OC Half Marathon In 6 Minutes: Travel The Virtual May 7 Race

NEWPORT BEACH, CA — For Newport Beach's upcoming Orange County Half Marathon, the course might seem daunting. The 13.1 mile half marathon will start in Newport Beach, meander through Corona Del Mar, Newport Beach, by Balboa Island and end in Costa Mesa. With two weeks to go, runners are already gearing up and training.

Here is your course flyover, courtesy of OC Marathon. (Watch full video below).

On May 7, runners will start on Newport Center Drive Road, and head past Fashion Island then follow through to the 255 foot about sea level view of the mighty Pacific Ocean.

Runners will run along Pacific Coast Highway, through Corona Del Mar's quaint beach community, then run along Ocean Boulevard, past some of the country's most expensive stretch of homes toward the Newport Beach Wedge surf area.

The Corona Del Mar Seaside Drive segment will meander through tree lined streets, and up back into Newport Beach, until you reach the bridge to Balboa Island.

Runners will continue along PCH, across the Bay Bridge for mile 7, right before the first hill of the coach, in front of Newport Harbor Lutheran Church.

More bluff high views will await, as you pass the First Marines Memorial, up past the Dunes and upper Newport Bay Nature Preserve.

The Dover Shores neighborhood route enables the marathon to avoid the Back Bay bird sanctuary areas.

Mile 10 on Galaxy Drive offers a refueling station with water and Gatorade.

Newport Bay Ecological Preserve, just a mere 40 feet above sea level, is in your view at the 11 mile mark.

Half marathoners will split left and head back to the Costa Mesa finish line, into the OC Fair and Events Center. That finish line festival at the Orange County Fairgrounds will be worth the wait while the full marathon runners continue their course.

Are you running? Register here: https://goo.gl/a76WhG

Send your race day photos to Ashley.Ludwig@Patch.com

OC Marathon Photo