I was excited to run the Seal Beach 5K because it’s really one of the few flat 5Ks in the area. A lot of the Los Angeles/San Diego 5Ks fall under two categories: hilly (100+ feet) or many turns. This was neither, with just 30 feet of elevation gain. But to be honest, when I finished, my spouse was like, how much elevation gain do you think it got, and it said probably about 0–5 feet…
Anyway, the week before was exhausting. I’ve been busy (famous words every week), but so much so, I didn’t have a 3-hour drive through traffic in me on Friday night. So I opted to drive to the Seal Beach 5K on Saturday morning (about 2 hours). We had a busy weekend because afterward we were going down to San Diego for my husband’s mountain bike race. I didn’t want to be out of my house from basically 3 pm Friday to 8 pm Sunday, so it ended up working out. But driving 2 hours race morning is not ideal…mainly because it means an early (4 am) wake-up call when I could have used the sleep.
Before the Seal Beach 5K:
The drive to Seal Beach was easy, and I wish driving into Los Angeles was always that easy (or OC…whatever). I got to the Seal Beach 5K race start around 7, picked up my packet, and did a quick warm-up. I didn’t expect to feel good, and I didn’t. The morning of the race, I was like, do I even want or need to drive down here? The answer might have been no if we weren’t heading down to San Diego right after. I really wanted to get another 5K under my belt before the Carlsbad 5000 on April 12th.
Anyway, I still have no idea where the race t-shirts are/were, and I never got one of those (and I don’t really care). I jogged a warm-up, and honestly I felt like trash. The body just did not feel good. I got to the Seal Beach 5K race start, and we actually ended up going off a minute early.
Seal Beach 5K:
At 7:59 am, the Seal Beach 5K was off. The mistake I made to not go under 20 minutes was in the first minute. I thought the course went right, but it actually went left. I ended up veering on one side of the course and then cutting back to the other. Good for probably two seconds. I didn’t think anything of it at the time. Oh well.
Anyway, I logged a 6:18 first mile at the Seal Beach 5K, and to be honest I was really surprised. I was thinking I may go around 20:30 with how I felt. The next mile I was side by side with another woman for second place. I couldn’t quite keep that up, and she ended up gaining on me. I ran a 6:21 next mile, and I was actually pretty surprised (in a good way, it felt like I was running 6:50 pace).
I kept telling myself: hold onto this. It must have been where our slight uphill was, and I could not. I ran a 6:33. I could see the clock as I approached, and I knew it would be super close. I told some other guy next to me, push it for under 20 minutes. So we did, and I finished at 6:04 pace, but alas it was 20:01 and third woman overall.
Seal Beach 5K Thoughts:
I am actually really surprised I went this fast because I did not feel good. My body was just not having it, and it was a classic example of stress is stress even if it’s not “workout stress.” I am happy with how the race went all things considered, and it’s motivating to see how I feel when I do feel good.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Seal Beach 5K
When is the Seal Beach 5K?
The 2026 Seal Beach 5K was held on Saturday, March 28, 2026, with the 5K/10K runners starting at 8:00 a.m. near the Seal Beach Community Center. The 5K/10K both take off together. For 2026, the 10K was just 2 loops of the 5K.
Where does the Seal Beach 5K start and finish?
The race starts near the Seal Beach Community Center at 151 Marina Drive, and the 5K finishes at the Seal Beach Pier. It is a local community event.
What is the Seal Beach 5K course like?
The 5K runs through Old Town Seal Beach and heads to the pier. It is scenic, and you do get ocean views…Important to note that this year, the 10k was 2 loops of the 5k so keep that in mind when you are deciding a race.
Does the Seal Beach 5K use chip timing?
Yes. The 5K uses chip timing, so your time starts when you cross the start mat. That said, overall winner awards are based on gun time.
Does the Seal Beach 5K give awards or medals?
Yes. The race gives awards to top finishers across multiple age groups, plus overall awards, and includes finisher medals too. In 2026, you waited in line to pick up your award, and for the 5K, especially, the line was very long.
You can see Strava here and all race recaps here.
Questions for you:
When is your next race?
Have you ever been to Seal Beach?