After a miserable winter, I was hoping that my first trip to Southern California would live up to the hype. I entered this as a destination race - and what a destination! Great weather, great fun, great volunteers on the course, and a great expo. Other than a wait in a queue to get into the expo, there wasn't anything I could complain about. I was especially wowed by all of the kids who came out to work the course and the water stations on the course - it was so uplifting that I really looked forward to the next water station! My only regret is that I have to leave.

This has to be the best-organized marathon I've run. The logistics for 2011 were flawless, from what I saw. Here are the overall pluses and minuses.

Pros:
- Weather was mostly in the 50's, plus no sun, thanks to an early start time.
- Course was flat.
- The marathon had good separation from the other races, whose runners made up 90% of the participants.
- There was free parking for the marathoners, plus efficient shuttles to and from the race.
- Plenty of fluids (although the PowerAde destroyed my stomach) and jello thingies at Mile 18 or so.
- Fanwise, it isn't LA or NY in terms of numbers, but they really come out for the race and offer their support.
- Course is clearly marked and the organizers were very friendly.
- Best shirts and medals I've seen.
- Price is a good deal compared to LA and the other majors, especially if you register early.

Cons:
- Mile 1-9 through are inland and fairly pretty, going through the marshes and parks, but the rest of the race is basically three laps on Pacific Coast Highway, which is fun the first time, but less so the next two.
- The path was a little thin along the beachfront, but this is the price you pay for good scenery. Not much of a complaint.
- The bands were incredibly loud; it's not that I don't love the Beach Boys, but the crooning and whining can drive a man insane after 12 miles of running.

Basically, I would recommend this as a fun destination race, and one with good terrain/elevation, but, like most California races, it's hard to set a PR here.

I've now done 28 marathons and this was my 1st Surf City... though last year I did the half. Good vibrations... one of the better ones! Well organized: lots of energy, a nice, Trader Joe's-looking shopping bag, the coolest surfboard medal, and a pretty design on the long-sleeve tech shirt, too. These early start Cali Marathons don't draw the fans out early, but organizers can't help that. This is one to do!

Overall, a "must-do marathon" - if only for the awesome surfboard medal, and the amazing view of the Pacific Ocean for much of the course. Well organized, great volunteers and enthusiastic crowds! The whole vibe of the day is positive and fun. My only complaints are: Being sent back up PCH at mile 16, away from the finish area, when you can hear the finish line... just makes that last trek seem like forever. But I guess that's how they get a more scenic ocean course? A couple of places on the path (at the beach) were tight, and had non-participating runners, cyclists, and random people - causing a few close calls for collisions. And lastly, the finish area was completely fenced in, and I felt like I walked a mile to get out and find my friends. Just a little over-protected maybe?

But really, minor little complaints. Overall, the day and experience were fantastic, and I will run this marathon again!

This was my first marathon and I couldn't have picked a better race.

Pros:
-Good course (minus the out-and-back on PCH, where you will be descended upon by the 18,000 half marathoners)
-Great course for spectators, who can meet you easily at several points
-Well organized - tons of porta-potties, water stations, and treats
-Majority of the kids at the stations were hilarious and great cheerleaders (minus the few that yelled, "Only 23 more miles to go!").
-Fabulous bling (medal)- unique and appropriate for the venue!

Things to change :
-Marathon map needs to be adjusted - the turn onto the beach path indicated the turn would be at ~15.5 miles, but it occurred at ~16.5
-Mile markers needed to specify whether they were for the marathon or the half
- Marathon instructions indicated 2 wave starts... but there were at least 4....


Oh... and it's amazing how the weather suddenly turned perfect for race day, regardless of the downpours that occurred the day before.

Pros: Great pre-race expo with polite volunteers and good merchandise. Very efficient set up. The course was full of beautiful views - even the portion through residential area was very nice. The wave start was a plus to prevent us from running over the top of the slower runners. The PCH is wide enough to spread everyone out fairly quickly and safely. Well staffed stations with good non-sweet electrolyte drink. Lots of porta-johns throughout the course. Extremely cool finisher's medal, and a nice, long-sleeve, tech shirt. The most efficient post-race recovery snack system I've seen (pre-filled post-race bags handed to runners towards the tail of the chute). Although there are many quiet sections along the course, the crowds cheering during the last few miles were very motivating to hear and see. Great race temperatures.

Cons: Really unusual split increments, including no half split. Flat except for a couple of SERIOUS hills you hit between miles 6 - 10. They were supposed to have Lara Bars and other refueling treats at the mile 6/8 station, but I didn't see them if they were there. Don't remember seeing any gels anywhere along the course either. The last 12 miles were double out-and-back, which I'm not a fan of, but hey, it's along the PCH, so at least there were snow-capped mountains on one side and huge waves crashing on the beach on the other... simply beautiful. My only serious complaint is that the already narrow bike path along the beach was congested with MANY Surf City residents on bikes who seemed oblivious to the fact that we were racing. This was not only annoying for slowing us down, but it was a safety hazard for runners.

