Your plan in four answers
Set for October 3, 2027, about 49 weeks out.
- Distances
- Half marathon, 5K
- Terrain
- Flat
- Field
- Thousands of runners across the half marathon and 5K
- Taper starts
- September 21, 2027
Course
The PB Half course
The half marathon is point to point: it starts at 6:30 a.m. at Crown Point Shores in Mission Bay Park and finishes on the beach at Thomas Avenue and Ocean Boulevard, where it meets the Pacific Beach boardwalk. The route follows Mission Bay's waterfront past SeaWorld and Hospitality Point, crosses the West Mission Bay Drive bridge and runs through Mission Beach to the finish in Pacific Beach.
Read the full course notes
The organizers describe it as flat and fast, with ocean and bay views, and pitch it to first-timers and PR hunters alike. The 5K starts at 6:45 a.m. on the sand at 700 Thomas Avenue and is about half sand and half hard-packed surface. Seven aid stations sit roughly every 2 to 3 miles on the half; these details describe the 2026 course, and the organizers say the 2027 route may change.
- Terrain
- Flat
- Distances
- Half marathon, 5K
- Field
- Thousands of runners across the half marathon and 5K
- Weather on race day
- Early October mornings in Pacific Beach usually start in the low to mid 60s °F, often under marine-layer cloud, and warm toward the low 70s °F by the finish. Humidity is high by the water and the sun can break through late in the race, so start well hydrated and dress for 70 °F, not for the cool start.
What to train for
A flat, point-to-point half is a pacing test, so train your goal-pace rhythm: tempo runs of 4 to 6 miles and long runs of 10 to 12 miles with the last 3 to 4 at goal pace.
Practice running over a bridge or overpass at steady effort so the West Mission Bay Drive crossing does not break your stride.
Rehearse fueling on the race's schedule, drinking every 2 to 3 miles and taking a gel around miles 6 and 10, where the course hands them out. 5K runners should add a few easy runs on sand to get used to the softer footing.
Sample week
A sample PB Half training week
A week from the middle of the build, about six weeks out. Your plan sets the real distances and paces from your own fitness and adjusts them every week as you train.
- Monday
- Rest, or 20 minutes of mobility
- Tuesday Key session
- Intervals: 5 × 1 km at 5K to 10K effort, easy jog between
- Wednesday
- Easy run, 5–6 mi
- Thursday Key session
- Goal-pace run, 7 mi with 4 mi at race pace
- Friday
- Recovery run, 4 mi, or cross-train
- Saturday Key session
- Long run, 10–12 mi easy
- Sunday
- Easy run, 4 mi, then 6 relaxed strides
Your build to race day
Taper
Tapering for the PB Half
Start the taper ten to fourteen days before race day. Cut your weekly volume by about a third, then by half in race week, and keep a few short efforts at race pace so your legs stay sharp. The course is flat, so pacing decides the day: rehearse your goal pace in short segments during race week. With the race on October 3, 2027, your taper starts around September 21, 2027.
Also in Claude
Ask Claude for this plan
Add AthleteSpace to Claude once, then paste this prompt and put in your own numbers.
Build me a training plan for the Pacific Beach Half Marathon & 5K on October 3, 2027. I run [distance] a week, [days] days a week, easy pace [pace].
PB Half training questions
How long should I train for the PB Half?
Most runners give a half marathon twelve to sixteen weeks of focused training on top of an existing base. The plan above counts back from your actual race date, so if you have less time than that it builds the best plan the remaining weeks allow rather than pretending you have longer.
Is the PB Half course hilly?
Flat. The half marathon is point to point: it starts at 6:30 a.m. at Crown Point Shores in Mission Bay Park and finishes on the beach at Thomas Avenue and Ocean Boulevard, where it meets the Pacific Beach boardwalk.
What is the weather usually like at the PB Half?
Early October mornings in Pacific Beach usually start in the low to mid 60s °F, often under marine-layer cloud, and warm toward the low 70s °F by the finish. Humidity is high by the water and the sun can break through late in the race, so start well hydrated and dress for 70 °F, not for the cool start.
When should I start tapering for the PB Half?
Start the taper ten to fourteen days before race day. Cut your weekly volume by about a third, then by half in race week, and keep a few short efforts at race pace so your legs stay sharp. The course is flat, so pacing decides the day: rehearse your goal pace in short segments during race week. With the race on October 3, 2027, your taper starts around September 21, 2027.
Do I need an account to get a PB Half training plan?
No. The plan above builds in your browser with no account, no email, and no card. Make a free account only if you want to keep it, log your runs against it, and have the coach keep adapting it as your training goes.