The Resolution Run Turns 20 — and Your GPS Will Send You to the Wrong Exit

Overview

The San Diego Resolution Run is on Saturday, January 9, 2027 — the 20th annual — with the half marathon and 10K off at 7:15 a.m. and the 5K at 7:30, from Tecolote Shores on Mission Bay.

Twenty years makes this the race San Diego actually starts its year with. The first one ran in 2008, which means there are people in this county who have done all twenty.

It's flat, it's on the water, and it's nine days into January — which is exactly late enough that the resolution is still alive and exactly early enough that you can't have broken it yet.

Now the single most useful thing in this article, and we're putting it up top because it will cost you your morning if you miss it.

Use the Clairemont Drive exit.

Your GPS will try to send you to the Sea World Drive exit. That's the organizers' own warning, in capital letters on their page. East Mission Bay Drive is closed from 5 a.m. to 10 a.m. between Sea World Drive and just south of the Mission Bay Resort — which is precisely the stretch your phone will route you down. Come off I-5 at Clairemont Drive instead.

Race Morning

| | |

|---|---|

| 7:15 a.m. | Half Marathon |

| 7:15 a.m. | 10K |

| 7:30 a.m. | 5K |

All three start from the same place on East Mission Bay Drive, so there's one spot to get to and one bag drop to find.

Registration, with all fees included — their phrasing is "what you see is what you pay":

• Half Marathon — $109
• 10K — $64.99
• 5K — $54.99

An all-in price on a race entry is worth saying out loud, because almost nobody does it. Most race pricing adds a processing fee at the last screen, and this one doesn't.

There's no published price-increase date, which matters if you're waiting. Their press release says "the lowest pricing available for a limited time" and never says when that limit is — so if the current number works for you, there's no deadline to plan around and no reason to wait either.

The Course

Flat, around Mission Bay, with water on your right most of the way. The organizers' own line is that you "enjoy a beautiful course and water views as you wind through Mission Bay."

One change for 2027 that you should know about before you sign up: the 5K has been redesigned, and the new route measures about 3.4 miles.

That's roughly a third of a mile longer than a 5K. It's on their page in plain text and it isn't explained, so if you're chasing a 5K personal best, this isn't the course for it. If you're chasing a nice Saturday morning by the water, it makes no difference at all.

Aid stations are generous for a race this size:

• Half marathon — seven stops, at miles 1.5, 3.1, 5, 7.5, 9.1, 10.8 and 12.5. Gel at 7.5 and 12.5, electrolytes at all but one, restrooms at the first two.
• 10K — three stops, at 1.5, 3.1 and 5
• 5K — one, at 1.5

And their note that "additional public restrooms are located all along the course" — which, this being Mission Bay Park, is true and genuinely reassuring at 7 a.m. in January.

The half has a cutoff, and it's handled kindly: you need to hold a 15-minute mile, a 3:15 finish. Miss it and they move you up along the course — you still cross the finish line and you still get the medal. That's the right way to run a cutoff.

Getting There and Parking

Clairemont Drive exit. We've said it once and it's worth twice.

• Parking lots run up and down East Mission Bay Drive, plus street parking — some of it back-in angle parking only, so allow a minute
• Drop-off zone: 1697 East Mission Bay Drive if someone's driving you
• Carpooling is recommended, and on a morning with this many closures it's the right call

The closures, all on the Saturday morning:

• Fiesta Island, including the dirt lot at the entrance — no parking 5:00–9:30 a.m.
• East Mission Bay Drive, Sea World Drive to the Tecolote Shores lot south of Mission Bay Resort — 5:00–9:30 a.m.
• De Anza Cove Road — no parking 5:00–10:00, partial road closure 7:00–10:00 (RV park access stays open)
• North Mission Bay Drive, from the lot east of De Anza Cove Road to the Mike Gotch Memorial Bridge — no parking 5:00–10:00, partial closure 7:00–10:00 (golf course and Boat & Ski Club entrances stay open)

If you're not running but you live or park out there, that's your morning in a nutshell — be out before five or be patient until ten.

Packet Pickup

Friday, January 8, 12:00 to 6:00 p.m., at Road Runner Sports, 5553 Copley Drive, San Diego, CA 92111. It's free.

Do this on the Friday. There is event-day pickup from 6 a.m., and the organizers are refreshingly blunt about it: long lines, and they "cannot guarantee you will receive your bib before your race begins." That's an unusually honest warning and you should take it at face value.

One nice extra: Road Runner Sports VIP members get 20% off during packet-pickup hours, so if you need shoes, that's the trip to do it on.

If you can't make Friday, there's a Mail My Packet option for $17.50, and the deadline to buy it is December 26, 2026 — so that decision has to be made before the holidays finish.

The Details That Catch People

• Transfers — you can hand your entry to another runner for a $15 fee, and the window closes 72 hours before the race
• Deferrals — $15, and the request has to be in one week before
• Refunds — none. All registrations are non-refundable. So the transfer and deferral options are the ones to know about
• Strollers — "Absolutely! Strollers are welcome in all waves." That's rarer than you'd think
• Dogs — no. The venue's own rules, not the organizers' preference
• Gear check — yes. Fasten the tear-off tab at the bottom of your bib to your bag and hand it over

At the Finish

• Finisher medals for every distance — a large custom one for the half
• A Resolution Run t-shirt
• Chip timing
• A post-race "wellness village" with food, products and offers from their partners
• Age-group awards, top three overall plus 19 & under, 20–29, 30–39, 40–49, 50–59, 60–69, 70–79 and 80+

An 80-and-over age group on a January half marathon is a lovely thing to have on a results sheet.

How to Go

• When: Saturday, January 9, 2027. Half and 10K 7:15 a.m., 5K 7:30 a.m.
• Where: Tecolote Shores, Mission Bay Park — all three start from East Mission Bay Drive
• Price: Half $109 · 10K $64.99 · 5K $54.99, all fees included
• Register: Race Roster
• Packet pickup: Friday, January 8, 12–6 p.m., Road Runner Sports, 5553 Copley Drive, 92111
• Drive in via Clairemont Drive, not Sea World Drive
• Organizer: San Diego Running Co., 4629 Cass Street · info@sandiegorunningco.com · (858) 412-6787

Good to Know

• Clairemont Drive exit. Your GPS is wrong about this one.
• Pick up your packet on Friday. They tell you themselves that race-morning lines are long.
• The 5K is about 3.4 miles in 2027, not 3.1. Redesigned course.
• No refunds, but transfers and deferrals are $15 each with real deadlines.
• December 26 is the Mail My Packet deadline — put it in the calendar before the holidays.
• Strollers yes, dogs no.
• The half cutoff is 3:15, and missing it still gets you a finish and a medal.
• It's the 20th annual, first run in 2008.
• The coffee fair is the same afternoon — see below.

Why It's Worth It

Nine days into January, flat, on the water, at 7:15 in the morning.

There is no better-designed first race of the year than that. It's early enough that the January version of you is still in charge, flat enough that a half marathon is genuinely achievable, and scenic enough that the five miles you weren't looking forward to go past without much trouble.

Twenty consecutive years of the same race on the same bay is how San Diego marks the turn of the year. The all-in pricing, the honest warning about race-morning lines, the cutoff that still gives you your medal, the 80+ age group, strollers in every wave — those are all choices, and they all point the same way.

And here's the pairing nobody will tell you about. The North Park Coffee & Tea Fair is the same day, noon to 4 p.m., about fifteen minutes inland. Half marathon done by half past ten, shower, and be in North Park with a flat white by noon. That's an outstanding Saturday in January and it costs you one entry fee.

For more things worth doing, browse our events calendar.

Frequently Asked Questions

When is the San Diego Resolution Run? Saturday, January 9, 2027. The half marathon and 10K start at 7:15 a.m. and the 5K at 7:30.

Where does it start? Tecolote Shores in Mission Bay Park. All three distances start from the same point on East Mission Bay Drive.

How much does it cost? $109 for the half marathon, $64.99 for the 10K and $54.99 for the 5K. The organizers state that the displayed price includes all fees.

Is there a price increase deadline? None is published. The organizers describe the current pricing as available "for a limited time" without naming a date.

Which freeway exit should I use? Clairemont Drive. The organizers warn that GPS will route you to the Sea World Drive exit, and East Mission Bay Drive is closed there from 5 to 10 a.m.

Where's packet pickup? Road Runner Sports, 5553 Copley Drive, San Diego, CA 92111, on Friday January 8 from 12 to 6 p.m. It's free. Race-day pickup opens at 6 a.m. but the organizers warn of long lines.

Can I get my packet mailed? Yes, for $17.50, and the deadline to purchase it is December 26, 2026.

Is the 5K a true 5K? Not in 2027. The course was redesigned and the organizers state the new route measures approximately 3.4 miles.

Is there a time limit? The half marathon requires a 15-minute-mile pace, a 3:15 finish. Runners off that pace are moved up along the course and still finish and receive a medal. No cutoffs are published for the 10K or 5K.

Can I bring a stroller? Yes — strollers are welcome in all waves.

Can I bring my dog? No. The organizers cite venue rules.

Can I get a refund? No. Registrations are non-refundable, but you can transfer your entry to another runner for $15 up to 72 hours before, or defer for $15 with one week's notice.

What do I get? A finisher medal, a race shirt, chip timing, gear check and a post-race wellness village. Age-group awards run from 19 & under to 80+.

How old is the race? This is the 20th annual. The first was in 2008.