Aquarium of the Pacific 5K kicks off marathon weekend on Saturday, October 8th
Long Beach, CA – August 17, 2022 – The Long Beach Marathon and Half Marathon today announced a renewed partnership with the Aquarium of the Pacific. One of Southern California’s premier 3.1-mile road races, Aquarium of the Pacific 5K kicks off marathon weekend on Saturday, October 8, and expects to attract over 2,000 runners.
“We are thrilled to continue our partnership with the nonprofit Aquarium of the Pacific, a world-renowned institution and such an important part of the fabric of the Long Beach community,” said Phyllis Blanchard, Director of Partnerships for the marathon. “This is the only 5K in the United States that runs inside and through an aquarium! So, runners get to enjoy all of the marine life, exhibits, mascots, and Aquarium staff members and volunteers cheering them on. It’s the perfect shakeout run before Sunday’s marathon or half-marathon events.”
Both the Aquarium and the marathon have built outstanding reputations in the local community, each sharing common values as institutions in the City of Long Beach. Working together, the goal is to make sure the running experience rivals any 5K race in the world.
“The Aquarium of the Pacific 5K is our way to promote health and wellness around Long Beach’s unique urban ocean coastline,” said Karl Pettijohn, member of the Aquarium of the Pacific Board of Directors. “It also serves as a reminder to all participants and spectators that the health of our oceans and coastline directly impacts the wellbeing of us all.”
The Long Beach Marathon has been one of the most popular and respected marathons in the country going on thirty-eight years. The 26.2-mile scenic course showcases the city’s miles of sandy beaches and unique neighborhoods. Most importantly, the event annually provides a platform for dozens of local charities and non-profit organizations to raise money for their respective causes.
Race weekend kicks off with the Aquarium of the Pacific 5K on Saturday morning, which is the perfect distance for runners of all abilities. Athletes can run the 5K with friends and family or use it as a shakeout run for Sunday’s races. The spectacular course starts and finishes outside of the Aquarium, running around the Long Beach harbor front, past all of the docks, boats and marinas.
Sunday’s events include the Long Beach Marathon Bike Tour, which provides avid and leisure cyclists the opportunity to ride on the marathon’s closed roads to vehicular traffic. It is a safe, scenic, and fully closed 20-mile course. The bike tour features all the marathon weekend experience fun without the run, including a commemorative event shirt, finishers medal, complimentary beer, and more.
For more information on the Aquarium of the Pacific 5K or to register for the event, visit RunLongBeach.com and follow the Long beach Marathon on social media @LBMarathon with hashtag #RunLongBeach.
About Aquarium of the Pacific
The nonprofit Aquarium of the Pacific is a community gathering place where diverse cultures and the arts are celebrated and where important challenges facing our planet are explored. The Aquarium is dedicated to conserving and building nature and nature’s services by building the interactions between and among peoples. Home to more than 12,000 animals, Aquarium exhibits include the new Babies! gallery, Coral Reefs: Nature’s Underwater Cities, Pacific Visions, and Shark Lagoon. Beyond its animal exhibits, the Aquarium offers educational programs for people of all ages, including First Wednesdays featuring guest speakers. The Aquarium offers memberships with unlimited FREE admission for 12 months and other special benefits. To make a donation to help support the Aquarium, please visit Pacific.to/donate. To visit, advance reservations are required for everyone and can be made at aquariumofpacific.org or by calling (562) 590-3100. The Aquarium of the Pacific is located at 100 Aquarium Way, Long Beach, CA 90802.
About the Long Beach Marathon
The 2022 Long Beach Marathon and Half Marathon will celebrate 38 years running on the weekend of October 8-9. Race weekend annually attracts thousands of runners with perfect Southern California weather and fast and flat courses. Participants can choose from four different events including the marathon, half marathon, 20-mile Bike Tour, or the Aquarium of the Pacific 5k. The race returns for its 37th edition year and features two days of races along the Southern California coast, offering runners iconic waterfront views of Shoreline Village and the Queen Mary Hotel. For more information about the Long Beach Marathon or to register for the event, visit RunLongBeach.com and follow @LongBeachMarathon on social media.
