OB Run Club Marathon — Saturday, July 29

The Ocean Beach Run Club is holding a 26.2-mile full marathon through the community on Saturday, July 29 starting at Dog Beach.

Their Club Instagram post stated:

“If you’d like to be part of the start, arrive at the OB Dog Beach parking lot at 6 a.m. The course is in four sections and after a little pass over the new bridge by SeaWorld, we will run all the streets of OB on the sidewalk following all traffic laws. This is a free meetup and runners are responsible for their own safety.”

Here’s the schedule:

OB RUN CLUB MARATHON

Saturday, July 29 starting at 6 a.m. at Dog Beach in four sections:

Section 1 starts at 6:05 a.m. at Dog Beach (10.6 miles).

Section 2 starts at Villi’s Health Bar at Sunset Cliffs and Narragansett at 7:45 a.m. (4.2 miles).

Section 3 starts at the OB Pier entrance at 8:45 a.m. (5.7 miles).

Section 4 starts at the start of Sunset Cliffs at 10 a.m. (5.7 miles).

Matt Stanton has been running the club for the past year. It meets every Tuesday evening and Thursday morning, and can get as many as 30 to 45 participants.

A previous organizer Victor Tello said he was excited to create “a new running club in our own hometown.” Tello said at the time, noting a lot of the club’s running trips took place along picturesque Sunset Cliffs. “We run in the bike lane, and through the bike lanes most days running toward the cliffs. What’s most significant is the ocean breeze. It’s a therapeutic running experience that you don’t get in other areas of San Diego inland.”

Stanton stated:

“In the fall, we do some stuff on weekends.” The run club is a “pretty OB-like group. We’re very serious about our hobbies. Yet, we’re laid back at the same time. That’s the overall vibe. We’re all volunteers. There’s no money to be made. We’re just coming together as a community and as friends. We really love running through the neighborhoods,” noted Stanton, who added he mapped out the marathon course so runners could do exactly that. But he added it’s pretty much up to every runner how far they want to go, and even when they want to join in.

“People don’t have to do the whole race. If you want, you can hop in in the middle, or anytime. We’re expecting a few dozen to run at least part of the course.”

The Beacon reported:

[Stanton] added the course will commence at “the large paw print” at Dog Beach then go along the bike trail through neighborhoods to Sunset Cliffs, eventually returning and finishing about 11:30 a.m. at Dog Beach.

Stanton said the run club is setting up some volunteer aid stations for the marathon so runners can take a breather and get refreshed. “Most of it’s fun,” said Stanton of the marathon adding that though running is “a niche people do take very seriously themselves,” the run club nonetheless is trying to convey that it’s just as important to “be a good community member,” and that OB Run Club is always looking for new members to join in.

“We did make stickers that say, ‘OB Marathon,’” noted Stanton. “If you show – you’ll get a sticker.”

Stanton added there will be a post-marathon meetup at Whomp Burger & Brew, 1774 Sunset Cliffs Blvd., for lunch and to celebrate.