Pier to Peak Half Marathon

The Labor Day holiday weekend in Santa Barbara brings the annual running of the Pier to Peak Half Marathon, a challenging 13.1-mile race that takes runners all the way from the Friendship Dolphins Fountain at the edge of Sterns Wharf on the water all the way up to the peak of La Cumbra Peak, which overlooks the city and the water from an elevation of nearly 4,000 feet above sea level.

Often called "the world’s toughest half marathon," this is a race that will test even the most experienced runners and demands plenty of high-elevation and hills training. Nearly 400 runners crossed the finish line at the race’s 2011 running — 396, to be exact — and the race usually fills up each year, so prospective entrants are encouraged to sign up early.

The race course will be monitored but also will be open to traffic during the event, so participants will need to use sidewalks and obey traffic signals throughout the race.