By Sarah Kim

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Heads up, Long Beach locals and visitors—street closures are imminent as the city prepares for the annual Long Beach Marathon set to return for its 41st run on Sunday, Oct. 5, with events starting as early as Friday, Oct. 3. If you’re planning to traverse Long Beach come marathon weekend, it’s advised to take note of the affected routes and anticipate potential delays, according to the City of Long Beach.

These roadblocks and detours will begin at various times on a rolling basis between 4:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. on marathon day—with specific streets such as eastbound Shoreline Drive and westbound Shoreline Drive seeing closures starting even earlier at 7 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 4 and at midnight the night before, respectively Shoreline Drive will be completely off-limits from Shoreline Village all the way to the 710 Freeway, while major thorougfares including Pine Avenue, Queensway Bridge, and parts of Ocean Boulevard will follow suit, as detailed by the City of Long Beach.

The city has put forth a comprehensive list encompassing streets like Nieto Avenue, Appian Way, Marine Stadium, and several others under the closure radar, with all expected to reopen by 2 p.m. on the day of the marathon. Parking directives are also in full force: “no parking” signs will line the streets along the racecourse, and violators run the risk of finding their vehicles rehomed to the tow yard at 3111 E. Willow St. at their own expense, but there’s a silver lining for Belmont Shore, Peninsula, and Naples residents who will have access to free parking Saturday night through Sunday in the beach lots along Ocean Boulevard, although exiting these lots on Sunday may be contingent on police sanction, and boat owners need not worry as access to Marina Green will be maintained throughout the weekend and alternatively, they can make use of parking at the Long Beach Convention and Entertainment Center via Pine Avenue on race day.

For those eager to get the scoop on marathon-specific details—such as participant parking, runner drop-offs, or race start locations—full information is available on the official Long Beach Marathon website. Media inquiries are being directed to Tasha Day, Manager of the Office of Special Events and Filming, who can be reached at 562.570.5313 or via email at Tasha.Day@longbeach.gov.