Catalina Island Marathon or Hoag OC Marathon Running Festival — which comes out ahead?

Catalina Island Marathon and Hoag OC Marathon Running Festival split the available advantages, so the better choice depends on which metric matters most to the runner.

Route comparison snapshot

Catalina Island Marathon

Mapped route
Held
Elevation profile
Held
course flatness
11.8%
flat grade share
19.7%
lower ascent
1,530 m
climbing density
36.3 m/km
net elevation
4 m
maximum grade
44.6%

Hoag OC Marathon Running Festival

Mapped route
Held
Elevation profile
Held
course flatness
-0.1% Favoured
flat grade share
81.6% Favoured
lower ascent
182 m
climbing density
4.3 m/km
net elevation
-32 m
maximum grade
8.7%
Head-to-head comparison
MetricCatalina Island MarathonHoag OC Marathon Running Festival
Flat grade share19.7%81.6%
GAP factor (% slower than flat)11.8%-0.1%
Uphill share41.5%8.4%
Steep-up share25.8%0.2%
Downhill share38.8%10.0%
Total ascent (m)1,530 m182 m
Climbing density (m/km)36.3 m/km4.3 m/km
Longest climb length (m)810 m650 m
Longest climb gain (m)83 m17 m
Longest climb average grade10.2%2.6%
Total descent (m)1,526 m214 m
Net elevation (m)4 m-32 m
Max absolute grade44.6%8.7%
Start elevation (m)6 m51 m
Finish elevation (m)10 m19 m
Scenic score100/10078/100
Conditions75/10075/100

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
FactCatalina Island MarathonHoag OC Marathon Running Festival
Schedule

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

Exact race date not confirmed. Event weekend starts 2027-05-01 (legacy event-level date).

LocationAvalon, CaliforniaCosta Mesa, California
Actual distance42.2 km42.2 km
raceindex.org mapped route heldHeldHeld
raceindex.org elevation profile heldHeldHeld
Course typePoint To PointPoint To Point
SurfaceTrailUnavailable
Elevation characterHillyNet Downhill
TerrainTrail, Road, GravelRoad, Beach
SceneryCoastal, Island, Waterfront, Mountain, CountrysideCoastal, Waterfront, City, Parkland
AtmosphereWilderness, Destination, Scenic TourFestival, Scenic Tour, Community
TechnicalityModerateNon Technical
Total ascent1,530 m182 m
Climbing density36.3 m/km4.3 m/km
Total descent1,526 m214 m
Net elevation4 m-32 m
Max absolute grade44.6%8.7%
Flat grade share19.7%81.6%
GAP factor11.8%-0.1%
Cutoff8:00:007:00:00
Entry modelOpenOpen
Qualifying statusUnavailableBoston_equivalent

Schedule

Catalina Island Marathon

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

Hoag OC Marathon Running Festival

Exact race date not confirmed. Event weekend starts 2027-05-01 (legacy event-level date).

Location

Catalina Island Marathon
Avalon, California
Hoag OC Marathon Running Festival
Costa Mesa, California

Actual distance

Catalina Island Marathon
42.2 km
Hoag OC Marathon Running Festival
42.2 km

raceindex.org mapped route held

Catalina Island Marathon
Held
Hoag OC Marathon Running Festival
Held

raceindex.org elevation profile held

Catalina Island Marathon
Held
Hoag OC Marathon Running Festival
Held

Course type

Catalina Island Marathon
Point To Point
Hoag OC Marathon Running Festival
Point To Point

Surface

Catalina Island Marathon
Trail
Hoag OC Marathon Running Festival
Unavailable

Elevation character

Catalina Island Marathon
Hilly
Hoag OC Marathon Running Festival
Net Downhill

Terrain

Catalina Island Marathon
Trail, Road, Gravel
Hoag OC Marathon Running Festival
Road, Beach

Scenery

Catalina Island Marathon
Coastal, Island, Waterfront, Mountain, Countryside
Hoag OC Marathon Running Festival
Coastal, Waterfront, City, Parkland

Atmosphere

Catalina Island Marathon
Wilderness, Destination, Scenic Tour
Hoag OC Marathon Running Festival
Festival, Scenic Tour, Community

Technicality

Catalina Island Marathon
Moderate
Hoag OC Marathon Running Festival
Non Technical

Total ascent

Catalina Island Marathon
1,530 m
Hoag OC Marathon Running Festival
182 m

Climbing density

Catalina Island Marathon
36.3 m/km
Hoag OC Marathon Running Festival
4.3 m/km

Total descent

Catalina Island Marathon
1,526 m
Hoag OC Marathon Running Festival
214 m

Net elevation

Catalina Island Marathon
4 m
Hoag OC Marathon Running Festival
-32 m

Max absolute grade

Catalina Island Marathon
44.6%
Hoag OC Marathon Running Festival
8.7%

Flat grade share

Catalina Island Marathon
19.7%
Hoag OC Marathon Running Festival
81.6%

GAP factor

Catalina Island Marathon
11.8%
Hoag OC Marathon Running Festival
-0.1%

Cutoff

Catalina Island Marathon
8:00:00
Hoag OC Marathon Running Festival
7:00:00

Entry model

Catalina Island Marathon
Open
Hoag OC Marathon Running Festival
Open

Qualifying status

Catalina Island Marathon
Unavailable
Hoag OC Marathon Running Festival
Boston_equivalent

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, Catalina Island Marathon or Hoag OC Marathon Running Festival?

Hoag OC Marathon Running Festival 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 →