Monterey Bay Half Marathon 2026

Sunday, 8 November 2026 · Monterey, United States

In the RunningChecked 13 October 2026Read the sources

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Collecting your number 2026 details

Collection is at the expo in the Monterey Conference Center, 1 Portola Plaza, downtown. It is open on Friday 6 November from 12:00 to 18:00 and on Saturday 7 November from 9:30 to 18:00. Bring a driver's licence or other government-issued photo ID. The organiser's pages describe no collection on race morning for the half.

Someone else can collect for you with the organiser's Packet Pick Up Authorization Form, uploaded to your account on the race's registration site. The account opens for it two weeks before the race. Gear check bags are given out at the expo too.

Race morning 2026 details

Corrals go by the finish time you predicted when you entered and are released 1 to 3 minutes apart from 7:00. There is a military corral between B and C for active-duty and veteran runners.

Parking is free all day at Monterey Peninsula College and Del Monte Center, with shuttles to the start every 10 minutes from 5:00 to 6:15, so the organiser says to arrive by 6:00. The Downtown East and West garages are free until 11:00 if you arrive by 5:30. To be dropped off by car, use Pacific Street between Jefferson and Madison. The full 2026 participant guide comes out in late October.

The course 2026 details

The course starts in historic downtown Monterey, runs along Cannery Row and beside the Pacific Grove shoreline, turns at about mile 7.8 and comes back to Custom House Plaza. Timing mats are near miles 4, 6, 7.8 and 11.

The course and finish are open for a 3 hour 30 minute finish, a pace of 16 minutes a mile, about 9 minutes 57 seconds a kilometre. Aid stations, an official time, the finisher's medal and post-race food are only for runners inside that pace.

There is water with Precision Hydration's PH 1000 about every two miles, and first aid at every aid station. Precision Fuel PF 30 gels, plain and with caffeine, are handed out at miles 5.9 and 9.4. A refill station at the turn, about mile 7.8, is for runners carrying their own bottle.

Getting to Monterey 2026 details

The organiser's travel advice is for driving in on race morning. Park free at Monterey Peninsula College or Del Monte Center and take the shuttle to the start, or use a downtown garage before 5:30. Return shuttles to both car parks leave from Figueroa Street at the Recreation Trail from 8:30 to 12:00.

Where to stay in Monterey

The expo, the start and the finish are all downtown, so a room in downtown Monterey or by Fisherman's Wharf keeps race morning on foot and avoids the early shuttle. Custom House Plaza, where you finish, is next to the Portola Hotel and Spa.

Weather in Monterey in early November

The race is held on the second Sunday in November. It returned in 2022 after a break of several years, so these are the last four race days, at the start on Del Monte Avenue, at 7:00 and at 13:00. The hour is the one the race starts in. They are model estimates for the start area, not readings from a weather station.

Mornings were mild and still, and 2025 was unusually warm. Check the forecast in race week.

Afterwards 2026 details

The finish festival at Custom House Plaza opens at 7:30, beside the Portola Hotel and Fisherman's Wharf, with the awards ceremony at 10:00. Return shuttles to the car parks leave from Figueroa Street at the Recreation Trail until 12:00.

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Sources

Written from the organiser's published information and the app's own race data, checked on 13 October 2026.

If something here is wrong or out of date, tell us.