Sun Marathon
Santa Clara, United States of America · Saturday 23 January 2027
RoadFull Marathon
The Sun Marathon in Santa Clara takes place in January 2027 on a moderately hilly road course that spans 42.2 kilometers with about 211 meters of elevation gain spread across terrain ranging from 885 to 1397 meters above sea level. The rolling hills mean you'll need to manage your effort carefully rather than settle into a steady flat-road rhythm, particularly in the middle miles where the elevation changes compound fatigue. Santa Clara's location in the San Francisco Bay Area puts you at altitude, so arriving early to acclimate will help you avoid feeling the thin air during the race. This is a solid choice if you want a real workout that tests your hill fitness without being a mountain marathon, and the January timing offers cooler conditions that should help with pacing. Check the race website at findmymarathon.com for specific details on course support, cutoff times, and elevation profiles so you can prepare your fueling strategy accordingly.
Difficulty Calculator
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:m
:s
Adjusted Time
3:58:52
Time difference: -1.1 minutes compared to a flat, road, temperate course.
Course Details
Elevation Gain211m
Elevation High1397m
Elevation Low885m
How hard is Sun Marathon?
Moderateharder than 32% of marathons
Flattest / easiestHardest
On our difficulty model, Sun Marathon plays about 3 minutes slower than an average road marathon for a 3:30 runner. It ranks #785 hardest of 1150 marathons we analyse, and #393 of 575 in United States of America. Use the calculator above to see the exact adjusted time for your own goal pace.
What will you run at Sun Marathon?
Estimated finish times on this course versus the same effort on an average road marathon, based on its elevation, surface, and expected race-day temperature.
| Average-course time | On Sun Marathon | Difference |
|---|---|---|
| 3:00:00 | 2:56:49 | −03:11 |
| 3:30:00 | 3:27:44 | −02:16 |
| 4:00:00 | 3:58:52 | −01:08 |
| 4:30:00 | 4:30:12 | +00:12 |
| 5:00:00 | 5:01:43 | +01:43 |
| 5:30:00 | 5:33:23 | +03:23 |
| 6:00:00 | 6:05:13 | +05:13 |
Use the calculator above for your exact goal time. Want a prediction from your own training? Try the marathon time predictor.
Sun Marathon 2027 Course Analysis
Sun Marathon is a full marathon held in Santa Clara, United States of America. It is scheduled for Saturday 23 January 2027. The course is run on road surface with 211m of total climbing and around 715m of descent (a net drop of roughly 504m), with its high point near 1397m above sea level.
Elevation Profile
This is a net-downhill course: it descends roughly 504m more than it climbs (211m of ascent against about 715m of descent), dropping from a high point near 1397m toward 885m above sea level. Point-to-point downhill courses like this are among the fastest available for a personal best or a Boston qualifier - just be aware that sustained descending fatigues the quads late in the race, so ease off early and do some downhill running in training.
Surface Type: Road
Sun Marathon is run on road surfaces, which provide the fastest and most predictable conditions for racing. Road courses allow for consistent pacing and are typically the best choice for a personal best.
Looking for an easier marathon or a tougher challenge? You can also compare Sun Marathon against other marathons to find the right race for your goals.
Marathons of similar difficulty
If Sun Marathon fits your goal, these courses play out about the same on our difficulty model.
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