Finished this race in about 4:25, slower than I planned. Course only has two turns, so you ran 2-1/2 miles with the wind, then turned and ran 13.1 miles with a headwind. Can be discouraging. Nice bird life, enjoyed the pelicans just off the beach. Plenty of food when I ate and people were still eating when I left around 1pm, 6 hours after race start.

First the Negatives: Two of the water stations in the latter stages of the marathon course had been abandoned, not good for the runners. Then, many people who finished at or near the back of the pack had no food or drink waiting for them......nothing. I learned from some earlier finishers that there was no monitoring of the food lines and they were wiped out early on, not good. The marathon organizers know how many people are still out on the course, and they should avoid people getting seconds and thirds, it just takes a little attention to detail.
Positive: Excellent course. Beautiful Gulf of Mexico. Looking forward to 2014.

I was so impressed by this race in so many ways. They were watching weather and did everything to make sure they would be able to keep the runners safe and still have the run. The swag was fantastic. First timers get a duffel bag that has the race logo and is just a great bag for the gym or weekend away. The shirt has NO sponsors on it, just the logo and was very nice. The medal was great and there was also a coaster with the race logo to take home. The course is on the beach, it's a drive beach, but can be soft in spots. I'd love to go back and run it just to try it barefoot because it's a perfect course for that. After party was nice, lots of good food and just nice atmosphere. Best of all, this was a race that they had insurance to offer refunds if due to weather, illness or injury they offered to refund your race fee. All for only $65. I opted to do this race because my parents were wintering nearby, I would definitely consider making a point to go to the race and run it just because it was such a nice race...what more do you need than the sound of waves for 26.2 miles?

First time (2012) to run a full marathon on the beach exclusively. I'm glad I gave it a shot. For that the course gets four stars. Organization was average except the committee had to deal with severe weather, so I increased it to four stars other runners may disagree entirely with that position however. There were no spectators, not even the volunteers standing by the aid stations because they had to turn their backs to the runners to avoid being slapped in the face by rain torrents. The only spectator that day was the good lord above who ensured no one was struck by all the lightning happening around us.

This weather was by far worse than White Rock, however, the temperature was in the mid- to high-60's, so I decided to finish the race despite the lightning. Post-race gathering was okay, but I couldn't afford to stick around for the awards ceremony because the weather was threatening my return drive that afternoon. Volunteers on the course receive five stars for their perseverence through the weather. Thank you.

A marathon completely on the Beach. I had this race on my wish list for years and finally did it. I picked up my packet and was promised that food would be left even though I am a pretty slow runner. The rain started at the gun and stopped 5 hours later as I finished. I went into the clubhouse very hungry to find...tons of bbq and fresh smoothies wanting for me. Sure the rain and streams we ran through was taxing but to have the post race food still there as promised was priceless. The volunteers at every single aid station were soaked and freezing yet very energetic and nice. I was more than impressed with this race and given the chance would ran in again even in the same conditions. The race director is the real deal. Thanks for the great time, Surfside.

Surfside Beach Marathon
Surfside Beach, TX
Saturday, February 18, 2012
7:00 AM

First of all, we all knew that it would be raining hard, resulting in a tough marathon to run. The blowing rain, wind, streams of rain water, & washed out beach sands made it quite challenging & rather unpleasant, indeed. Also, we were not expecting spectators. Nevertheless, personally, I was glad that the run was not canceled. Surprisingly, the race organizers offered refunds to those who had decided not to show up!

The packet pickup on Friday afternoon/evening was very efficient. Each runner received a long-sleeved technical shirt, a ceramic tile with the name & logo of the event on it, & a personalized bib number. This was my first time running the Surfside Beach Marathon; thus, I was given a nice duffle bag too!

Race morning temperature was in the 60s. We ran on the beach for 26.2 miles. We first ran an out-&-back for about 5 miles towards S/SW & then the longer out-&-back towards N/NE. There were mile markers. I thanked the volunteers for staying out there in the heavy rain, staffing the aid stations & remaining cheerful & encouraging.

