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Capped at 2,000 runners. When the field is full, registration closes — whatever the calendar says.
The first Ojai Run
Ojai: a town with character
Ojai sits in a bowl of mountains an hour up the coast from Los Angeles — rows of citrus, oak hillsides, and the pink light locals call the Pink Moment when the sun drops behind the Topa Topa bluffs.
It's a town that's protected that character on purpose: boutique hotels instead of chains, a farmers' market thick with local organic citrus, and a city ordinance that keeps chain stores out of downtown entirely. You'll run past the small businesses that make it possible.
The course is one clean loop from Libbey Park: south on South Ventura Street past the citrus groves, west along Creek Lane, north on Country Club Drive past the Ojai Valley Inn, and home on the Ojai Valley Trail with the mountains straight ahead. It stays on the valley floor the whole way, and it's short enough that the whole family can do it. Fast runners get a chip-timed 5K worth chasing. Everyone else gets one of the best morning walks in Ventura County.
It only happens once for the first time. The 2027 field is capped at 2,000 runners and the price goes up five times between now and race week. The cheapest this race will ever be is today.
The Ojai Valley at sunset
Every finisher gets
What You Get
Chip-Timed Bib
Custom Ojai Valley bib with a timing chip. Official results the same morning.
Finisher Medal
A Pink Moment commemorative medal, handed to you at the line.
Official Shirt
The inaugural Ojai Run shirt, printed with the mascot you see up there.
Pink Moment Kombucha
Cold local kombucha waiting at the finish line. Not water. Kombucha.
The Ojai Valley
A scenic loop through the groves under the Topatopas. The reason you came.
Registration
The price only goes up
Five tiers between now and race week. Every one of them costs more than the one you're looking at.
$40
Summer Special
Valid through September 15, 2026
$45
Early Bird
Valid through October 18, 2026
$50
Regular
Valid through December 7, 2026
$55
Late Registration
Valid through January 11, 2027
$60
Race Week
Valid through Race day, or the 2,000-runner cap
◆Register today and you pay $20 less than someone who waits until race week.
◆The field closes at 2,000 runners even if a tier hasn't expired.
◆Bibs are transferable to another runner up until race week — no refunds.
◆Running as a crew? Teams are welcome and encouraged — register together.
Ojai, California · January 2027
The Course
One loop, start to finish in the middle of town. You head east on Ojai Ave, turn south down South Ventura Street toward the creek, swing west along Creek Lane, climb back north on Country Club Drive past the golf course, and come home on the Ojai Valley Trail with the Topatopas straight ahead.
Distance
5K · 3.1 miles
Start & finish
Libbey Park, downtown
Surface
Paved streets & trail
Shape
Single loop, no repeats
Mile markers at 1, 2 and 3 · arrows show the direction of travel.Course pending City of Ojai approval.
1
South Ventura Street
Out of downtown and into the valley — oaks, citrus groves and the long straight south.
2
Country Club Drive
The quiet turn back north past the Ojai Valley Inn, with the creek bottom behind you.
3
Signal Street
Back through town on the Ojai Valley Trail. One block to go — kick for the arcade.
Distances are measured along the route shown; the final certified course will be confirmed with the City of Ojai before registration opens.
Sunday, January 17, 2027
Race Morning
9:00 AM
Race-day packet pickup opens
Libbey Park. Bring photo ID.
9:45 AM
Warmup & pre-race announcements
Gather at the start. Line up by pace, walkers to the back.
10:00 AM
5K start
Ojai Ave, eastbound.
11:00 AM
Awards & finish festival
Kombucha, results, and the medal line.
Presented by Run The Day
Produced by people who do this every weekend
Run The Day has been working with road races since 2003 and works with hundreds of events every year — from big-city races like the Philly Shamrock Run to hometown 5Ks. That means accurate chip timing with results posted while you're still catching your breath, and a memorable morning you'll remember for a lifetime.
The Ojai Run's official nonprofit beneficiary is the Turtle Conservancy, headquartered right here in Ojai. Turtles have roamed the earth for millions of years — today they're among its most endangered inhabitants. From a 90-acre conservation center in the Ojai Valley, the Turtle Conservancy protects over 65 species and more than 70,000 acres of habitat worldwide, caring for 600+ turtles including species considered extinct in the wild.
◆$3 from every registration goes direct to the Turtle Conservancy.
◆100% of all donations and dollars fundraised go to the Turtle Conservancy.
◆Turtles will be at the event — if you beat them across the finish line, you win a medal.
Ojai Run is put on by Ian, a runner who married into a family with Ojai roots. The town's scenery seemed too good not to have an iconic 5K to celebrate it.
