Big Beach Marathon

Gulf Shores, AL, USA · January 31, 2027·
partly-cloudy-day58°·59° high·Windy·Dry
7
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Big Beach Marathon race day weather

partly-cloudy-day
58°at start
61° high
Windy
Dry
Your goal
0:00:00

Cool temps, headwinds early

Runners will face temperatures rising from 58°F to 59°F during the race, with a max wind of 15 mph from the ENE creating headwinds from miles 2-7 and 9, and again from miles 18-21. The high humidity at 72% suggests a conservative pace is wise, especially in the first half. Tailwinds from miles 12-27 will provide relief for the latter stages, making it a strategic advantage.

Race day forecast available in 70 days
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Pace Calculator

26.2mi
0:00:00
HH:MM:SS
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Common Goals:

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Big Beach Marathon route and elevation

The Big Beach Marathon course has about 130 ft (40 m) of climbing and 124 ft (38 m) of descent, and finishes near the elevation it starts. It is flatter than 83% of the marathon courses racecast.io has mapped, measured by what the hills cost in time. It has no steep miles: no mile climbs more than 30 ft (9 m).

What the hills cost

The hills change finish times by less than 0.2% here, under half a minute for a 4:00 runner.

Hills only, priced mile by mile on the course map. The pace calculator above adds the race-day weather.

Even-effort splits for a 3:30, 4:00 or 4:30 finish
The Big Beach Marathon mile splits at even effort for three finish times, with each mile's climb and descent
MileClimbDescent3:304:004:30
13 ft6 ft7:599:0710:16
222 ft11 ft8:059:1510:24
318 ft26 ft7:589:0610:14
412 ft8 ft8:039:1210:21
529 ft23 ft8:029:1110:20
617 ft26 ft7:589:0610:14
711 ft15 ft7:599:0810:16
86 ft2 ft8:029:1110:20
97 ft4 ft8:029:1010:19
108 ft10 ft7:599:0810:17
117 ft6 ft8:019:1010:18
120 ft4 ft7:599:0710:16
136 ft10 ft7:599:0810:16
1420 ft19 ft8:019:0910:18
1524 ft13 ft8:059:1510:24
1615 ft25 ft7:579:0510:14
172 ft3 ft8:009:0810:16
180 ft0 ft8:009:0910:17
191 ft0 ft8:009:0810:18
201 ft1 ft8:019:0910:17
217 ft13 ft7:589:0710:15
2210 ft2 ft8:049:1310:22
232 ft3 ft7:599:0810:17
244 ft3 ft8:009:0910:17
251 ft2 ft8:009:0810:17
266 ft2 ft8:029:1110:20
Last 0.22 ft3 ft1:472:022:17

Explore the Big Beach Marathon course with the weather and your pace along the route, or compare it with other races.

Race Plan

Get your personalized Big Beach Marathon race plan

A mile-by-mile breakdown of where your time goes, weather-adjusted splits, fueling timeline with aid stations, packing checklist, carb tracker, spectator guide, all built around your goal and race-day conditions.

Race Pace
Weather Splits
Nutrition
Gear & Packing
T-Minus
Carb Tracker
Spectator Guide
Race Band

About the Big Beach Marathon

The Big Beach Marathon and Half Marathon are run in Gulf Shores, Alabama, with the start and finish beside the Gulf of Mexico at The Hangout. The flat, fully paved courses follow the trails and boardwalks of Gulf State Park. The marathon is a USATF-certified Boston Qualifier. A 5K is held the day before. Source

Race weekend

Saturday, January 30
9:00 AM5K (3.1 mi)
9:10 AMSafari Family Fun Run & Walk (1.0 mi)
Sunday, January 31
7:00 AMHandCycle Marathon (26.2 mi)
7:30 AMMarathon (26.2 mi)
7:30 AMHalf Marathon (13.1 mi)
7K (4.3 mi)

Big Beach Marathon FAQ

When is the 2027 Big Beach Marathon?

The 2027 Big Beach Marathon will be held on Sunday January 31, 2027.

Is the Big Beach Marathon a Boston Marathon Qualifier?

Yes, the Big Beach Marathon is an official Boston Marathon qualifier.

What is the time limit for the Big Beach Marathon?

The time limit for the Big Beach Marathon is 7 hours.

What will the weather be like for the 2027 Big Beach Marathon?

The forecast calls for a high of 62°F and a low of 55°F with a 9% chance of rain.

What is the elevation gain of the Big Beach Marathon?

The Big Beach Marathon course has about 130 ft (40 m) of climbing and 124 ft (38 m) of descent, and finishes near the elevation it starts.

Is the Big Beach Marathon flat?

Yes. It has about 5 ft (2 m) of climbing per mile, and no mile climbs more than 30 ft (9 m). The hills change finish times by less than 0.2% here, under half a minute for a 4:00 runner. It is flatter than 83% of the marathon courses racecast.io has mapped, measured by what the hills cost in time.

What is the weather usually like for the Big Beach Marathon?

Over the 11 years racecast.io has race-day weather for (2016 to 2026), it averaged 52°F at the start and 63°F by a typical finish. Rain fell during race hours in 3 of those years (2018, 2020 and 2021).

What was the hottest Big Beach Marathon?

Of the 11 years on record, 2023 was the warmest, reaching 73°F during race hours. The coldest start was 2022, at 28°F.

What was the windiest Big Beach Marathon?

Of the 11 years on record, 2021 was the windiest, with wind averaging 14 mph during race hours. The calmest was 2020, at 2 mph.

Big Beach Marathon weather history

Based on 11 years of data
Avg Temp
58°F
L:52° H:63°
RunScore
7
Conditions
Rain Freq
27%
3 of 11 yrs
Wind8mph
Dew51°F

Temperature History

Range of temperatures during race hours for each year.

Detailed History

YearConditionsLow / HighRainScoreResults
2026
partly-cloudy-day
68°/73°-
4
2025
cloudy
56°/64°-
7
2024
partly-cloudy-day
46°/55°-
9
2023
partly-cloudy-day
55°/73°-
5
2022
clear-day
28°/59°-
9
2021
rain
65°/67°Light
4
2020
rain
48°/54°Light
10
2019
clear-day
43°/52°-
10
2018
cloudy
64°/67°Light
5
2017
clear-day
35°/58°-
9
2016
partly-cloudy-day
61°/68°-
5