Valuable tip: Spring for the Hyatt Spa and Resort. Share a room with a friend or two to make it more economical. You can easily get your packet pick up, and also walk/limp back to your room after the race. The Hyatt offers a $2 round-trip shuttle service to downtown, which is valuable to keep unnecessary mileage off your legs pre- and post-marathon, and saves money compared to the taxis at $7 - $10 one way. Plus the Hyatt is just an incredible resort with a nice pool and hot tub to enjoy after the race (BYOB though for money's sake). Also, I suggest staying an additional day and enjoy the downtown area without all of the other runners around. Great town, nice people, wonderful scenery, incredible food!

I did this with two friends, one of whom BQ'd. We'll likely do this one each year for the getaway and for a truly wonderful race. Thanks, Surf City!

My friends and I do several "destination" marathons and half marathons a year. We chose this one for the sun, since it is winter where we are!

We ran the marathon. I would have to say that this is really geared for the half, and the full is just an add on. Overall, the race was fine. It's a pretty run with mountains, ocean and a nice park all in view. Not much for fan support or entertainment on the course. The kids at the water stations were energetic. But I found a bit of a shortage of water nearing the last 8 miles.

Packet pick up was fine. It was pretty crowded in the tents, so really, "shopping" for gear was out of the question. I did like that you could try on the shirts prior to receiving one to ensure a nice fit. It's a nice, long-sleeve, technical shirt. They had run out of full marathon maps, so my friends were left guessing as to the exact route. There were plenty of half marathon maps.

My biggest problem with the event was that there was no gear check bags. At most of the races I've done, your packet pick up bag IS the gear check bag, and you label it with your race number. In an attempt to be green, they gave out reusable shopping bags that really couldn't be closed or labeled for gear check. Thankfully I had family present to hold my phone, keys, jacket, etc. But often this is not the case and could have been a big problem.

The full marathon said it was going to have a 5-hour pacer, but there wasn't one, so I got behind the 4:45 pacer. There was no real organization to the start. They said we would start in 2 waves, but there was no time requirements for either wave. A bit confusing. We are slow, so we just headed for the back of the pack.

The race start did take place under the moonlight and was quite pretty. The website describes a hill at mile 3-4 but we doubled back - likely due to the recent rains and ended up with a good sized hill at mile 9. That's about the time when the half marathoners started passing us. At first it was just the elites, and they were instructed to stay to the left, with the rest of us on the right. But then it became a full overtaking of faster runners juking in and out of us 10-minute-milers. I'm sure they were not excited about trying to get around us either. This went on for almost 8 miles before the full marathoners turned onto the beach. I found it mentally distracting. I had been on pace for a PR but being passed for nearly an hour I began to feel that I wasn't doing well. In a sport that requires so much mental toughness, you don't need that kind of discouragement during a marathon!

Once on the beach, I thought it would be better, but then it really got interesting. They didn't close the trail (this was noted on the website), but I didn't realize how many people would be walking dogs, riding bikes, or even running (not as part of the race). Many were cutting in and out of the marathon runners. Couple this with less-than-ideal water stations and it made for a long last 10 miles. On a positive note, there were tons of porta pottys along the way and never a line.

The finish line food was fine. Although, in a "green" marathon, they gave everyone a plastic bag filled with food. Some of which I wouldn't have taken. Then we made our way to the beer tent only to find that our 2 freebies were no longer available. They had run out of beer.

We ended up with a beautiful sunny day after a chilly start, and it was a pretty course. I would not run this one again. The medal is pretty cool and I'll add it to my collection!

This is definitely a challenge! Of course, 26.2 foot-miles is no walk in the park in itself, but you certainly will be challenged here. I've run 2 Surf City Marathons and 2 Surf City Half-Marathons. I won't repeat some of the same pros and cons others have noted, but I'll hopefully add a few myself. On the subject of food provided on the course, they should add a few more liquid-type items such as gels, and/or oranges. Solids can end up stuck in your throat, which is what happened to me last year. Of course, you should bring your own, but cut oranges would certainly provide a welcome refreshment in that broiling sun. The up-and-back during the last 5 miles definitely wears on your mind and body, and an interesting diversion in the course would be welcome. Have cut bananas and BAGELS handy SOON after crossing the finish line, instead of having runners snake through crowds to the tent. In any event, that classic California ocean view just can't be beat!

The course for this race is easy to traverse but pretty stunning, especially with the last stretch of miles along the beach bike path, seeing the waves rolling in. The first few miles are also nice enough, going all around a local park. Out-and-backs are always fun because you can see friends and fellow racers coming and going. The staggered starts for the half made it a bit annoying, as the really fast halfers darted through the slower marathoners when we were in double digit miles and they were still fresh and strong. It was like bullets whizzing by - a bit scary!

Organization was pretty fine. The expo is set up okay, but it is very warm and stuffy in the tent. But there was quite a bit to see and do. Race morning is not easy - parking is sort of hellish and far away! Post-race is fun, though, with coffee (it gets chilly despite the pretty sunshine), beer, and massages (which take forever to get to!). Spectators along the course were great, quite attentive to our needs, cheering, and even offering to splash water on me when I was really hot! Overall, another great experience here - it was my very first marathon in 2007, and now, almost 50 marathons later, it's still a gem! :)

I had a wonderful time at a great race. What a beautiful day for a run. The energy of the other competitors and the crowd was amazing.