Surf City Marathon & Half Marathon
Huntington Beach, CA
- Marathon, Half Marathon, 5K, 1 Miler
- Road (Paved)
- Official race website
Surf, sun, run! Mild winter weather accompanied by miles of wide, sandy California beaches, as far as the eyes can see. 10 miles, to be exact – the longest stretch of uninterrupted beachfront anywhere on the West Coast – and home of the ideal winter marathon. HB’s long stretch of … MORE
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Not a great course.
Beautiful scenery. Marathon course has you doubling back and fourth a lot. Pribably a better 1/2 marathon than a full. Beautiful view and fun location. Weather was perfect and the … MORE
Beautiful scenery. Marathon course has you doubling back and fourth a lot. Pribably a better 1/2 marathon than a full. Beautiful view and fun location. Weather was perfect and the event was fun.
Fun, fast, and then… a traffic jam end
The Surf City Half Marathon always serves up pretty beach views, but the 5k race’s later time this year made for a disastrously crowded final 2 miles in the half. … MORE
The Surf City Half Marathon always serves up pretty beach views, but the 5k race’s later time this year made for a disastrously crowded final 2 miles in the half.
Expo / pickup:
-Packet pickup, sponsored by the Snail’s Pace running shop, was held on Friday and Saturday at the corner of Pacific Coast Highway and Huntington Street. You could pick up your race bib, official race shirt, tote bag, and gear check bag from the first few tents, followed by merch sales—prior year’s shirts were sold at a discount, along with Surf City-branded shirts, hats, blankets, and more. Also grab a free commemorative shirt if you’re a Longboard Legacy Runner. Past that, you’ll find all the sponsors’ tents for Orange Theory, Raising Canes, Coach’s Oats, Goodr, Zico, and more, along with mini-stores from A Snail’s Pace and 361 Degrees.
Exiting the expo, you can pose with photo backdrops including Surf City’s classic surfboard/wave display. This year, they also brought back the rows of vintage VW surf vans! Cowabunga!
Parking/Pre-race:
-The start line and corral begins at the southern corner of Huntington St and PCH. This means that the closest parking options are public beach lots along PCH, or private parking garages, including at the Pacific City Mall and the Huntington Beach Pier. You can also park farther away for free at the Civic Center, and take the free race shuttles. Port-a-potties were plentiful in the expo area, and you could always opt for the beach’s public restrooms before the race. The start corral was split by pace groups, with elite and sub-2:00 runners towards the front. And remember: the Marathon starts over an hour before the Half, so if you’re expecting to beat the crowds, you need to get there early!
Course:
-The Surf City Half Marathon course goes out-and-back (just once, unlike the Marathon), with Pacific Coast Highway taking up nearly 80% of those miles. For Miles 1-3, you run north along PCH, with hotels, restaurants, shops, and houses on your right, and the beach and Huntington Beach Pier glistening on your left. This section easily boasts the best crowd support. Just before Mile 3, you make a right turn onto Seapoint Street and head inland through residential neighborhoods. You’ll climb the steepest hills of the course—my Strava GPS noted a few hills with ~5% incline. And since you’re going from a wide open highway onto smaller residential streets, this was also the narrowest portion of the race. On top of that, you’ll be sharing the route with the full-marathoners too. You begin the “back” part of this mini-out-and-back near Overlook Park and the Bluffs residential area. With Wieder Park on your right, you zoom downhill on Seapoint Street to the beats of “APT” blaring on speakers from a local run club. Wave hello and goodbye to incoming runners, and return to PCH a little before Mile 6. Miles 6-8 are relatively flat, with Bolsa Chica State Beach on your left, and Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve on your right. Little hills sprout up occasionally, and it’s nice to run with water on both sides of you.
The aid stations before Mile 8 mean it’s time to turn around and run back! Miles 8-10 on the return leg are just as flat and unremarkable as the first time you came through, but now you get the added mental edge of seeing how far ahead you are of the other runners still trudging through the first half of the course you already completed! A slightly steep “hill” rises up at Mile 10.5. Crush that hill, and you’re down the final stretch. Normally, this is a speedy, straight shot to the finish line, but not this year…. Surf City decided to start the 5k race nearly an hour after the Half, so for the final 2 or so miles, it turned into a calamitous sea of humans. Slow walkers, strollers, kids, families holding hands and walking four to five across. Instead of speeding to the finish for a PR, now you’re forced to dodge, weave, and occasionally slow down to avoid collisions. Terrible planning! It wasn’t until maybe the final quarter-mile when I saw race officials directing the 5k and marathon participants to the left, but by then it was already a mess.
