RunRace USA › California › Rock 'n' Roll San Diego › The course

Elevation, map and mile by mile

The Rock 'n' Roll San Diego course

26.2 miles · about 1166 modeled feet of climb · roughly 7 to 404 ft elevation

Elevation, mile for mile

Marathon elevation26.2 miles · about 1166 ft of climb
-40 -20 0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160 180 200 220 240 260 280 300 320 340 360 380 400 420 440 Mile 0.0 to 0.2: +0.6% Mile 0.2 to 0.4: -0.0% Mile 0.4 to 0.6: +1.3% Mile 0.6 to 0.8: -1.0% Mile 0.8 to 1.0: -0.0% Mile 1.0 to 1.2: +0.7% Mile 1.2 to 1.4: -0.3% Mile 1.4 to 1.6: +2.3% Mile 1.6 to 1.8: -6.5% Mile 1.8 to 2.0: +3.4% Mile 2.0 to 2.2: +0.1% Mile 2.2 to 2.4: +2.6% Mile 2.4 to 2.6: +0.6% Mile 2.6 to 2.8: +0.4% Mile 2.8 to 3.0: -0.1% Mile 3.0 to 3.2: +0.8% Mile 3.2 to 3.4: +0.7% Mile 3.4 to 3.6: -0.2% Mile 3.6 to 3.8: +0.5% Mile 3.8 to 4.0: -0.0% Mile 4.0 to 4.2: +0.6% Mile 4.2 to 4.4: -0.5% Mile 4.4 to 4.6: +0.2% Mile 4.6 to 4.8: +0.0% Mile 4.8 to 5.0: +0.2% Mile 5.0 to 5.2: +0.3% Mile 5.2 to 5.4: +0.0% Mile 5.4 to 5.6: -1.3% Mile 5.6 to 5.8: +0.7% Mile 5.8 to 6.0: +0.7% Mile 6.0 to 6.2: -0.2% Mile 6.2 to 6.4: -0.3% Mile 6.4 to 6.6: -0.3% Mile 6.6 to 6.8: +0.9% Mile 6.8 to 7.0: -0.1% Mile 7.0 to 7.2: -0.6% Mile 7.2 to 7.4: -0.6% Mile 7.4 to 7.6: -0.4% Mile 7.6 to 7.8: -1.1% Mile 7.8 to 8.0: -0.3% Mile 8.0 to 8.2: +0.7% Mile 8.2 to 8.4: -0.2% Mile 8.4 to 8.6: -0.9% Mile 8.6 to 8.8: -2.8% Mile 8.8 to 9.0: -3.1% Mile 9.0 to 9.2: +1.9% Mile 9.2 to 9.4: +5.5% Mile 9.4 to 9.6: +0.2% Mile 9.6 to 9.8: -1.5% Mile 9.8 to 10.0: -1.9% Mile 10.0 to 10.2: +0.1% Mile 10.2 to 10.4: -1.0% Mile 10.4 to 10.6: +0.2% Mile 10.6 to 10.8: +0.5% Mile 10.8 to 11.0: -0.6% Mile 11.0 to 11.2: -0.8% Mile 11.2 to 11.4: +0.2% Mile 11.4 to 11.6: +0.1% Mile 11.6 to 11.8: +0.6% Mile 11.8 to 12.0: -0.2% Mile 12.0 to 12.2: -0.2% Mile 12.2 to 12.4: -0.9% Mile 12.4 to 12.6: -1.0% Mile 12.6 to 12.8: -1.8% Mile 12.8 to 13.0: -4.7% Mile 13.0 to 13.2: -1.8% Mile 13.2 to 13.4: -8.4% Mile 13.4 to 13.6: -3.4% Mile 13.6 to 13.8: +1.3% Mile 13.8 to 14.0: +0.0% Mile 14.0 to 14.2: -0.1% Mile 14.2 to 14.4: -0.4% Mile 14.4 to 14.6: +0.1% Mile 14.6 to 14.8: -0.4% Mile 14.8 to 15.0: +0.0% Mile 15.0 to 15.2: +0.3% Mile 15.2 to 15.4: -0.4% Mile 15.4 to 15.6: -0.6% Mile 15.6 to 15.8: +0.2% Mile 15.8 to 16.0: +0.5% Mile 16.0 to 16.2: +0.3% Mile 16.2 to 16.4: +1.2% Mile 16.4 to 16.6: -0.8% Mile 16.6 to 16.8: -0.2% Mile 16.8 to 17.0: -0.1% Mile 17.0 to 17.2: -0.3% Mile 17.2 to 17.4: +0.0% Mile 17.4 to 17.6: +0.6% Mile 17.6 to 17.8: +0.4% Mile 17.8 to 18.0: -0.6% Mile 18.0 to 18.2: +0.4% Mile 18.2 to 18.4: -0.0% Mile 18.4 to 18.6: +1.0% Mile 18.6 to 18.8: +0.1% Mile 18.8 to 19.0: -0.6% Mile 19.0 to 19.2: -0.2% Mile 19.2 to 19.4: +0.0% Mile 19.4 to 19.6: +0.2% Mile 19.6 to 19.8: +1.2% Mile 19.8 to 20.0: +0.2% Mile 20.0 to 20.2: +1.3% Mile 20.2 to 20.4: +0.3% Mile 20.4 to 20.6: -0.1% Mile 20.6 to 20.8: +1.1% Mile 20.8 to 21.0: -1.6% Mile 21.0 to 21.2: +1.2% Mile 21.2 to 21.4: +0.6% Mile 21.4 to 21.6: +1.0% Mile 21.6 to 21.8: -0.7% Mile 21.8 to 22.0: +0.2% Mile 22.0 to 22.2: -0.5% Mile 22.2 to 22.4: +0.9% Mile 22.4 to 22.6: +2.0% Mile 22.6 to 22.8: +4.3% Mile 22.8 to 23.0: +5.4% Mile 23.0 to 23.2: +4.1% Mile 23.2 to 23.4: +1.1% Mile 23.4 to 23.6: -2.6% Mile 23.6 to 23.8: -2.8% Mile 23.8 to 24.0: -1.8% Mile 24.0 to 24.2: -1.1% Mile 24.2 to 24.4: -1.2% Mile 24.4 to 24.6: -0.5% Mile 24.6 to 24.8: -0.7% Mile 24.8 to 25.0: -0.3% Mile 25.0 to 25.2: -2.6% Mile 25.2 to 25.4: -0.4% Mile 25.4 to 25.6: -1.5% Mile 25.6 to 25.8: -0.8% Mile 25.8 to 26.0: +0.6% Mile 26.0 to 26.2: -2.0% 5 10 15 20 25 mile +236 ft +58 ft +47 ft +38 ft
steep up up flat down steep down

