The Peninsula is a runner’s dream, flat where you want it, brutal where you ask for it, and scenic everywhere. Cool coastal air and the ocean at your shoulder make for some of the best training weather in the state, if you can handle the fog.
The Monterey Bay recreation trail is the go-to, a flat, paved path along the water from Monterey through Pacific Grove and beyond, safe and scenic and easy to run any distance on. For hills, the roads above town and the Jacks Peak trails deliver real climbing with a view as the payoff. Carmel Valley opens up for longer, warmer runs when the coast is socked in, and Pacific Grove’s shoreline loop is a local favorite for its otter-and-sunset scenery.
Dress in layers you can shed, since the marine layer keeps mornings cold, and watch footing on the trails after rain. The big race on the calendar is the Monterey Bay Half Marathon in November, which runs much of the coastal route.
Group runs leave from the local run shops most weeks, a good way to learn the routes and find company for the early, foggy miles before the coast wakes up.
Find races and group runs on our events calendar, and our Sports coverage follows the local scene. For trail maps, California State Parks is a good reference.
