"PRIOR PREPARATION PREVENTS PISS POOR PERFORMANCE"

Good Morning Surf City USA.

WOW, is what I've got to say about the Surf City USA Marathon. From start to finish this was a super well organized marathon in an equally relaxed environment. This years event hailed about 20000 entrants, 17000 doing the half marathon and about 2413 running the full marathon and they did it all on my birthday, now how knurly and really "cool" is that! The marathon is limited to about 2000 runners because the course is not completely closed to other traffic in some areas, such as the bike and walking paths on the beach of the pacific ocean. From mile 16 to mile 25 you are running on a black top path on the Huntington Pacific Beach and finishing on the "PCH".

The day before the race I attended the expo that was set up in the parking lot at Huntington Pacific Beach under some great big tents. Everything about the race was set up on the lot including a huge secure tent for your clothing drop bag the next morning and not left unattended in a field like the Utah Valley Marathon. The expo had everything running for sale as usual.

On race day morning they closed the "PCH", Pacific Coast Highway from Seal Beach at Warner Avenue to Beach Boulevard, some 12 miles. The starting and finish line are located near the famous Huntington Beach pier in the middle of the Pacific Coast Highway. It was really neat as the organizers encouraged all the runners to visit the starting line early and often on race day morning. There was "Surfing" music blaring from loud speakers every where! Hey and at the starting line there were two "Woody" vans that lead the runners down the PCH to start the race. I don't think I've ever been to a more runner/people friendly race in my life. The atmosphere there was nothing short of fabulous!

The race started for the wheelchair racers at 6:28 am at about 48 degrees and was followed by the first wave at 6:30 am, bibs elite thru 1999. Hey I was in the first wave right up next to the elites, all six of them. The first wave was off right at 6:30am and the following waves were released in two minute intervals for the full marathon. The half marathon crowd started at 7:45am.

The race starts on the "PCH" and quickly after about two miles turns off into the Bolsa Chica Wetlands for about 8 miles of running thru the local neighborhood and wetlands park area, then back out on the "PCH" for six more miles before you to be diverted off on the black top beach pathway. It seemed like you could see the Pacific Ocean almost every step you took except when you were in the Bolsa Wetlands. Seeing the sunrise as you were starting the race was breath taking to say the least!

Three times on the course, the course causes the runners to double back and you get to see the leaders on the course and the runners following you. It's pretty neat and all the positive feed back you get for all the runners is just super!

At mile 25 you pop off the beach path back on to the "PCH" and make you way to the finish thru the huge crowds of spectators and runners that have finished. It's a pretty ruckus crowd! By the end of my race it was about 68 or 70 degrees.....just plain comfortable!

As for my race this day, it went perfectly. I went out at about an 8 minute per mile pace and decided the I'd hold it for awhile and later on back it off to about a 9 minute pace so as to save the equipment (my body) for my next marathon in two weeks. This was my 11th marathon in 341 days with my 12th marathon in 356 days coming on February 19th at The Lost Dutchman in Arizona. One more marathon to finish my Birthday Challenge of 12 marathons in 12 months!!! I finished the Surf City USA marathon with a 3:56:24. 677th overall out of 2413 runners and 9th place in my old man division of 53 runners.

I highly recommend this race to everybody with a pair of running shoes and sun tan oil and fully intend on running it again in the near future when I'm not so tired.

Oh yea, at the end of the race Kona Brewery and Michelobe light had a beer tent where you could wet your whistle and tell lies to perfect strangers. I sure wish Utah marathons would move into modern times.....

Updated: Feb 5, 2012 03:56 PST