Palm Desert Half Marathon
Palm Desert Half Marathon race day weather
Steady temperatures, light winds
Runners will face a steady temperature increase from 54°F at the start to 64°F by finish. With max wind at 5 mph, conditions are light and should not impact performance. The low humidity at 32% suggests hydration will be manageable, but runners should stay mindful of pacing, particularly during the gentle rolling sections. The notable descent at mile 6 offers a chance for faster splits, so strategize accordingly.
Pace Calculator
Enter a finish time to see what race day does to it.
Get forecast alerts for Palm Desert Half Marathon
We'll text or email you when the forecast shifts — so you can adjust gear, pacing, and strategy. Max one per day.
Palm Desert Half Marathon route and elevation
The Palm Desert Half Marathon course has about 314 ft (96 m) of climbing and 307 ft (94 m) of descent, and finishes near the elevation it starts. It is hillier than 81% of the half marathon courses racecast.io has mapped, measured by what the hills cost in time. The hardest mile is mile 8, with 65 ft (20 m) of climbing.
Biggest climbs
- Miles 1.5 to 4.6: climbs about 145 ft (44 m).
- Miles 6.7 to 7.6: climbs about 110 ft (33 m).
What the hills cost
- 1:45 on a flat course is about 1:45:55 here (55 seconds slower).
- 2:00 on a flat course is about 2:01 here (1 minute slower).
- 2:15 on a flat course is about 2:16 here (1 minute slower).
Hills only, priced mile by mile on the course map. The pace calculator above adds the race-day weather.
Even-effort splits for a 1:45, 2:00 or 2:15 finish
| Mile | Climb | Descent | 1:45 | 2:00 | 2:15 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 14 ft | 7 ft | 7:59 | 9:08 | 10:16 |
| 2 | 51 ft | 43 ft | 8:01 | 9:09 | 10:18 |
| 3 | 55 ft | 2 ft | 8:22 | 9:34 | 10:46 |
| 4 | 40 ft | 1 ft | 8:16 | 9:27 | 10:38 |
| 5 | 18 ft | 15 ft | 7:58 | 9:06 | 10:14 |
| 6 | 0 ft | 106 ft | 7:33 | 8:38 | 9:43 |
| 7 | 53 ft | 17 ft | 8:15 | 9:25 | 10:36 |
| 8 | 65 ft | 15 ft | 8:21 | 9:33 | 10:44 |
| 9 | 9 ft | 26 ft | 7:52 | 9:00 | 10:07 |
| 10 | 4 ft | 14 ft | 7:54 | 9:01 | 10:09 |
| 11 | 10 ft | 64 ft | 7:44 | 8:51 | 9:57 |
| 12 | 2 ft | 15 ft | 7:53 | 9:00 | 10:09 |
| 13 | 42 ft | 40 ft | 7:58 | 9:07 | 10:14 |
| Last 0.1 | 1 ft | 0 ft | 0:54 | 1:01 | 1:09 |
Explore the Palm Desert Half Marathon course with the weather and your pace along the route, or compare it with other races.
Get your personalized Palm Desert Half 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.
About the Palm Desert Half Marathon
The Palm Desert Half Marathon is held on a Sunday in mid-February in Palm Desert, California, in the Coachella Valley. The half marathon starts and finishes at Palm Desert Civic Center Park, runs north through the city on closed roads and returns to the park. The race describes itself as the Coachella Valley's only half marathon, and the weekend also includes a 10K (new for 2027), a 5K and a 1K kids run.
