Monterey Ekiden logo, a green tasuki ribbon Monterey Ekiden
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Inaugural · Twilight Relay Saturday, July 25, 2026 · 5:00 PM start

Monterey Ekiden

Teams of four. One tasuki. Twilight at Laguna Seca.

Be part of the first-ever Monterey Ekiden, a 4-person twilight relay at WeatherTech Raceway at Laguna Seca in Salinas, run for a cross-country exchange between sister cities Monterey and Nanao, Japan.

$171.90 per team of four, about $43 a runner

Price rises to $182.55 race week.

Register your team Why we run
4
runners per team
2.2 mi
each lap
8.8 mi
relay total
5:00 PM
twilight start

WeatherTech Raceway at Laguna Seca, Salinas, CA View map

Two runners in Monterey Ekiden green singlets passing a tasuki sash at golden hour on the Laguna Seca track, hills behind. Pass the tasuki, not a baton
The Cause

You run. A student gets to cross an ocean.

Monterey and Nanao, Japan, have been sister cities for thirty years. This race supports a new cross-country exchange built on that bond. Students from Nanao visit Monterey in August, and the Monterey High team travels to Nanao in October. They train together, stay in each other's towns, and build friendships that cross a language barrier and an ocean. We are creating a fund so a student's financial situation is never the barrier. A place is earned through merit and commitment, not through what a family can afford. In a region with deep Japanese roots, an ekiden is a fitting way to honor that history and open the door for the next group of students.

Monterey
30 years
Nanao
A map joining Nanao, Japan and Monterey, California, with a tasuki sash carried across the Pacific between them. Caption: One tasuki, carried across an ocean.
What is an Ekiden

A relay from Japan, run since 1917.

An ekiden is a long-distance relay that has been part of Japanese culture since 1917. Teams race a set course, but instead of a baton, each runner wears a cloth sash called a tasuki and hands it to the next teammate at the exchange. The sash carries the team's effort from one leg to the next. The format was built around collective effort over individual glory, and that has stayed. Japan's New Year Hakone Ekiden is a two-day, nationally televised event, watched the way Americans watch the Super Bowl.

A Japanese tradition with Monterey roots

Monterey has its own Japanese story. Japanese fishermen helped found the abalone industry here in the early 1900s. There was a Japantown near Fisherman's Wharf, a tea house at Lover's Point, and flower growers whose families trace back to those early settlers. Bringing an ekiden here carries that story forward.

The Race

Build a team of four. Pass the tasuki.

1

Captain registers

One runner creates the team and registers. You are the team captain.

2

Invite three

Send invites to three teammates. It is free for them to join your team.

3

Run your lap

Each of the four runs one 2.2-mile lap, then passes the tasuki to the next.

4

Finish together

8.8 miles as a team. Cross the line as four, off the track by 7:00 PM.

One price per team of four.

Register the team once and split it among your runners. The price you see is all in, with registration fees included.

Create a team, challenge another. The winner gets bonus raffle entries and bragging rights.

Kids 10+ welcome. Solo runners are welcome too. Let us know if you need help forming a team.

Team of four $171.90 about $43 a runner, all in

Price rises to $182.55 race week.

Register your team Joining a team? Use your captain's invite link, free.
The Day

A cultural faire, a twilight race, a party after.

More than a race. Come early for the Cultural Faire and Fitness Expo, stay late for Japanese street food and a sunset DJ set.

Taiko drummers performing at golden hour in the hills above Laguna Seca, paper lanterns strung above them.
Watsonville Taiko sets the tone before the start.
Runners and families gathering at a post-race celebration with string lights and food stalls as the sun sets over the hills.
Japanese street food, a beer garden, and a sunset DJ after.
2:00 to 5:00
Cultural Faire & Fitness Expo Open to all
A community faire and fitness expo, open to everyone. Runners, families, and the public.
2:00 to 4:30
Packet pickup
Collect your bibs and team materials onsite at the expo.
4:15
Taiko performance Watsonville Taiko
The drums set the tone before the start.
5:00
Race start Twilight
Teams of four take the track as the light turns gold over Laguna Seca.
After
Japanese street food, beer garden & sunset DJ
Refuel and celebrate as the sun goes down. Off the track by 7:00 PM.
A folded commemorative tenugui hand towel with a green and red striped border.

Every runner gets a commemorative tenugui, a traditional Japanese cotton hand towel, to take home from the day.

Course Flyover

See the course before you run it.

A 3D run-through of the actual Laguna Seca course, built from satellite imagery. Climbs and descents are marked so you know the lap before race day.

Open the full flyover
Aerial view of the Laguna Seca course with the relay loop traced in color, ready to play as a 3D flyover.
Practical Details

Know before you go.

Do we need a full team of four?
Yes, it is a relay for teams of four. Grab three friends, family, or coworkers and split the lap. Solo runners are welcome too. Let us know if you need help forming a team.
How far does each person run?
One 2.2-mile lap each. Four runners, four laps, 8.8 miles together. You hand the tasuki to your next teammate at the exchange.
Can we walk?
Walkers are welcome. Mix walkers and runners to give your team ample time, and keep about a 13.5 minute mile so your team finishes by 7:00 PM.
Is it chip timed?
Yes, chip timing throughout. You need to be off the track by 7:00 PM, about two hours for 8.8 miles, roughly a 13.5 minute mile across four runners.
Refunds & transfers
No refunds, but transfers are OK. You can hand your spot to another runner.
Parking, weather & eligibility
Parking is on-site and free, and the race runs rain or shine. Kids 10+ are welcome. No dogs, and strollers are discouraged because of a steep downhill on the course.
Hosted by

Our supporters.

Held at WeatherTech Raceway at Laguna Seca, Salinas, California.