I'm a marathon coach, and an avid runner, and this was my first year being involved with this race. I ran the half marathon this year, and brought about 20 of my participants (Team In Training - San Gabriel Valley Team) out with me, for a final prep race for the LA Marathon.

Working with two people from Race Pace was delightful (Louise & Stephen), they were so helpful and very accommodating. The course wasn't flat, and I feel that there should be a course profile with an elevation chart and the course map should have mile markers, but as far as I'm concerned, the hills (or inclines & declines) were beneficial. They weren't enough to slow you significantly, and you made the time up on the downhills! We ran THREE sub-7 minute miles! I train my runners on hills, and they all set their PR's yesterday for the half marathon.

My most significant complaint was they had mistakingly put the mile 25 & 12 markers together, when I knew mile 12 wasn't for another 0.1 miles. I didn't tell my runner so he still thought we only had 1.1 to go. I have heard about the sometimes nasty winds on the course (up to 20-40 miles per hour?!) and I prepared myself and my runners for it. The wind was light, the weather was perfect, and overall it was a great experience. We'll be back next year. Go Team In Training!!!

This is a GREAT marathon. I've run 60 some marathons, including virtually all of the top rated marathons in the WORLD. It just doesn't get any better than the Pacific Shoreline. Scenic, flat, fast, well organized and fun. To anyone who wrote comments that this course had hills - you have no idea what a hill is, this is as flat as one can ever find.

To those who might want a three ring circus with screeching crowds that will give you a migrain by the end - wait a month and run the disorganized fiasco in Los Angeles. The crowds in Huntington Beach are topnotch. You want incredible ocean and park scenery, a managable size field, friendly organizers and volunteers, likelihood of perfect weather (although that is always a wild card) don't miss this one. Can't find description to adequately give justice to this marathon. Oh yeah, one more thing... the coolest surfboard-shaped medals! Keep this one a secret, though, to keep it on the smallish size.

This year I recieved no medal, no t-shirt, and no Main Street. It is the Huntington Beach marathon and not the Hyatt Marathon, right??? After running in this race for several years why would someone mess up a good thing? Lots of nice goodies, thank you.

I participated in my second consecutive Pacific Shoreline Half Marathon and it will be my last. This was the most poorly run half marathon or marathon that I have ever participated in and I participate in several a year. For the second year in a row I did not receive a medal because when I finished they were gone. I am a walker, but walk at a fairly quick pace (approx. 15 minute miles). It appeared that at least 100 people would have finished the half marathon after I did and also would not have received medals. It should be noted that I was a pre-registered participant. Last year it took over two months for me to receive a medal. I am not sure why I came back this year, but I felt everyone deserves a second chance. A second chance - but not a third! Additionally, I finished the half marathon in about 3 hours and 25 minutes. By the time I reached the refreshment area the snacks were GONE. The only thing available was some liquid yogurt drinks. This is of grave concern to me because not only were many half marathon participants not yet finished, but a great deal of marathon participants had not come in yet. This is a potentially life threatening situation for someone who just finished walking or running 26.2 miles. It should also be noted that when I passed the station where they were handing out the gel packets, they were also gone. No other refreshments except water and Ultima drink was available on the course. I have participated in events that have charged a lower entry fee, were much larger and run vastly better. I feel completely dissatisfied and feel this event was a disgrace. Pretty sad.

I only ran the 1/2, but I liked the race. The weather was hot, but this was record high temps for SoCal-- what are you gonna do? It should have been 50 degrees instead of 70 degrees at the start. The course is nice, the medals are great, and I have only 2 minor quibbles:

1) The post-race refreshments were very poorly done. There was a 15+ minute wait after the race to get any sort of food, which means most of us probably skipped it. Post-marathon chaos is much more efficient than one lo-o-ong line to dole out the food. Water was easily available, though.

2) I don't really have anything against PowerShot, but GU packets are just SOO much easier to open, I wish they had them instead.

The organization and execution of this race was sometimes disappointing. The organizers don't provide an elevation map on their literature or website, and the course map didn't include mile markers, making planning the race and specatating harder than it should be. The boardwalk section of the course wasn't closed to traffic, which necessitated dodging people strolling along 2, 3, 4 wide on the path. Also, the race drink (G-Push) was not announce until 1 week before the race, far too late to train with it.

The course while mostly scenic and flat, is definitely not 'flat and fast' as advertised. There are a few steep hills, and they're located after mile 16, with the steepest about mile 22 when you may be struggling already.

There was very little crowd support, except at the finish, but the aid stations were well manned with enthusiastic people.

Unpredictable weather isn't anyone's fault, but the record 86 degree temps this year absolutely affected race performance. Personnel manning the medical tents did an excellent job and are to be commended.

First time I have run this and I thought it was a great local event. Everything went smootly for me. I followed the organizer's advice for parking and also arriving early. The course was very scenic. It is about as flat as you will find for a long race on the coast -- which is to say generally, but not entirely, flat. I thought the weather in 2003 was good, especially compared to the wind and rain possibilities. This race also has the advantage of free parking and race day number pick-up. No special trips and no extra costs. That makes this a very economical event.

I ran the half marathon in 2003. I have completed five marathons and three half marathons and this is the first time I have ever been denied a medal as they ran out. I collect marathon medals and to finish and be told they ran out is not a way to run a race. I emailed the organzer and was told the medal would be in the mail. Over a month later I am still waiting. Otherwise a beautiful course and plenty of water. Goodies were sparse at the finish line. Plan to bring your own fruit and beverages. Not enough toilets! Still I will return next year to run the marathon.

I came to Pacific Shoreline because it reported to offer a flat course in pleasant weather. It turned out to offer neither. The day was sunny and warm from the gun. All the runners I spoke with were negatively affected. Even spectators felt uncomfortable. The biggest disappointment was the course, however. It was not flat as advertised and should not be classified as fast. The bike path (referred to as a boardwalk in race literature) was not closed to traffic. We had to weave in and out of bicycle traffic, walkers, etc. The inland portion of the course was considerably warmer (forget the notion of an ocean breeze) and wandered through a park with numerous elevation changes and sharp turns. The finish line recovery area was approximately 15 x 15 feet. Poor specatator maps (without mile markers) will make your family's efforts to see you difficult at best. I will not be back.

The first 18 miles along the coast are among the most scenic I have ever seen. The ocean was simply beautiful. The marathon was well organized with plenty of fluid stops and lots of Cliff Shot to keep you energized. The course is pretty flat with only a couple of hills in the latter half of the course. I will definitely run this again!