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Future Races
Future Races (0)
Race | Distance | Location | Date | Paid |
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Past Races (1)
Race | Distance | Location | Date | Result | My Raves | My Performance |
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Surf City Marathon & Half Marathon | Half Marathon | Huntington Beach, CA | Feb 2, 2025 |
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Surf City Marathon & Half Marathon
Wouldn’t fly in for it, but a good time
Surf City Marathon & Half Marathon
Seeking my Beach Cities Challenge medal, I did this weekend’s Surf City Half Marathon. The good: Volunteers were top notch. Their enthusiasm was electric! Parking was free for both the … MORE
Seeking my Beach Cities Challenge medal, I did this weekend’s Surf City Half Marathon.
The good: Volunteers were top notch. Their enthusiasm was electric! Parking was free for both the expo and the race. Busses to the start line ran great. (Mostly) flat and fast course and ocean breezes create an environment were you could put on your best effort.
The not-so-good:
– Guidance on parking could be a lot better. An hour before the race, the first two parking lots were completely full. Not a problem if you’re being dropped off, but a big problem if you need to leave a car somewhere. It was 90 minutes between when I arrived on the race grounds and when I made it to the start line to run. Locals probably have a better sense of how the lots fill up. For others, the race could communicate better.
– No port-o-cans near the start corral, which is beyond crazy. If there were any, I was pointed the wrong way by race staff.
– An elevation map on the race site would be much appreciated. It is mostly a fast and flat course, but there are 1-2 miles with some serious inclines and descents.
– A number of cyclists out for a morning ride were weaving through the runners on PCH. Race staff didn’t take any action.
– Post-race snacks were limited to water, bananas, a granola bar, and a bag of Doritos, with no bag to collect them.
– It is mostly an out-and-back race. I’ve done plenty of out-and-backs in my day, but never as a half. The scenery, while beachy of course, is very repetitive. Just something to keep in mind.
If you’re a local runner, this is definitely one to do! If you’re flying in for it… I’d recommend using your money to run Long Beach instead.