Scenery/Support/Weather:
-There’s no lack of beaches in Southern California, and the Surf City Half is a nice way to appreciate SoCal surf culture by running through it. Not to be ungrateful, but I suppose the biggest drawback of endless beach views is that your perspective of the beaches doesn’t change much. There’s little major elevation change, so you’re constantly viewing the beaches from the same flat angle. Aid stations serving water and electrolytes were spaced out at roughly 1.5-mile intervals, which was just enough. Watermelon Gu chews were offered around Mile 8. The volunteers were great, much love to them! A couple bands provided music along the way, and a DJ hyped up everyone at the Mile 8 turnaround, but I would have liked more entertainment offerings because it got quiet at any points. Race day saw cool, cloudy conditions, with temperatures starting around 51 F at the start line, and ending around the 56 F when I crossed the finish line.
Post-race:
-Cross the finish line, and your goodies will include a finisher medal, a banana, Aquafina water, Zico coconut water, Chargel energy gel, Jambars, Doritos Cool Ranch, and True Moo chocolate milk just outside the exit corral. The post-race beer garden was sponsored by Michelob Ultra, and you could order more food from the various food trucks along the beach.
Swag:
-The Surf City Half Marathon always emphasizes Huntington Beach’s surf history, and this year was no different. The finisher medal was a silver swirl with the orange/blue surfboard Surf City logo at the center, atop a vertical yellow/white striped surfboard, which itself was on top of silver ring with translucent blue swirls. The medal was looped in a yellow ribbon with little orange surf board shadows. The official race shirt looked similar to past years’ multi-tone design, with a long sleeve shirt in blue, and the left sleeve in 3 shades of blue. The center of the shirt featured a classic light blue surf van in front of a circular image of an orange boardwalk, and the Surf City Marathon logo in the upper-left. If you’re a Longboard Legacy runner (having run multiple years in a row), you’ll be rewarded with a bonus shirt—a light orange, long sleeve shirt with a white horizontal oval path in the left chest corner and blue text stating “Longboard Legacy Club 2025”. The back of the shirt features a sketch of a blue surf van and palm trees on a white background, with “Surf City Marathon Feb 2 2025” and “Huntington Beach, CA Longboard Legacy Club” in blue text all around. It’s a very old-school beach vibe, and I dig it.
Bottom-line:
-The Surf City Half Marathon remains a good un along the beach, but it makes no sense to stage the 5k right after the start of the half marathon. I hope they move the 5k time back to the earlier slot because I’d rather navigate crowds at the beginning of the race than at the end when I’m sprinting hard to the finish line.
Great event - lousy course for 26.2
Expo was great, swag was great, crowd energy was great, and post-race was great. Marathon route was marginal overall. Miles 1-14 were fine - fun crowds, plenty of space, great … MORE
Expo was great, swag was great, crowd energy was great, and post-race was great.
Marathon route was marginal overall. Miles 1-14 were fine – fun crowds, plenty of space, great views, good variation. ~Mile 15 was combined with the 5K, so chaos ensued. Miles 16-26 were on a bike path open to the public, poorly signed, and less attended by water/support stations. I personally had a near physical altercation with an e-biker taking photos of other runners. During the back stretch, the route was 1/10 stars.
California Dreaming
Not a bad place to be in early February. Packet pickup and expo were along the beach, in the same area as the race start. There were a couple main … MORE
Not a bad place to be in early February.
Packet pickup and expo were along the beach, in the same area as the race start. There were a couple main tents with the bibs and shirts. The expo was fairly large with a lot of vendors and some good freebies. I was there when the expo opened on Sat. It was a little chaotic getting into the parking area, but they let us park for free since we were there for the packet pickup.
Race day parking was a bit of a mess as well. The best idea would be to park at one of their park and ride locations to avoid the mess. There was a 5K, half and full all with different start times. The half started at 7:15. The weather was almost perfect, just a little humid. There were no corrals. Runners were supposed to line up near one of the pace groups. Of course you had some who wanted to be in the front that should not have been, but otherwise, it wasn’t too congested in the beginning. There was a small part of the race that turned inshore and looped back over to PCH. Most of the race was along the Pacific Coast Highway with nice views of the ocean. The course was well marked and there were plenty of water stations. With the exception of a couple minor hills, it was relatively flat.
I only had one major complaint. I had about 1.5 miles to go and all I could see in from of me was a wall of people. All of the 5K walkers and slower runners took a left onto the course right in front of the half marathoners. It was very frustrating as I was trying to finish well. Most people were oblivious to the fact that others were trying to get by and they were spread across the entire road.
The finish had all of the usual fare and an after party with a beer garden. I left afterwards, so I could head to Joshua Tree, so I didn’t participate. The medal and shirt were cool with the surf theme since after all, we were in Surf City.
One Big Beach Party!
I recommend running the beach mile the day before your Sunday race. Then, you get a bonus Cowabunga challenge medal. Also, the beach mile comes with a great beach towel. … MORE
I recommend running the beach mile the day before your Sunday race. Then, you get a bonus Cowabunga challenge medal. Also, the beach mile comes with a great beach towel. It’s such a fun souvenir.
The shirts are great. Once you’ve hit 3 years of consecutive Surf City races, you get legacy status and get a cool ling sleeved cotton shirt. Their buttery soft. Mine end up being my winter pajamas. It’s so fun to live the race experience almost every day during cold weather. The long sleeve is great for changing into after a summer evening run, after the sun sets.
The race metal is a surfboard. What more can you want? There are also a lot of photo ops, and a beer garden at the finish. I really enjoy seeing my friends on the racecourse. The out and back course, is perfect for seeing both your faster, friends and slower friends. Plenty of time for cheers and high-fives.
One recommendation I would make, is for the volunteers to have pictures for the electrolytes and water. This will help immensely for those of us who have hydration packs, or carry our own handheld water bottles. Way too much time is lost every year with unprepared or unequipped volunteers. The volunteers themselves are always great. Very friendly and helpful. They just need a little training and the tools for those of us who carry our own bottles or packs.
Smooth & fun !
I really enjoyed getting to run alongside the beach. I honestly didn't mind the long stretches between miles 5 and 9 (or 10?) It was fun to see and cheer … MORE
I really enjoyed getting to run alongside the beach. I honestly didn’t mind the long stretches between miles 5 and 9 (or 10?) It was fun to see and cheer on the runners ahead or behind when you run past them the opposite way – it’s like seeing future or recent past-you while continuing your run! After the race, I much preferred going out to the beach and sitting on the sand and wading in the waves in the peaceful rush of lapsing water over the pulse of the busy celebration expo area up near the finish/start line. I am not from California, so it was fun for me to experience the nice weather and beach setting while also enjoying the satisfaction of a PR and endorphins.
The only main setback I would say – are that the people intermixed around the finish line were from all three races, including the 5K, and there were some walkers around the spot that several half marathoners were finishing and trying to speed up. So we had to dodge the walkers.
Flat and Fast
flat course only 100ish ft of elevation gain over the half marathon only real climbs are in mile 4 and 11 nice ocean views most of the race only issue … MORE
flat course only 100ish ft of elevation gain over the half marathon
only real climbs are in mile 4 and 11
nice ocean views most of the race
only issue was parking get to the race early (1 hour plus before start time)
you’ll have a lot of people to run with and there are pacers for times starting at 1:30
My First 26.2!
Why I Chose Surf City for My First Marathon I decided to run the Surf City Marathon as my first-ever 26.2 because it holds a special place in my heart … MORE
Why I Chose Surf City for My First Marathon
I decided to run the Surf City Marathon as my first-ever 26.2 because it holds a special place in my heart – it was also the first half marathon I ever ran! 🏅 I absolutely loved that race, from the stunning beach views to the amazing crowd support, and I knew the full marathon would be just as incredible. Plus, Surf City is a flat course (huge win for a first-timer!), and the race shirts & medals are always gorgeous.
Race Day Overview
Race morning started off with some unexpected chaos – our hotel was on the Disneyland Half Marathon route, and we hadn’t factored in the street closures. After a last-minute detour (shoutout to a very nice Garden Grove police officer!), we finally made it to Huntington Beach. I grabbed coffee and a bagel from Starbucks, got to the start line with plenty of time, and before I knew it, I was off!
The first few miles felt amazing, and I was on pace for a 5:30:00 finish. But by mile 6, my foot started to hurt, likely from the 15 miles I had walked at Disneyland two days prior.
I saw my husband at mile 14, which gave me a huge boost, and I grabbed the rest of my fuel. A fun highlight of the race? A group of runners stopped at an aid station to dance to Gangnam Style, a moment that brought back memories of running the Surf City Half in 2017!
The toughest stretch was miles 17-23 – a quiet, lonely out-and-back on a walking path with no spectators and very few runners. It felt endless, and I was struggling both physically and mentally. I texted Ryan that I felt like I’d never finish, and Kristen reminded me to focus on my breath, not my pain. That message kept me going.
By mile 23, I was finally back near other runners, and I blasted my favorite music to push through the final stretch. As I approached the finish line, my headphones announced they were dying, but at that moment, nothing else mattered – I was about to become a marathoner.
I wasn’t able to run under the official finish line since race staff was already packing up, but I ran past it on the sidewalk – straight into my husband’s arms, where I hugged him and sobbed. 😭💙
Because I. DID. IT.
I’M A MARATHONER. 🏅
Final Thoughts: Would I Recommend Surf City?
✅ Yes! Surf City is an amazing race – flat, scenic, well-organized, and with plenty of aid stations. The crowd support is fantastic (except for miles 17-23 😅), and the medals + shirts are always gorgeous.
Would I run another marathon? TBD. Would I run Surf City again? Absolutely. 💙
Beautiful scenery and mostly flat
Course was fairly easy, some inclines but nothing that will kill you. ran along the beach almost all of the way, my first time doing this race and I will … MORE
Course was fairly easy, some inclines but nothing that will kill you. ran along the beach almost all of the way, my first time doing this race and I will be back to complete the full in 2026!
Let’s get our beach run on woohoo
If you are doing your first half what better course then run along the beach. They have plenty of water stands and restroom stops. HB has a lot of people … MORE
If you are doing your first half what better course then run along the beach. They have plenty of water stands and restroom stops. HB has a lot of people out cheering for all runners.
Well-organized race, polite runners!
Great scenery, polite runners having a fun time and very well-organized. The course itself is also flat enough to score a PR if you train right! I hope to do … MORE
Great scenery, polite runners having a fun time and very well-organized. The course itself is also flat enough to score a PR if you train right! I hope to do this race every year!
Easy Flat Course with Big Celebration
I loved the flat course! There was only one hill and a few rollers on the bike path but that didn't affect my speed. I was pleasantly surprised to see … MORE
I loved the flat course! There was only one hill and a few rollers on the bike path but that didn’t affect my speed. I was pleasantly surprised to see so many music cheer stations spread out. The vibes were definitely a plus. Another noteworthy thing about Surf City is the treatment post-race. Volunteers were incredibly kind and hooked runners up with coconut water, chips, granola bar, bananas, and chocolate milk–all my favorites! I recommend this race to all my running friends, from the more elite athletes who are shooting for a PR to the party pace crowd. Everyone is guaranteed a fun time.
Race Course by the Coast
Miles and miles of Pacific Ocean views! Race date is perfect time of the year with cool weather! The running communities provide great support, motivation, and encouragement! MORE
Miles and miles of Pacific Ocean views! Race date is perfect time of the year with cool weather! The running communities provide great support, motivation, and encouragement!
So boring
The first half of the course is fine. The second half, the hardest half of a race, was torture. You have to backtrack and run away from the finish line. … MORE
The first half of the course is fine. The second half, the hardest half of a race, was torture. You have to backtrack and run away from the finish line. It’s straight and desolate. Not fans, not enough water stations. Boring.
Great race by the ocean
Relatively flat course with couple of slight hills. One is early in tge race and last one is between mile 9 and mile 10. Fun atmosphere and right along the … MORE
Relatively flat course with couple of slight hills. One is early in tge race and last one is between mile 9 and mile 10. Fun atmosphere and right along the beach on the Pacific Coast Highway
Beautiful course great event and staff
This is a beautiful course with few slight inclines. Mostly flat! Lots of ocean scenery. You will enjoy it! The last stretch was challenging but the energy of spectators and … MORE
This is a beautiful course with few slight inclines. Mostly flat! Lots of ocean scenery. You will enjoy it! The last stretch was challenging but the energy of spectators and volunteers helps you to push to the end!
Pretty Course with mild hills
I like the design of the course having three separate parts all weaving next to the Pacific Ocean. The biggest complaint is that there was not enough nutrition given out … MORE
I like the design of the course having three separate parts all weaving next to the Pacific Ocean. The biggest complaint is that there was not enough nutrition given out by aid stations, especially on that last out and back stretch. There are 3 total very very mild hills, which were not difficult. Loved the expo and the finisher medal.
Surf City Marathon for Life🥰
This is one of my favorite races.Close to home,amazing view,the atmosphere and Everything.I am a legacy Runner.Highly recommend.If u haven't run this course,come out and do it.U won't regret it.Ready … MORE
This is one of my favorite races.Close to home,amazing view,the atmosphere and Everything.I am a legacy Runner.Highly recommend.If u haven’t run this course,come out and do it.U won’t regret it.Ready for next year🥰😊
Great For Beginners
Had fun running this race. Weather was great. Course was flat and great for beginner runners. Spectators helped keep the energy levels up for the runners. I completed the Beach … MORE
Had fun running this race. Weather was great. Course was flat and great for beginner runners. Spectators helped keep the energy levels up for the runners. I completed the Beach Cities Challenge with this race.
Good views, most flat, perfect weather
The medal is super cool and there were aid stations every mile and a half or so as well as after tough parts of the race like an uphill. There … MORE
The medal is super cool and there were aid stations every mile and a half or so as well as after tough parts of the race like an uphill. There were some parts of the race that were pretty lonely and no med tents really along the course. If you have anyone cheering you one there’s lots of switch backs so it’s easy for them to see you a few times as well. Definitely would recommend if you want nice weather and a PR but it won’t be the most high energy production or crowd compared to some of the bigger marathons. But, overall the production and expo was smooth and fun and I enjoyed every minute of it!