Commit Now, Set Your Goal and Register for the 2021 SDCCU OC Running Festival

June 17, 2021

World-class running event returns to Newport Beach and the OC Fair and Event Center November 6-7, 2021

ORANGE COUNTY, Calif. –Its Orange County’s favorite springtime running tradition, this year taking place in the fall.

The 17^th annual SDCCU OC Marathon Running Festival is set to return live and in-person the weekend of November 6-7, 2021. The twice-postponed race will include a sunset 5k on Saturday and 13.1-mile half-marathon on Sunday. The 26.2-mile marathon distance will return in 2022 when the event returns to its traditional spring date on the first weekend of May.  Prices are set to go up on Friday, June 18^th at midnight. Registration is available at OCMarathon.com

“Orange County is a community that loves to run and loves to race,” Gary Kutcher, race director for the OC Marathon Running Festival “This year for the first time in event history we’ll be running in November, and we believe our decision to elevate the half-marathon as our main event is a positive one and will provide a better experience for both participants and the community as we emerge from the pandemic.”

The SDCCU OC Running Festival is known as a celebration of the Southern California fitness culture, showcasing two days of events, miles of entertainment and memories that last a lifetime. The race is a convenient event for runners, with the expo, 5k and finish line festival all taking place at OC Fair and Event Center in Costa Mesa. New in 2021 all half marathon participants will receive a pullover jacket in addition to their race t-shirt and finishers medal.

For future marathoners, the Kids Run The OC event will be held on Saturday morning, November 6th starting at 8:00 am. Event weekend also includes a two-day OC Lifestyle and Fitness Expo which will be held on Friday, November 5 and Saturday at the OC Fair and Event Center.

Event weekend will once again feature two days of running with the OC 5K taking place at 5:00pm. One of the largest nighttime running events on the West Coast, the 5k atmosphere provides an incredible experience for participants of any level including a beer garden and entertainment on the main stage. Participants can go for the “Combo Crush” by running the 5K on Saturday and then the half-marathon on Sunday to earn three medals by finishing two races.

Sunday’s main event starts at 6:00am, adjacent to the Newport Beach Marriott Hotel & Spa just south of Santa Barbara Drive. The fast and flat course showcases the breathtaking panoramas of the Pacific Ocean, exceptional views and cheering spectators along the route.

The 13.1-mile road race finishes at the OC Fair and Event Center in Costa Mesa with the Ultimate Finish Line Festival featuring live music, massage, beer garden and more.

For more information or to register for Orange County’s premier running event, please visit ocmarathon.com and follow @OCMarathon on social media.

About the SDCCU OC Marathon Running Festival

The 17th annual SDCCU (San Diego County Credit Union) OC Marathon Running Festival will run through Orange County, California over the weekend of November 6-7, 2021, with the OC Half Marathon, the OC 5K, and Kids Run the OC. The OC Full Marathon has been paused for 2021 and will be back in May of 2022. The event is home to one of the nation’s largest youth running and fitness programs – Kids Run the OC – which was named “Youth Program of the Year” by Running USA. A free two-day OC Lifestyle & Fitness Expo at the OC Fair and Event Center kicks off race weekend, featuring fitness retailers, exhibits and interactive clinics. Over the history of the race, runners have raised more than $7.5 million for a variety of charities and non-profit organizations. For more information about the SDCCU OC Marathon Running Festival, visit  ocmarathon.com.

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