Surf City Marathon (prev. Pacific Shoreline Marathon) - Race Reviews

INTRODUCTION: I am a racewalker with a median marathon completion time of 5:24:10. The Surf City USA Marathon was my sixty-sixth 26.2-miler accomplished. COURSE: It was a great day for a marathon: 46 degrees, 51 percent relative humidity, and calm. Our course began on Pacific Coast Highway (PCH) at Huntington Street. In an NNW direction, we passed by downtown in our first mile continuing on toward Seapoint Street at mile 2.9. Turning inland, we headed toward Huntington Beach Park. Upon reaching it just past mile 5, our course narrowed down to a winding foot path, punctuated by occasional dirt and a one-time soft surface underneath a jungle gym, for the next two miles. Mostly backtracking to PCH, we encountered our only significant hill, a short 0.3-mile, 54-foot incline on Edwards Street at mile 9 between Talbert Avenue and Ellis Avenue. Shortly after, we would no longer have the course to ourselves for the rest of the race. Beginning with our turn onto Overlook Drive, we would be joined by the half marathon runners, who outnumbered us by more than six to one. For tortoise marathon participants, we would initially be passed by runners running at a pace more than four minutes per mile faster. Three-fourths into mile ten, we returned back to PCH heading northward toward Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve for the next 2.4 miles. We then returned in the opposite direction for the next 4.2 miles where we separated from the half marathoners at mile 16.4. At 14th Street, U-turning northbound onto the Huntington City Beach bike trail, as warned by the organizers, we encountered cyclists, dog walkers, pedestrians, and marathoners going the opposite way on the eight-foot wide-asphalt path for the next couple of miles. Adjacent to the PCH/Seapoint Street intersection, as we entered Bolsa Chica State Beach, our course widened to, apart from crossing the bridge over the tidal inlet, a pancake flat, 20-foot-wide smooth asphalt surface with an imperceptible cant for the next 2.7 miles. All along, we had vistas of surfers, waves crashing against the beach, and Catalina Island off to the west; and the Long Beach skyline, where their marathon takes place in October, to the north. Turning around just before mile 21, we retraced our steps to 14th Street and slightly beyond, exiting back onto PCH at 11th Street for a total of approximately 9.1 miles of the marathon course on the multi-use trail. We then could count down the streets from 11th to 1st just before crossing the finish line. Atypically, separate finish lines were established for half (on the left) and full (on the right) marathons. Weather at the finish was 67 degrees, 46 percent relative humidity, and calm. ORGANIZATION: A nicely done event. It was a beautiful day for the efficiently run expo, which was held underneath tents in the Huntington City Beach parking lot. Free race day parking was provided at the Huntington State Beach, with the gates opening at 5 am. Those who arrived early were parked 0.8 miles away from the race start. Later arrivals had the option of boarding school busses stationed approximately 1 and 2 miles away from the start. Near by the expo, the beach bar, featuring Michelob Ultra and Kona Longboard Lager, was open Saturday expo day and, of course, race day, where a live band, disappointingly not playing surf music, was present. In keeping with the race theme, four-foot-high blue surfboard shaped mile markers made it easy to keep track of where we were on the course. Good support provided by the volunteers who manned the aid stations. SPECTATORS: Sparse. What appeared to be a junior high school aged brass band was playing in Huntington Beach Park at mile 6.3, and two surf bands were playing alongside PCH at Huntington City Beach parking lot and the entrance to Bolsa Chica State Beach. Faster marathon runners were within earshot of the appropriate tunes three times each, once on PCH and twice while on the multi-use trails. CONCLUSION: For those who enjoy running alongside the Pacific coast for 19.3 miles, this marathon should not be missed. Well done, Surf City.

Lots of beautiful views in Surf City but the course for the marathon is not great and as others have said the half marathon is the star of the show. Expo: I had two separate volunteers yell at me as I was trying to pick up my bib and asking questions. Totally surreal experience. Expo itself was extremely crowded, loud and awful. I almost always buy extra gear but high tailed it out ASAP. Course: a few problems. First of all only 1500 or so runners in the marathon so it widens out fast. There are very few spectators except for cute kids in the park who tell you you're almost there 4 miles in :) Then, you join up with the half marathon about 8 or 9 miles in and have bikes push you to the side to make way for race leaders, no big deal but lots of extra expenses energy. Then you run with the half all the way up to mile 18 or so when they are just finishing their course. You can basically see the finish line as you turn away from the finish and run another 8 miles on the bike path (which isn't closed to others). It's rough, not going to lie. It gets really hot and water stations are pretty far out - I had a hydration pack and I recommend one for this race. Finish line: you finish with half marathoners - for me as a 4:30 marathoner these were a lot of slower runners and walkers that you have to dodge. The lines for beer and food were really long. We skipped it and went to Dukes for a burger. Medals are amazing but I wouldn't run the marathon here again - maybe the half.

I was in SoCal for work, decided to stay to run Surf City. My thoughts: The good: 1. The setting is unreal - the beach and the surf can't be beat. 2. The swag is great. Both the shirt and the medal are my faves from any race I've run. 3. Course is suited to PR or run fast. I barely trained and ran a BQ that was the 4th fastest of my 14 marathons. 4. Expo was easy to get in & out of. 5. Shuttles to and from the race were plentiful and on time. 6. Water stations were awesome. Lots of them, with lots of volunteers at each. 7. Corral system worked very well. 8. The date. I loved running a marathon on Super Bowl Sunday...the beach, a dip in the ocean, and watching the Super Bowl are a fantastic way to wind down after a marathon. The not so good. 1. Starting about mile 16, the race is on a bike path that runs next to the beach. Great views, but the bike path isn't closed. There are pedestrians and bicyclists. 2. I finished in 3:21, about the same time that the 2-2.5 hour half-marathoners were finishing. They were taking up the entire width of the PCH, with marathoners relegated to a very tiny lane on the far right side of the PCH. I wish that the marathoners' lane had been kept clear. 3. Post-race beer tent lines were crazy long. Neutral 1. If you thrive off crowd support, there isn't much. Especially from miles 8 on. Personally, I like that. 2. Sun & heat. If it's hot and sunny, you can't hide from it over the final 11 miles. I was prepared, but saw others who were not. Make sure to have a hat, sun screen, and water. Race does a great job minimizing this by starting at 6:30 AM. 3. No chips in the bibs. Didn't bother me, but don't get confused and forget to put your D-Tag on your shoe.

Looking for an excuse to escape the frigid winter that embraces Minnesota every year, I had been eyeing up the Surf City Marathon for a number of years. The timing (Super Bowl Sunday) fits well with doing a fall marathon either before or after, and happens to be a generally good time to visit SoCal. The good- The atmosphere was spectacular. You couldn't ask for weather more representative of Surf City than 70s and sunny with a 'stiff breeze' With the VW campers and surf bands on the PCH, everything was great. The bad- As many have said, the trail is a bit rough (16.5-18 and 23-25). The seaside trail was also not blocked off from bicyclists (I nearly was hit a few times) making the rather narrow trail feel narrower was. The ugly- The ugly truth is that this is truly a half marathon with a full added on for good measure. Everything seemed to cater to the halfers including the inaccurate (for the full at least) map and the sparsely manned water stops along the full trail. The volunteers, though present in numbers, were also rather useless at the expo - I asked the kid who gave me my bib if there would be a bag drop and if I needed to supply my own bag - he was perplexed and said 'uh, ask the info booth'  I have been at marathons that are both much smaller and larger where simple questions are either evident at the expo or easily answered. Would I do it again? Possibly- a perfect location for a get away, but I would be more likely to do the half. For those considering, we stayed at the ShoreBreak (.5 miles from the start/finish, .75 from the expo) and really enjoyed the hotel. The food choices on Main near the hotel are plentiful and delicious. I would also suggest flying into John Wayne airport (Orange County/Santa Ana) it's a quick drive to Huntington Beach.

Course and race were wonderful until the massive hoard of half marathoners descended upon us at mile 7-8. I was worried by the marked crowdedness of the course but thought I'd be ok until a halfer ran into me and knocked me down (I was running steady - not doing Galloway). I sustained a radial head fracture. I am a physician and am at work typing with my left hand (dominant right arm is in a cast)! Race director: Please fix the course - it's far too dangerous to have huge numbers of fresh halfers run down the marathoners. Would have been far better to have started half and full marathoners at the same time. Or give the marathoners the far right lane to run in like at the finish. Otherwise this was a great race. And I did manage to finish the race - broken arm and all!

It's all about the fun and easy going vibe. Priced well, easy packet pick-up, and an expo waaaay better than the rock 'n roll races. Race starts on time. Never alone on the course and the halfers (5X as many full entrants) start to catch you at about mile 7-8. Course mostly flat with some gentle rollers. Aid stations are numerous and most had gels, bars, energy cubes, and energetic volunteers. Clear skies and a bit warm towards the end. The pseudo energy drink seemed watered-down. One of the best medals out there. Results and photos posted fast. Great race shirt and beach bag. Nice mix of sceneryocean front, Central Park, quiet 'hoods. Would definitely do it again.

The course is scenic surf-side California, a great place to get away in February. The best part is the volunteers - wish I could bottle their energy! The kids in Central Park never stopped cheering and the staff at all of the water stations were positive, upbeat and eager to please. I'll come back!

Beautiful beachfront course. Flat and fast and a good place for a PR. Beautiful wood surfboard medals. if you didn't register already, you can use my discount code SCAPKITCH for $10 off.

This event is very well organized. The shuttle from Edison High School, although looking like a long wait, was less than 10 minutes. There are a ridiculous number of bathroom stalls available. Plenty of water stations along the course. 2 free beers at the end, although I didn't stay for that, the line was about 10 minutes I'd estimate to get into the beer garden. They had a station for icing the knees and what not after it was over as well. My second time doing the run, and I'll do it again !

The 2014 Surf City Marathon started to a brilliant sunrise behind us and a beautiful course ahead. Breathtaking oceanfront course. The volunteers were amazing-they have school kids from all over the area who are working the water stations and (my favorite part) in an oasis called 'Central Park' where they even have a school band playing to keep you going. Lots of spectators in the residential areas but not many on the closed sections near the ocean. Everyone I dealt with over the weekend seemed to go out of their way to make sure I had a good time. Can't say enough about the event and the people who put it on-whoever they are they know what they are doing!

We did the half marathon. It was great. Lots of potties, no car traffic. Lots of spectators. We didn't like the Vitalyte fluids, but we carry our own. Clifbloks ended up scattered all over the road. That wasn't good. We are NOT related to the Doubletree club, one of the host hotels. They aren't close, but service was unbelievable. Free parking. Reasonably priced carbo-load the night before. Breakfast included and opened up 2 hrs before the marathon start. Free shuttle to start/finish. On our return, additional choc chip cookies, water and the staff was cheering for us as we walked in the hotel. Couldn't ask for more. We will be back to the race and the hotel. PS (Weather was perfect this year! Course is not flat, rather a fair number of rollers. Could do w/o the last 4-5 miles running into a headwind though.)

The organization was excellent across the board. The fans were great as well. I like the inland stretch of the course at the beginning (minus the one fairly short hill, ugh). The first stretch North and South along the coast was nice, then around mile 16 we headed back north on a bike path that was very poorly paved, felt like cobblestones. Can the race donate some of their proceeds to have this path repaved, it's terrible for a mile or two. Other than this, I didn't mind going along the same stretch of coastline twice. It was a bit narrow on some stretches, but not too bad.

This was everything a race called 'Surf City' should be. Spectacular ocean views for miles, beach boys music in all the right spots, HAPPY volunteers, and an overall chilled out atmosphere. The school kids lining the course to volunteer were AMAZING! Be prepared to share the course with the general vacationing public for the last section, and like another commenter said, it's all part of the atmosphere. Organization for the race itself was excellent, however, we had multiple challenges trying to pick up a promised pre-ordered finishers jacket. Would absolutely run this race again.

Had an excellent race experience overall. Stayed at the Hyatt very near the start and expo, even though it wasn't the official 'race' hotel, they looked after all the runners very well including opening up the cafe at 4:30 for breakfast for runners. The expo was one of the best organized and stocked that I have been to in recent years. The course was quite nice with plenty of ocean views and aid stations. The aid stations were particularly well done, the young people who were staffing them were absolutely over the top in enthusiasm and helpfulness. I thoroughly enjoyed this race and will definitely keep it on my list of mid-winter races for future contemplation. Well worth the travel and highly recommended.

Ran this marathon for the first time and it is heads above any of the other 30 marathons I've run. Great views of the ocean and a great detour through a park that had kids at every corner cheering us on. I loved the school band in the park and the rock bands in the last few miles. Kudos to the volunteers at all the water stations who worked so hard to keep us going!

As a SoCal resident, Surf City has been on my list of races to do for a while and this year I finally decided to do the half-marathon. I'm glad I did - it was an overall good experience. Things I liked: - Organization was pretty solid. Lots of water stations (was it me or were there water stations at like every half mile? I had to skip taking drinks at each of them because I was getting waterlogged). Start line was pretty organized. Of course there were some people going into faster waves than they should have been but that's every race... - Parking. I've heard parking and traffic can be awful for the expo and race, but I didn't have any problems. If you get to the expo right when it opens you won't have any problems finding a relatively close spot and can breeze thru packet pick up in 15 minutes or less. For race day: get there really early (5 am) and take a nap in the car and parking will also be a breeze. - Nice finish line organization and give outs. - Great weather and decent spectator support. Things I wish were different: - Personally I found the course pretty boring  just long straight stretches of endless pavement; too many out and backs. You are running parallel to the beach for most of it, which has some nice views (maybe that just doesn't matter to me since I live in a beach town...). - The electrolyte drink was Vitalyte and it was terrible. - It really bothered me that the marathoners and half marathoners all merged into one big mass after the first few miles. It meant the faster half runners had to weave around slower full runners for the second half of the course. Not only is that physically draining but I also found it mentally draining (my body was sooo tempted to slow down and keep pace with the slower marathoners...took a lot of willpower not to!) All in all, a nice race experience.

I ran the half marathon here and I was glad I did as it was very warm and sunny and being from Vancouver Island I am not used to heat in February. I found the course somewhat boring running along the PCH but the ocean views were nice and I could hear the surf at points. The expo was good but parking was difficult. The attendants would not let cars into the free expo lot even though lots of cars were leaving and there were plenty of free spots. We drove up and down the highway until they decided to let people in. A bit bizarre really, like they were on a power trip. The organization in every other way was superb. Loads of aid stations, portapotties, great volunteers, they even had a dog minding tent at the expo. I really liked the food bags. You went through the finish area in streamline fashion. I wish all races could do that. Everyone gets food this way. The medal and shirts were superb. The only downside was the overcrowding in the half. Most of the race I was trying to run around people some three and four abreast. I ran it in 2:22 but I kept running behind walkers who must have started in the wrong corrals. I think it would be hard to PB in these conditions. Overall a good experience though.

I knew what I was getting into with the seaside portion of the marathon course, but I was pleasantly surprised by the inland portion. The run through Huntington Central Park was actually my favorite part of the whole course. I thought the organizers did a nice job with many of the little touches to make it a great courseinspring quotes along the last few miles or beach boys music at the perfect spot, for example. Lots of volunteers. The only thing that is strange about the event is that the last 10 miles are on a bike path that isn't blocked off for the race... many people crossing the path are blissfully unaware that a marathon is in progress. Don't know how to fix that exactly... in a way it is almost part of the charm of the whole thing. Really nice weather, awesome ocean scenery, great pacers. This was marathon #5 for me and I liked that it wasn't too huge (~2000), wasn't too hilly (highest point is ~100 ft), or too elitist (no big prize money or appearance fees that my registration fee needs to cover)... Overall, Good job RSC organizers and HB community.

This is one of the flattest marathons I have run, resulting in a big PR for me. There is only one significant hill on the course, and it is short. You can also see the ocean for at least half of the course. This event has significantly more half marathoners making it far less crowded for the full marathoners. The aid stations were well staffed with plenty of water, sports drink, gel, energy chews, and even bananas. The start was well organized with a wave start and plenty of pace groups. If you are looking for a fast course close to the beach, this course is for you.

The marathon starts and ends at about the same area which is convenient. The course is relatively good except the bike path near the beach has numerous cracks and hurt my feet. The staff at the water stations are too young to understand the value of helping and cheering the runners. They were trying their best to entertain themselves by trying to spash buckets of water and making rude remarks on clothes runners wear. It gets tough to put up with all this while in pain and exhausted. I've run several other marathons and find Surf City staff to be a bit unprofessional. Even on the first expo day (Friday), I got there at noon and when I asked when they open, they called security and rudely asked me to leave the unmarked area. They looked like they were too busy preparing to make a profit rather than show a friendly face to a local. Another item that can be improved are the signs to get to the shuttle. The signs are difficult to find and when you eventually get to the shuttle with sore legs, the shuttle skips over several parking areas. If you are the unlucky one who happened to park in the middle of shuttle stops, you'll be walking a few blocks. They should hire a runner to plan all of this instead of some bean counter with a dollar sign tatooed on his/her forehead. Regarding spectators, there are hoards of them cheering for the half marathon. The full marathon is divided and out of view from the big crowd supporting the half. You feel bummed out after running all the extra miles. I'm not enthusiastic in signing up again.

Like the event. I did my PB and BQ there. The pacers are great. Appreciate their constant speed to guide the course. The last part of the Marathon course is on the beach bike route. It is dangerous to share the route with some crazy bikers while you are in extreme fatigue conditions. Need at least one more water station in the last 6 miles.

Well orginized event.. The course was a little boring but hard to complain about that when the weather was so nice and the fact that you are running along the ocean. Nice shirt nice medal and well stocked aid stations

I was worried about this race after reading all the negative comments, but my experience was entirely positive. Seeing the ocean for so much of the route was a blast and the part around the back of the town provided variety. The hardest bit for me was not being able to sit down in the beer tent after finishing my run. The shuttles to the start and finish were well organised and I enjoyed the expo. The race merchandise showed a lot more colour and flair than many race clothing.

I enjoyed this race completely! The course, spectators and organizers were all great. Even the weather made for a perfect day. Had a good race even though I slowed down on the last 4 miles. My only disappointment is that I was given the incorrect award and would love to receive the right one. Thanks for the wonderful race!

The organization was excellent, spectators were fantastic...I loved the fact that the marathon started one hour before the half...great start! The course scenery was fantastic but I got to see it four times (running up and down the Pacific Coast Highway and back up and down the bike path along the same route). The diversion around the park, etc. the first part of the race was nice...I wish there had been a break somewhere on the back half of the course as well (I guess that may be difficult to get permits, etc.) Overall, the it was a great run. I would definitely recommend it to others.

I've run this race a few times as this is local to me and this will be the last time. Its progressed from a smaller race that provided a good runner experience to being a very large event with more of a profit-maximization motive. Unfortunately this race now offers the consumer experience of shopping at a WalMart Superstore. Here's one funny example: at the Expo, you go in the entrance, pick up your number within 20 ft of the entrance and can turn around and leave, right? Wrong - instead they have personnel stationed at all the entrances forcing you to navigate the next 300yds of merchants to get to the exit (which is also 20 ft away from the entrance, coincidentally, but blocked by a - you guessed it - person telling you that you have to go all the way around the gauntlet citing 'traffic flow' concerns). If you've been to several expos in the last year, you're not necessarily interested in fighting through crowds and racks of merchandise in the middle of the walkway to get to the exit (or if someone is waiting in the car for you), you'd like to take 3 steps to daylight and let those interested in the expo do their thing. It was pretty comical. Note to organizers: if you want to have everyone walk through the merchant displays, put the number pickup in the back like every other expo rather than relying on people not letting anyone exit once they've picked up their number. Overall, race has gotten too big to still be able to provide a meaningful experience. Volunteers are great, but the course is pretty boring going out and back a few times over the same route, and it tends to get overcrowded in spots. If this will be your only race, or if you're traveling from out of town to get here, this is not really an experience worthy of the effort. My recommendation is to find something smaller that provides a better runner experience and a meaningful benefit to the local community.

In 2011, I ran the half which was really great. This year, I ran the full and it goes along the beach on the bike path. They do not close the bike path to traffic and it was dangerous at times trying to evade bicyclers, some carrying surfboards.

The Surf City Marathon was one to remember, but not because I achieved a PR. Frankly, I was only marginally happy with my run. The marathon will be one to remember because the organizers and people of Huntington Beach put on a GREAT event! The marathon: I didn't like the last 10 miles of the course. We came out of the neighborhoods overlooking the ocean, running down onto Pacific Coast Highway. And then...we ran north along PCH, then back down PCH south, then back up PCH north, then back down PCH south to the finish. It was a terrible route! The first 16 miles: AWESOME! Everything else about this race was fantastic! Fellow runners, organizers, crowds. Awesome! I'd recommend it to all!

Loved this race - especially the last 9 miles, which were on the bicycle path within yards of the Pacific Ocean. The course is mostly flat and I was able to PR in this race. Crowd support was good, the long-sleeve technical shirt was good, and the medal was nice, but not as big as the one in 2010. Overall, I would recommend this race; you will love it.

This is a good marathon for a PR attempt. Only a couple of minor hills and the tortuous path in the park make it not as fast as it could be. Good organization and support. The only part I did not like was the merge with the half marathoners towards the finish. It sorts of dilutes the accomplishment to cross the finish line at the same time as 18,000+ half marathoners. It also makes it very difficult to find family and friends at the finish. The race is victim of its own success and growth, and I wish the marathon could be separated from the half (not going to happen).

My experience was like most others reporting here. I've been running the Redondo Beach Super Bowl 10K for years, always held the same day as the marathon in Huntington Beach. This year I opted for Surf City for the first time, for no particular reason. I wasn't disappointed. T-shirt and medal are excellent. The weather was near perfect for running and the volunteer support and conveniences along the route were excellent. Fan support was fair; often sparse to non-existent. An intangible: among the runners, there seemed to be a good "vibe." The stretch along the bike path was not as bad as I had feared, but I ran 3:10+ and so probably was ahead of most of the crowding that others have mentioned.... I did have to dodge a few cyclists though. I parked on city streets a 10-minute walk from the starting line and had no worries getting in or out, both for the expo and on race day. Speaking of the expo, there was a ridiculously long line to get in, like 20+ minutes. I dinged "organization" for that, which was otherwise fine. The post-race beer garden served Kona Longboard, which was a nice surprise; I had expected only Michelob Ultra, which is completely undrinkable. I'll leave it at that. Cheers.

I flew from Washington DC to run this and it didn't disappoint! The weather was fantastic (cloudy but sunnier after the race), the scenery was nice and the spectators were awesome (lots of them throughout). The t-shirt and medal were nice! Great organization! I am tempted to do the California Dreaming series now.

The race was great. There were a lot of people at the race.

I had a friend run the full and his complaints were mostly about the smaller paths along the beach, with runners going in both directions while also dodging non-participant walkers and surfers. I have no complaints about the organization and spectators, but this is my first half marathon. I have run one previous marathon, but it was much smaller. It was my first time in California, so the change in weather was great for me. I had been running indoors here in Iowa because of lots of snow accumulation. I'd go back and run the half again, but the full course might need to be modified... although I wouldn't want it to be anywhere other than on the beach. Can they block that path from walkers/surfers?

I don't really want to be too negative because overall there was a good vibe behind it, but I suppose I came a long way to do it and if asked if it was worth the trip, I'd have to say no. This course was one of the most boring routes I've ever run - I know, I know, the ocean part was lovely, but the amount of doubling back and highway-based running made this a very tedious race and not one that I would wish to run again. Thank God for my Mp3 player. Pros: Excellent volunteers - very supportive and encouraging. Lots of food and drink stands during the race. Gorgeous medal and cool t-shirt. Cons: Initial online registration was a nightmare, as it appears that it was not set up for foreign addresses. