I just ran this today May 19, 2007. It was a nice, relaxing race. You really have to plan for the hills, however. Many people went out fast (typical) and were burned out on the hills coming back. Mile 18-23 had a climb 322 feet overall with a couple of declines; then it dropped some 277 feet from mile 23-26.

Because it's a remote course, there are virtually no spectators to speak of. For much of the race, I was running by myself, but I didn't mind - I kind of enjoyed that. All in all, it's a good race; I really liked it.

This was my first marathon; I chose Palos Verdes because it appeared to be smaller and more intimate than most races out there, where you are swimming in a sea of bodies for the first 3-4 miles. Upon arrival I found ample parking, easy bib pickup, and friendly race staff. The course took advantage of the surrounding natural beauty, including the hills and valleys prevalent in the area. Water was available frequently and the volunteers were very encouraging. This was a wonderful first marathon experience and I would recommend it to anyone seeking a pleasant race experience.

Love the course, love the size (small), love the scenery - great views of the ocean. Need more aid stations between mile 13 and 18. Watch out for "butt-kicker hill" - mile 2 on the way out and mile 24 on the way back.

I've run 30+ marathons; this one more often than any other. Of course, I live very close by but I love the small-town feel so close to LA. It is a tough out-and-back-with-loop 26 with a monster hill in the second mile (so, down it at 25) and a lot of rolling hills (some long) along the way. Only the first (and last) 1.5 are reasonably flat. Support is great with well-staffed water stops. There are some cheering crowds right at the finish, but mostly fan support is only the occasional mother-and-child standing at their front curb as you run past. That just adds to the charm of this event (so, if you *need* the raucous masses, go elsewhere). In '06 there was a rowdy garage band at mile 6 for a nice change of pace and energy boost. No chip time or course clocks, so bring a good watch. Traffic control is excellent, and follow the cones and arrows and you won't get lost.
Only $40; nice race, nice t-shirt.

Set my PR here in 2006! 3:48, challenging yes, not as bad as Big Sur in my opinion. After the run, me and my buddy brought BBQ and fired up a grill and listened to a band. They finished about at 4:30 mark, so if you're slower than that, you'll miss out on the booths and tunes. Bring your own brew if you're into that. Nothing offered at the end. Beautiful course, small field made it very enjoyable.

I ran the half marathon rather than the marathon. This is a small town event with excellent organization, small price, beautiful scenery, and excellent weather. There's plenty of free parking within a short walk of the starting line. Because it's a small event, you can easily sign up for the run on race day. There's no need for chips since there's less than a minute difference between the front of the starting line and the end. The course has one large hill around mile 2 and then rolling hills thereafter. Most of the race is within view of the ocean and multmillion dollar homes. There are plenty of water stops along the way and a few port potties. But no split times along the course that I could see. Also for the most part no spectators but who cares. The goodies at the end of the race were outstanding. There was watermelon, bananas, oranges, bagels with peanut butter and jelly, coffee, water, etc.

I've run the half 3 times now and enjoyed it each time. Someday I'll have to do the marathon.

As others have said, PV is LA's answer to Big Sur, with considerably easier logistics. Entry, access, parking, and bib pickup are simple. I live nearby and I've run it fifteen times. The course is definitely challenging as there isn't much flat running, but who of us chose marathon running because it's easy? The weather is usually perfect, the views spectacular, and it's a perfect opportunity to rediscover the joy of running for running's sake. Don't expect a PR or many cheering spectators. Just treat it as a fun, friendly, out & back training run through beautiful rolling hills with amazing ocean views. Who can ask for more?

I ran this marathon in 2004. It was my very 1st marathon and took me 6 hours to complete as I was not aware that it was so hilly! The views were gorgeous and the volunteers very nice! The only thing I would suggest is that for us slow people, you keep the finishing line area open until ALL people are finished. They were taking down the finish line when I went through and it was kind of a bummer since I was cramping and wiped out after this marathon and really wanted to enjoy the finish. Also would have liked some sort of snack at the finish also, but most everybody was gone, and all that was left were tables of t-shirts and more water. Other than that, it was a good experience and a killer (literally) first marathon! I'll be back when I'm in better shape! :-)

Great support on the course. Ran out of T-shirts at the finish and the medal was so small that I almost lost it!

I will tell all my athlete friends that this is a must marathon to run. The organization, friendly people and the beauty of the course are outstanding.