Saddleback Mountain Goat Marathon...

• Half Marathon:- Run 13.1 Miles
• Marathon:- Run 26.2 Miles

Where

Blue Jay Campground off Ortega Highway about 21 miles inland from San Juan Capistrano (I5) in Orange County. Turn left on Long Canyon Road (El Cariso Hot Shot Camp). Follow signs for Blue Jay Campground. If approaching from Lake Elsinore (I15) in Riverside take rte 74 west.to the North Divide Rd. Turn right and continue north for 6 miles. Follow signs for Blue Jay Campground.

1/2 Marathon

The 1/2 Marathon course follows the Marathon course to Horsethief Trail. At that junction 1/2 Marathon Runners will go left and begin the steep singletrack descent into Trabuco Canyon. 
After 1.75 miles the 1/2 Marathon Runners will turn left and begin the climb to the N Main Divide and the Trabuco Trail aid station.
Half Marathon distances


Station Name distance Total

1. Trabuco Trail Head 3.4 miles 3.4 miles

2. Half marathon Junction 1.7 miles 7.6 miles No Aid

3. Trabuco Trail Head 2.5 miles 10.1 miles

4. Bluejay Finish 3.4 miles 13.5 miles

Marathon

The Marathon course follows the North Main Divide to Upper Holy Jim.. At that junction Marathon runners will turn onto Upper Holy Jim and begin a steep uphill singletrack for 1 mile. At the top of Upper Holy Jim Trail runners will go left and continue to the Holy Jim aid station where runners will be directed onto the Lower Holy Jim trail, a fast 5 mile downhill into the Holy Jim Canyon. Once at the Volunteer Fire Station runners will begin a five mile uphill climb on a Trabuco Trail, a rocky singletrack. They will rejoin the 1/2 marathoners course at Horsethief Trail (stay right)
Marathon distances
Station Name distance Total
1. Trabuco Trail Head 3.4 miles 3.4 miles
2. Horsethief Trail Head 2.5 miles 5.9 miles
3. Indian Truck Trail 3.1 miles 9.0 miles
Upper Holy Jim 1.0 miles 10.0 miles No Aid
Upper Holy Jim (Top) 1.0 miles 11.0 miles No Aid
4. Bear Springs 1.8 miles 12.8 miles
5. Holy Jim 5.0 miles 17.8 miles 
Half Marathon Junction 2.5 miles 20.3 miles No Aid
6. Trabuco Trail Head 2.5 miles 22.8 miles
Bluejay Finish 3.4 miles 26.2 miles
 

When

Check-in starts at 5:00 am with pre-race briefing at 6:30.  Race starts at 07:00.  Time limit 8.5 hours  Cutoffs strictly enforced. If the Bear Springs Station Captain determines a runner is in a condition that COULD prevent them from completing the 5 miles into Holy Jim and climbing 5 miles up Trabuco Trail. Dropping anywhere in Holy Jim and Trabuco Canyons is prohibited absent a life threatening injury. In the event of a drop evacuation from the Canyon will take several hours after the aid station closes.

Special Consideration

As in all Old Goat events we extend a 25% discount to all active duty military, firefighters, and public law enforcement.  If you qualify for this discount send an e-mail to [email protected] for the coupon code. 

History

The Saddleback Marathon has been an Orange County / Inland Empire running institution for over twenty years. It's founder Baz Hawley turned over the reins of the Saddleback Marathon to Old Goat Trail Races and it's founder Steve Harvey.  Steve conducts ultra-distance races in the Cleveland national Forest and is more commonly know as the 'Old Goat his own self'.  If it's an Old Goat race there is one thing you can be sure of - there will be  a lot of climbs. 

To stay consistent with the marathon and Steve's insistence of naming races after goats the 'Saddleback Trail Marathon' will be known as the Saddleback Mountain Goat Marathon...  and to keep old things 'new' we will reverse directions every year. This year the course will be run Counter Clockwise..