San Diego’s January trail marathon over Raptor Ridge
The organizer describes a mixture of singletrack, wider tracks and fire roads, with little pavement. Prepare for changing footing and the ridge climb instead of expecting road-marathon pace throughout. Download the marathon map, not the 50-mile course or the shorter Summit Chase route, and practise reading the route on the device you will carry.
The published schedule gives the marathon a 07:00 start and an overall course closure at 20:00. A separate headline advertises a 14-hour cutoff, which fits the earlier 50-mile start. Do not interpret that headline as 14 hours from the marathon gun. Check the final runner guide for marathon-specific intermediate closures and the actual time available between stations.
For race-day collection, the organizer asks runners to arrive at least an hour before their own start. Runners collecting beforehand must still check in on race morning. Keep the collection location and the Escondido race venue separate in your travel plan, and allow time to park, check in and reach the briefing without rushing.
Cupless aid changes what you need to carry from the start: a finisher cup is not a substitute for a usable vessel during the race. Test your chosen bottle, flask or cup while moving and plan familiar supplies around the final aid chart. Relay teams must arrange their own transfer; individual marathon runners should not assume the relay pickup arrangements or the 50-mile pacer permission apply to them. The 2027 runner guide is still pending, so recheck parking, permitted supporter access and equipment requirements before departure.
Confirmed race date
San Diego 50 & Trail Runs Marathon: January 9, 2027. Verified on October 14, 2026 against the official event information.
Last-known race profile
These details identify the race page; they do not establish the next edition's operations. The previous race date does not establish the next edition. Use the confirmed date above and recheck the final participant instructions before committing to a race-day schedule.