Race for Open Space
About this race
Big Sur Land Trust's 2026 Race for Open Space is a one-day trail running event dedicated to fostering an appreciation of natural spaces in Monterey County and celebrating the health benefits of time spent in nature. This annual event invites runners and hikers of all ages to find wonder among Monterey County’s most iconic landscapes. This time of year will provide participants with sweeping views of green ridge lines punctuated by colorful wildflowers.
Centered around Palo Corona Regional Park, participants are invited to choose their adventure by registering for a 5K, 12K, 25K, or 35K+ trail run. Each course promises a spectacular journey through sections of the Palo Corona Backcountry, normally closed to the public. A one-mile Fun-Run will be offered for individuals of all ages and abilities.
Race for Open Space’s technical partner, Inside Trail Running, will oversee the start/finish line, trail-marking, aid stations, and participant timing/results. All activities will be offered in compliance with public health and safety guidelines. Our community is deeply passionate about our mission to inspire love of land across generations, conservation of our unique Monterey County landscapes, and access to outdoor experiences for all.
On the day of the event, community partners and businesses such as Alvarado Street Brewery will help participants celebrate crossing the finish line with beer, food, and interactive tabling displays.
Pick your distance
Running
Palo Corona to Southbank Trail - Fun Run (1mi)
A shorter, approachable course, geared towards kids and families.
Palo Corona Front-Ranch Lollipop (5k)
A gorgeous lollipop loop with minimal elevation gain through Palo Corona's front-ranch, featuring coastal oak groves, grassy meadows, and wide, non-technical trails.
Palo Corona to Whisler Wilson Overlook - Out & Back (12k)
A beautiful climb past Inspiration Point and up to an overlook with stunning views of the Palo Corona Backcountry and the Monterey Peninsula.
Trail running
Palo Corona to Williams Canyon - Out & Back (25k)
A stunning out-and-back route traversing the Palo Corona Backcountry, with substantial elevation change and featuring creek crossings, redwood groves and gorgeous vistas.
The Lunch Bench Lollipop (35k+)
An epic journey through the Palo Corona Backcountry and the Mitteldorf Preserve, spanning multiple ecosystems, vigorous elevation gain, and unparalleled views of Monterey County. PLEASE NOTE: This is a very challenging course, with over 5300’ of total ascent (4400’ of ascent in the first 14 miles), open to runners only.
Typical race-day weather
Based on 6 years of Open-Meteo archive data for this event's race dates in Carmel-By-The-Sea, plus the 3 days either side.
The sun rises at 6:05 AM and sets at 8:02 PM local time (PDT) in Carmel-By-The-Sea on May 9, 2026 — 13h 57m of daylight.
Course
No course map published yet.
The organizer hasn't released a route for this event, and we don't publish guesses. If you're the organizer, send us a GPX file and we'll draw the profile.
Reviews
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2026 results — Race for Open Space
307 finishers across 4 distances · leading places in the Palo Corona Front-Ranch Lollipop (5k)
| Place | Name | Time | Pace |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Miles Blum | 18:31 | 5:58 /mi |
| 2 | Jordan Del Rego | 22:53 | 7:23 /mi |
| 3 | Brian Wood | 23:38 | 7:38 /mi |
| 4 | Edward Tau | 24:22 | 7:52 /mi |
| 5 | Malachi Boyce | 26:03 | 8:24 /mi |
Every finisher is on the results page, filterable by distance, gender and age group.
All results by year
Other races near Carmel-By-The-Sea
Different organizers, within 40 miles, in the next three months
Run Rudolph Run
The Krew Runner's Santa Con Run
Santa Cruz Turkey Trot
Race The Flame
Where this page comes from. Race details were last updated on . We re-check listings regularly and again in the week before race day.
- Entries, prices, waves and inclusions — the event's official registration page
- Temperature and humidity — Copernicus ERA5 reanalysis via Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0)
- Elevation and terrain relief — Copernicus DEM GLO-90, ESA (CC BY 4.0)
- Comparisons and counts — Race Discovery calendar, 1 Carmel-By-The-Sea event
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