La Jolla Half Marathon, 10K & 5K or Catalina Island Marathon 10K — which comes out ahead?

La Jolla Half Marathon, 10K & 5K has the stronger available profile on flat grade share, course flatness and conditions.

Route comparison snapshot

La Jolla Half Marathon, 10K & 5K

Mapped route
Held
Elevation profile
Held
course flatness
-4.5% Favoured
flat grade share
56.0% Favoured
lower ascent
76 m
climbing density
7.6 m/km
net elevation
-121 m
maximum grade
12.4%

Catalina Island Marathon 10K

Mapped route
Held
Elevation profile
Held
course flatness
13.2%
flat grade share
16.5%
lower ascent
398 m
climbing density
39.8 m/km
net elevation
0 m
maximum grade
39.0%
Head-to-head comparison
MetricLa Jolla Half Marathon, 10K & 5KCatalina Island Marathon 10K
Flat grade share56.0%16.5%
GAP factor (% slower than flat)-4.5%13.2%
Uphill share11.3%40.1%
Steep-up share1.8%25.3%
Downhill share32.6%43.4%
Total ascent (m)76 m398 m
Climbing density (m/km)7.6 m/km39.8 m/km
Longest climb length (m)630 m2,270 m
Longest climb gain (m)25 m134 m
Longest climb average grade4.0%5.9%
Total descent (m)197 m398 m
Net elevation (m)-121 m0 m
Max absolute grade12.4%39.0%
Start elevation (m)132 m9 m
Finish elevation (m)10 m9 m
Scenic score73/100100/100
Conditions76/10075/100

Only metrics available for at least one side are shown. A ✓ marks the better value for each metric (higher-is-better aware). Scores are out of 100 when available. Ascent, climbing density, max absolute grade and median finish describe course or field context and are not marked as better or worse.

Race facts that change the decision

Race facts comparison
FactLa Jolla Half Marathon, 10K & 5KCatalina Island Marathon 10K
Schedule

Exact race date not confirmed. Event weekend starts 2027-05-15 (legacy event-level date).

Exact race date not confirmed. Event weekend starts 2027-03-13 (legacy event-level date).

LocationLa Jolla, San Diego, CaliforniaAvalon, California
Actual distance10 km10 km
raceindex.org mapped route heldHeldHeld
raceindex.org elevation profile heldHeldHeld
Course typeUnavailableLoop
Elevation characterNet DownhillUnavailable
TerrainRoadRoad
SceneryForest, Coastal, Waterfront, Parkland, CityCity, Coastal, Waterfront, Island, Mountain, Countryside
AtmosphereScenic Tour, Destination, CompetitiveWilderness, Destination, Scenic Tour
Total ascent76 m398 m
Climbing density7.6 m/km39.8 m/km
Total descent197 m398 m
Net elevation-121 m0 m
Max absolute grade12.4%39.0%
Flat grade share56.0%16.5%
GAP factor-4.5%13.2%
CutoffUnavailable3:15:00
Entry modelOpenOpen

Schedule

La Jolla Half Marathon, 10K & 5K

Exact race date not confirmed. Event weekend starts 2027-05-15 (legacy event-level date).

Catalina Island Marathon 10K

Exact race date not confirmed. Event weekend starts 2027-03-13 (legacy event-level date).

Location

La Jolla Half Marathon, 10K & 5K
La Jolla, San Diego, California
Catalina Island Marathon 10K
Avalon, California

Actual distance

La Jolla Half Marathon, 10K & 5K
10 km
Catalina Island Marathon 10K
10 km

raceindex.org mapped route held

La Jolla Half Marathon, 10K & 5K
Held
Catalina Island Marathon 10K
Held

raceindex.org elevation profile held

La Jolla Half Marathon, 10K & 5K
Held
Catalina Island Marathon 10K
Held

Course type

La Jolla Half Marathon, 10K & 5K
Unavailable
Catalina Island Marathon 10K
Loop

Elevation character

La Jolla Half Marathon, 10K & 5K
Net Downhill
Catalina Island Marathon 10K
Unavailable

Terrain

La Jolla Half Marathon, 10K & 5K
Road
Catalina Island Marathon 10K
Road

Scenery

La Jolla Half Marathon, 10K & 5K
Forest, Coastal, Waterfront, Parkland, City
Catalina Island Marathon 10K
City, Coastal, Waterfront, Island, Mountain, Countryside

Atmosphere

La Jolla Half Marathon, 10K & 5K
Scenic Tour, Destination, Competitive
Catalina Island Marathon 10K
Wilderness, Destination, Scenic Tour

Total ascent

La Jolla Half Marathon, 10K & 5K
76 m
Catalina Island Marathon 10K
398 m

Climbing density

La Jolla Half Marathon, 10K & 5K
7.6 m/km
Catalina Island Marathon 10K
39.8 m/km

Total descent

La Jolla Half Marathon, 10K & 5K
197 m
Catalina Island Marathon 10K
398 m

Net elevation

La Jolla Half Marathon, 10K & 5K
-121 m
Catalina Island Marathon 10K
0 m

Max absolute grade

La Jolla Half Marathon, 10K & 5K
12.4%
Catalina Island Marathon 10K
39.0%

Flat grade share

La Jolla Half Marathon, 10K & 5K
56.0%
Catalina Island Marathon 10K
16.5%

GAP factor

La Jolla Half Marathon, 10K & 5K
-4.5%
Catalina Island Marathon 10K
13.2%

Cutoff

La Jolla Half Marathon, 10K & 5K
Unavailable
Catalina Island Marathon 10K
3:15:00

Entry model

La Jolla Half Marathon, 10K & 5K
Open
Catalina Island Marathon 10K
Open

Facts are shown only when they exist in the sourced race record; Not held means no sourced value is held for that race.

Common questions

Which is flatter, La Jolla Half Marathon, 10K & 5K or Catalina Island Marathon 10K?

La Jolla Half Marathon, 10K & 5K has the lower GAP factor, making it the flatter course on our route model and more favourable on gradient alone.

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How figures are calculated →