This Marathon profile covers 26.2 miles, ranges from roughly 7 to 404 feet, and contains about 1166 feet of modeled climb.

  • , mile 21.9 to 23.42: 236 feet up, 2.9% average.
  • , mile 19.14 to 20.2: 58 feet up, 1.0% average.
  • , mile 20.46 to 20.81: 47 feet up, 2.5% average.
  • , mile 0.9 to 1.59: 38 feet up, 1.0% average.

The course on a map

1 5 10 13 15 20 25 26 PACIFIC OCEAN
Marathon route26.2 miles
course featured climb start/finish

Gold is the course; route provenance is stated on the course page.

The climbs that shape the day

Climb 1

Mile 21.9 to 23.42

236 feet of modeled rise · 2.9% average.

Climb 2

Mile 19.14 to 20.2

58 feet of modeled rise · 1.0% average.

Climb 3

Mile 20.46 to 20.81

47 feet of modeled rise · 2.5% average.

Climb 4

Mile 0.9 to 1.59

38 feet of modeled rise · 1.0% average.

Mile by mile

Every row uses the same measured route and elevation as the profile above. Net change shows the shape of that mile; the common sparkline scale makes hard and easy sections comparable.

MileShapeModeled netWhat happens
1+4 ft
2+25 ft
3+56 ft
4+22 ft
5+2 ft
6+4 ft
7-4 ft
8-39 ft
9-81 ft
10+21 ft
11-13 ft
12-4 ft
13-99 ft
14-160 ft
15-11 ft
16+5 ft
170 ft
18+3 ft
19+3 ft
20+18 ft
21+9 ft
22-3 ft
23+164 ft
24-23 ft
25-54 ftCalifornia Tower (Balboa Park / Museum of Us)
26-52 ft

Landmarks along the course

Get your bearings with these local landmarks along the course.

California Tower (Balboa Park / Museum of Us)

Near mile 24.5

A local landmark beside the course.

San Diego Central Courthouse

Near mile 26.2

A local landmark beside the course.

Route provenance

Organizer-linked course file. Google My Maps 'Rock n Roll San Diego 2026-community' embedded on the official runrocknroll.com/events/san-diego/traffic-impact page. KML placemark 'San Diego RnR 2025 Marathon- Colleen Version 2/17 with DT Edits' measures 26.66 mi (421 pts), start 32.7367,-117.1593 (Sixth & Quince), end 32.7199,-117.1657 (Ash & Union) — the organizer's own course line, reused unchanged for 2026.

Course lines can change between editions. Confirm late adjustments on the official race site →

Know the line. Run the line.

Register for the 2027 Rock 'n' Roll San Diego →on Rock 'n' Roll Running Series

Course geometry provenance is stated beside the player; elevation profiles always use the same route loaded there. City geometry is OpenStreetMap, ODbL. Aerial imagery is from USGS and USDA; other images carry their own source credits. Weather figures use Open-Meteo reanalysis for June 2-10 across 2016-2025 at the start line. Schedule, prices and expo hours were checked in 2026-08-27 and are the fields most likely to move: confirm them on www.runrocknroll.com/events/san-diego before you book anything. Spot an error? Tell us and we'll fix it fast.