FKT: Richard mardiat - Santa Barbara Pier to Peak to Pier (CA) - 2020-11-22

Ran essentially the pier to peak half marathon route, from the beach (dolphin fountain at the base of Stearns Wharf) in Santa Barbara to La Cumbre peak, and then back down again to where I started. So it's roughly marathon distance (~26 miles) with more than 4000 feet of climbing and more than 4000 feet of descending. My run was entirely unsupported. I started a little past 5 AM, carried all my water with me in a backpack (which made the climbing harder) along with a windbreaker to buffer the wind and temperature changes in the mountains. I ran on a clear November morning, so the mountain views onto Santa Barbara, the coast line and the islands were stunningly beautiful. But the terrain is really quite harsh: you run 13 miles virtually all uphill, and then 13 miles downhill. So if you try this route, be sure to prepare especially for the descent; it was the hardest part for me.