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

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

Route comparison snapshot

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%

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%
Head-to-head comparison
MetricHoag OC Marathon Running FestivalCatalina Island Marathon
Flat grade share81.6%19.7%
GAP factor (% slower than flat)-0.1%11.8%
Uphill share8.4%41.5%
Steep-up share0.2%25.8%
Downhill share10.0%38.8%
Total ascent (m)182 m1,530 m
Climbing density (m/km)4.3 m/km36.3 m/km
Longest climb length (m)650 m810 m
Longest climb gain (m)17 m83 m
Longest climb average grade2.6%10.2%
Total descent (m)214 m1,526 m
Net elevation (m)-32 m4 m
Max absolute grade8.7%44.6%
Start elevation (m)51 m6 m
Finish elevation (m)19 m10 m
Scenic score78/100100/100
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
FactHoag OC Marathon Running FestivalCatalina Island Marathon
Schedule

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

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

LocationCosta Mesa, CaliforniaAvalon, California
Actual distance42.2 km42.2 km
raceindex.org mapped route heldHeldHeld
raceindex.org elevation profile heldHeldHeld
Course typePoint To PointPoint To Point
SurfaceUnavailableTrail
Elevation characterNet DownhillHilly
TerrainRoad, BeachTrail, Road, Gravel
SceneryCoastal, Waterfront, City, ParklandCoastal, Island, Waterfront, Mountain, Countryside
AtmosphereFestival, Scenic Tour, CommunityWilderness, Destination, Scenic Tour
TechnicalityNon TechnicalModerate
Total ascent182 m1,530 m
Climbing density4.3 m/km36.3 m/km
Total descent214 m1,526 m
Net elevation-32 m4 m
Max absolute grade8.7%44.6%
Flat grade share81.6%19.7%
GAP factor-0.1%11.8%
Cutoff7:00:008:00:00
Entry modelOpenOpen
Qualifying statusBoston_equivalentUnavailable

Schedule

Hoag OC Marathon Running Festival

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

Catalina Island Marathon

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

Location

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

Actual distance

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

raceindex.org mapped route held

Hoag OC Marathon Running Festival
Held
Catalina Island Marathon
Held

raceindex.org elevation profile held

Hoag OC Marathon Running Festival
Held
Catalina Island Marathon
Held

Course type

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

Surface

Hoag OC Marathon Running Festival
Unavailable
Catalina Island Marathon
Trail

Elevation character

Hoag OC Marathon Running Festival
Net Downhill
Catalina Island Marathon
Hilly

Terrain

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

Scenery

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

Atmosphere

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

Technicality

Hoag OC Marathon Running Festival
Non Technical
Catalina Island Marathon
Moderate

Total ascent

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

Climbing density

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

Total descent

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

Net elevation

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

Max absolute grade

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

Flat grade share

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

GAP factor

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

Cutoff

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

Entry model

Hoag OC Marathon Running Festival
Open
Catalina Island Marathon
Open

Qualifying status

Hoag OC Marathon Running Festival
Boston_equivalent
Catalina Island Marathon
Unavailable

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, Hoag OC Marathon Running Festival or Catalina Island Marathon?

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 →