The finisher's medal was nice. There were plenty of recovery food items & drinks awaiting the finishers inside the community center at Stahlman Park (BBQ, breakfast tacos, smoothies, cookies, oranges, soft drinks, & bottled water). It was a well-organized running event & it was obvious that the race organizers had done everything they could to make it a runner-friendly event. If the weather cooperates, it can be a nice marathon to run.

There were 161 (111 male, 50 female) finishers in the average time of 4:53:05. The winning times were 2:56:31 (overall male), 3:26:52 (overall female), 3:15:12 (masters male), & 3:55:04 (masters female). There were 384 half marathon finishers & the winning times were 1:31:18 (overall male), 1:40:48 (overall female), 1:36:00 (masters male), & 1:56:19 (masters female).

This was my marathon #91.

Overall, this was a great marathon. It was well organized, well supported and had great swag. Packet pick-up was a breeze, as was chip pick-up the next morning. The race started on time and a familiar Texas thunderstorm joined us within the first ten minutes, continuing intermittently the entire time I was out. The out and back on the beach was both a blessing and a curse depending on which mile you asked me.

Cons:
Pretty much everything in this section has to do with the weather in which we ran this marathon.
* many of the mile markers were blown down/away by the wind/rain/surf combo
* much of the Gatorade (which was supplied in the pre-mixed form) was watered down by the rain
* there were surprisingly wide and deep 'rivers' created by the rain water draining down to the ocean; much sand/silt wound up in my shoes due to running through these
* the sand up by the porta potties on the course was boggy enough that you sank in several inches as you ran to and from
* It would be nice if the start/finish line were built up vertically a bit more so it's visible from a little further out.

Pros:
*Great (like AMAZINGLY Great) volunteer crew to stand out in the pouring rain!
* Great after race food (BBQ, baked beans, potato salad, etc. Smoothies, cookies, etc)
* plenty of porta potties at the start and on the course (well stocked with toilet paper!) and water/Gatorade tables (no food/Gu)
* very nice, unique sand dollar finisher medal
* wonderful indoor after-race 'party' location in which to dry off, warm up, sit and fellowship with other runners, etc.
* after race professional leg massage!
* and did I mention the GREAT volunteers??... no, seriously, they were great!

Oh, and to those worried about running on the sand, it is seriously very hard packed down by the beach. It felt like running on a new track... somewhat springy, but not too much resistence or loss of footing because of it. However, watch the weather report... having to jump down a foot into a stream of running water where the drainage channels formed and then back up on legs with 24 miles on them, not my idea of fun...

Other than the rain, though, this was a WONDERFUL marathon. Very well done!

I chose the 50K option for this year. Well organized, well staffed. Running on the beach for 20 miles was great. Water stations were everywhere. Near the end there were personnel keeping
water stops open and the Surfside Police Dept. had water bottles for back-of-the-pack folks like me. Plenty of food, drinks and camaraderie at the finish line. Looking forward to 2012!

I would recommend this marathon to anyone. Course was beautiful, although it was a little difficult to run on the sand. Volunteers were very friendly and nice. Water stops were well stocked and at every 1.5 miles. Great value - registration is inexpensive compared to other races and you get 2 shirts, a gym bag with logo, medal, coaster, smoothie after the race, and full BBQ plate after the race. The runners were also very friendly. The early start for the marathoners was also a good options for slower finishers like myself.

I have run a few marathons through the years and, as many, most of us typically tend to focus on the larger and well-known races. Frankly, after running Surfside, I will begin to pay more attention to smaller races where convenience, overall race experience and organization are clearly better than in most big races.

In my view, the organizer put together a very solid race. Nothing fancy, but if what you like is to test your abilities and to have fun in a different type of course, this is your race.

The sand is certainly not a real issue (yes, maybe it is not the absolute optimal surface to run your PB, but it is easy on your body for sure and is NOT that slow either, in my view). The fact that you are a short walking distance from/to the start/finish line is great, and the start is easy (especially good for first-time runners and those who like to pick their own pace without being bothered). The number and chip distribution is fast and organized, the water stations are sufficient (offering plenty of opportunity to drink as much as required) and, generally speaking, the entire race is very well put together.

Of course, there are small elements that can be improved, but at the end of the day, I will most certainly recommend this race to people regardless of whether they are seasoned marathoners or novices.
Well done, and congratulations. Hope to be able to race again next year.