of them) . I did really enjoy the FREE race photos & free pair or sunglasses! I love when races give free photos. Also, the tank top they give you is really cute! I don’t ever wear race shirts but I will wear a tank!
PS I paid for my own entry and this is not a sponsored post.
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