He has spent hours on Ojai trails, shopping at Westridge, drinking coffee from Ojai Coffee Roasters and watching the sunset turn the valley pink. The course, the timing, and the finish-line kombucha are all what he'd want from his experience at hundreds of races — and with the local knowledge of a family that has spent decades living in Ojai.
The Ojai Run 5K is Sunday, January 17, 2027 at 10:00 AM, starting and finishing at Libbey Park in downtown Ojai, California — about 35 minutes inland from Ventura and 90 minutes from Los Angeles.
Is the Ojai Run part of MLK weekend?
Yes. Race day is Sunday, January 17, 2027 — the Sunday of Martin Luther King Jr. weekend, with the federal holiday on Monday, January 18. You can race Sunday morning, spend the afternoon in Ojai, and still have Monday to get home.
How far is Ojai from Los Angeles?
Ojai is roughly 90 minutes from Los Angeles, about 35 minutes from Ventura, and about an hour from Santa Barbara. Most runners driving up from LA leave Saturday afternoon or early Sunday morning.
Is the Ojai Run a good destination race for a weekend trip?
That is the idea. Ojai has boutique hotels, a Sunday farmers' market, hiking in the Topatopa foothills, and a downtown with no chain stores — and the MLK holiday on Monday means there is no rush home. It makes an easy destination weekend for runners coming from Los Angeles, Ventura County, Santa Barbara, or anywhere in Southern California.
How much does registration cost?
Entry starts at $40 during the summer special and rises in five steps: $40 through September 15, $45 through October 18, $50 through December 7, $55 through January 11, and $60 during race week. Registering today saves you $20 over the race-week price.
Does the Ojai Run sell out?
The field is capped at 2,000 runners. Registration closes as soon as that cap is reached, which can happen before the final price tier expires — so the calendar is not a guarantee that spots will still be there.
Can I get a refund or transfer my registration?
Registrations are non-refundable, but bibs are transferable to another runner up until race week. Email ojairun@runtheday.io to transfer your bib.
What do I get with my registration?
Every entry includes a chip-timed custom race bib, the Pink Moment finisher medal, the official Ojai Run shirt, a cold Pink Moment kombucha at the finish line, and the run itself — one scenic loop through the Ojai Valley.
Who does the Ojai Run support?
The Ojai Run's official nonprofit beneficiary is the Turtle Conservancy, based on a 90-acre conservation center in the Ojai Valley. $3 from every registration goes direct to the Turtle Conservancy, and 100% of all donations and dollars fundraised go to the Turtle Conservancy. Founded in 2005, it protects over 65 turtle and tortoise species and more than 70,000 acres of habitat worldwide.
Will there really be turtles at the race?
Yes. The Turtle Conservancy will be at the event with turtles — and if you beat them across the finish line, you win a medal.
Is the course flat or hilly?
The loop stays on the valley floor: out on South Ventura Street, west along Creek Lane, north on Country Club Drive, and home on the Ojai Valley Trail. There are no sustained climbs over the 3.1 miles — expect a gentle roll rather than a track-flat course. The final route is confirmed with the City of Ojai as part of the event permit.
Do I have to be a fast runner?
No. A 5K is 3.1 miles and the Ojai Run is open to every pace — runners, joggers, walkers, and families. The start is organized by pace, so you are never in anybody's way.
Can I walk the 5K?
Yes. Walkers are welcome and should line up at the back of the field. The course stays open long enough for a comfortable walking pace, and you get the same bib, medal, shirt and kombucha as everyone else.
Is the race chip timed?
Yes. Every bib carries a timing chip and the race is professionally timed by Run The Day, with official results and finish times posted the same morning.
Are strollers and dogs allowed?
Stroller and dog policies are set with the City of Ojai as part of the event permit and will be confirmed on this page before race week. Families pushing strollers should plan to start at the back of the field.
Where do I park?
Downtown Ojai has public lots and street parking within a few minutes' walk of Libbey Park. Ojai Avenue closes for the race, so arrive by 9:00 AM, when packet pickup opens, and park south of the start. Full parking and road-closure maps are posted here race week.
When and where is packet pickup?
Race-day pickup opens at 9:00 AM at Libbey Park — bring photo ID. Any pre-race pickup dates in Ojai or Ventura are announced on this page and emailed to registered runners.
Who organizes the Ojai Run?
The Ojai Run is presented by Run The Day, a race company established in 2003 that produces and times hundreds of races every year across the country.
What is the Pink Moment?
The Pink Moment is Ojai's local name for the few minutes at sunset when light hits the Topa Topa bluffs and the whole rock face turns rose-pink. It is the reason the race medal, the kombucha and the mascot all wear that color.
Sunday · 10:00 AM · Downtown Ojai
Be at the first one.
2,000 runners chasing the Pink Moment through the orange groves. When they're gone, they're gone — year one only happens once.
