Yes, the 2026 LA Marathon Falls on Daylight Saving—And Yes, Runners Will Rise (literally)

Rizzo Los Angeles

The LA Marathon announced its new race date—Sunday, March 8, 2026—and the running community immediately noticed something else on the calendar: Daylight Saving Time. That’s right, the clocks “spring forward” an hour that same morning. Cue the collective groan.

We get it. Losing an hour of sleep before 26.2 miles? Not exactly ideal.

But here’s what else is true: runners are some of the most adaptable, resilient, and gritty people on the planet. And if there's any group that can rise to this challenge—literally and metaphorically—it’s us.

Big Races Have Done This Before—And Thrived

I have run many New York City Marathons in the past with the Fall daylights savings time change and while this was on my mind, it really was never a concern as I was running The New York City Marathon, enough said. Other Runners from across the globe also come to New York and adjust to the time shift and run an unforgettable race through five boroughs—and the vibe is nothing short of electric.

In fact, thousands of fall marathons, including races like the Richmond Marathon, Monumental Marathon, and Santa Clarita Marathon, regularly deal with clocks changing the night before. And guess what? Runners still show up. They adapt, they rally, and they finish strong.

The time change isn’t a disruption—it’s a shared experience. A story woven into race day, just like heat, wind, or hills.

Yes, We’ll Be Tired—But We’ve Been Tired Before

We’ve trained in the dark, run through injury, shown up for long runs after sleepless nights, and braved races in heat, rain, and headwinds. One missing hour doesn’t define our performance—our preparation and mindset do.

This is Mental Fuel, Not a Roadblock

The greatest races are never just about the perfect start time or the ideal course conditions—they’re about how we respond when things shift. This date change is a curveball, sure, but it’s also an opportunity to lean into the mental toughness you’ve built through every training cycle.

Finishing Thoughts- The Story You'll Tell

There’s something poetic about running through the City of Angels as the sun rises on a brand new day—literally leaping into the future. The LA Marathon on March 8, 2026, won’t just be a race. It’ll be a story we tell about showing up when things weren’t perfect and running anyway.

Because at the end of the day—or early morning—we're not just chasing medals. We’re chasing the best version of ourselves.

We lose an hour. But we gain perspective, strength, and a story worth telling.And LA? We’re still showing up. See you on the course

Rizzo

Los Angeles Marathon Ambassador