Described as the most relaxed marathon around, Ocean Beach Run Club is holding a 26.2-mile full marathon through the community on Saturday, July 29 starting at Dog Beach.

“If you’d like to be part of the start, arrive at the OB Dog Beach parking lot at 6 a.m.,” said an OB Run Club Instagram post. “The course is in four sections and after a little pass over the new bridge by SeaWorld, we will run all the streets of OB on the sidewalk following all traffic laws. This is a free meetup and runners are responsible for their own safety.”

Previous running groups in OB ended during COVID. But a new run club in the beach community was inaugurated by Victor Tello in 2021. “We were anxious, and excited, to jump on the opportunity to grow a new running club in our own hometown,” Tello said at the time, noting a lot of the club’s running trips took place along picturesque Sunset Cliffs.

“We run in the bike lane, and through the bike lanes most days running toward the cliffs,” Tello noted adding, “What’s most significant is the ocean breeze. It’s a therapeutic running experience that you don’t get in other areas of San Diego inland.”

Now, the baton for OB Run Club has since been passed to Matt Stanton, who noted, “I’ve been running it (club) for the past year.” He added the run club, which meets every Tuesday evening and Thursday morning, can get as many as 30 to 45 participants.

“In the fall, we do some stuff on weekends,” pointed out Stanton noting the reconstituted run club is a “pretty OB-like group. We’re very serious about our hobbies. Yet, we’re laid back at the same time. That’s the overall vibe. We’re all volunteers. There’s no money to be made. We’re just coming together as a community and as friends.

“We really love running through the neighborhoods,” noted Stanton, who added he mapped out the marathon course so runners could do exactly that. But he added it’s pretty much up to every runner how far they want to go, and even when they want to join in.

“People don’t have to do the whole race,” said Stanton. “If you want, you can hop in in the middle, or anytime. We’re expecting a few dozen to run at least part of the course.” He added the course will commence at “the large paw print” at Dog Beach then go along the bike trail through neighborhoods to Sunset Cliffs, eventually returning and finishing about 11:30 a.m. at Dog Beach.

Stanton said the run club is setting up some volunteer aid stations for the marathon so runners can take a breather and get refreshed. “Most of it’s fun,” said Stanton of the marathon adding that though running is “a niche people do take very seriously themselves,” the run club nonetheless is trying to convey that it’s just as important to “be a good community member,” and that OB Run Club is always looking for new members to join in.

“We did make stickers that say, ‘OB Marathon,’” noted Stanton. “If you show – you’ll get a sticker.”

Stanton added there will be a post-marathon meetup at Whomp Burger & Brew, 1774 Sunset Cliffs Blvd., for lunch and to celebrate.

OB RUN CLUB MARATHON

Saturday, July 29 starting at 6 a.m. at Dog Beach in four sections:

Section 1 starts at 6:05 a.m. at Dog Beach (10.6 miles).

Section 2 starts at Villi’s Health Bar at Sunset Cliffs and Narragansett at 7:45 a.m. (4.2 miles).

Section 3 starts at the OB Pier entrance at 8:45 a.m. (5.7 miles).

Section 4 starts at the start of Sunset Cliffs at 10 a.m. (5.7 miles).