Sat, Feb 27, 2027

The Storybook Stride - 5K, 10K, 10-Miler, Half Marathon

Long Beach, CA

Registration openAnnual since at least 2024
5K10K

Entry is $24.50 now and rises to $28.50 after Feb 26, 2027, so registering before then saves $4.

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About the Storybook Stride - 5K, 10K, 10-Miler, Half Marathon

The course runs along the beach path at Alamitos Beach, an open shared path where you'll pass cyclists and other beachgoers as you go. The route is flat and follows the shoreline, with shorter distances looping back before the longer ones extend further out. Turns are marked with chalk and flags, so navigation is straightforward. Aid stations along the course carry water, electrolytes, gels, and fruit.

Early bib pickup is the evening before at Sports Basement Long Beach, a local running shop that sends a store discount to registrants that week. Parking at the Alamitos Beach lot is paid and available via a phone app; free street parking is also nearby.

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Finish-Time Stats

Going by the 2026 results, this is a small, friendly field, with a competitive front end and a big recreational middle.

5K · 2026 results

56finishers
22:29winner
39:56median
3:20:00cutoff

Top 3: Sahit Reddy (22:29) · Roberto Ortega (22:40) · Thang Phan (24:11)

· 2026 results

27finishers
1:47:57winner
2:31:24median
3:20:00cutoff

Top 3: Daniel Chavez (1:47:57) · Tristan Jones (1:51:29) · Alejandro Esquivel (1:52:08)

10K · 2026 results

23finishers
45:58winner
1:04:21median
3:20:00cutoff

Top 3: Casey Rolle (45:58) · Melchor Mateo (48:12) · Marcos Reyes (48:13)

· 2026 results

6finishers
1:33:54winner
2:36:21median
3:20:00cutoff

Top 3: Gerald Ping-ay (1:33:54) · Desiree Ann Hosena (1:33:54) · Jazmin Marquez Bautista (1:52:41)

The Storybook Stride - 5K, 10K, 10-Miler, Half Marathon has been held every year since at least 2024. That is as far back as RunSignup's records for this race go, so it may well be older.

Where Would You Finish?

Enter a finish time to see where it lands against the most recent 5K results.

Median

See how your time stacks up nationally →

How we calculate these stats: RunSesh calculates these figures from the most recent published results of past editions, sourced from RunSignup. We show aggregates only: field size, winning and median times, and the cutoff. We never publish individual finisher tables. Last updated Sep 10, 2026.

Distances & Start Times

5K2/27/2027 07:30$25
10K2/27/2027 07:30$29
10-Miler2/27/2027 07:00$35
Half Marathon2/27/2027 07:00$39

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Common Questions About the The Storybook Stride - 5K, 10K, 10-Miler, Half Marathon

Will I finish last at the Storybook Stride - 5K, 10K, 10-Miler, Half Marathon?

Almost certainly not. Half the 5K field finished slower than 39:56, and the last recorded finisher came in around 3:20:00, so there is a long tail of runners behind the middle of the pack. Most fields are far slower than people expect.

Is the Storybook Stride - 5K, 10K, 10-Miler, Half Marathon a good first 5K?

It is a small race (56 finishers), which is friendlier and less intimidating than a big-city event, though the field thins out. There is no qualifying time, and the finish-time spread above shows how varied the field really is. If it is your first 5K, that spread matters more than the winner's time.

How competitive is the Storybook Stride - 5K, 10K, 10-Miler, Half Marathon?

The 5K winner ran 22:29 while the median finisher took 39:56. That spread points to a mixed field, with a competitive front and a big recreational middle.

Where can I train for the Storybook Stride - 5K, 10K, 10-Miler, Half Marathon?

Join a local run club. Long Beach Run Club, Long Beach Running Club, Long Beach Frontrunners and others in Long Beach welcome runners of all paces, and a weekly group run is the most reliable way to hold a training block together.

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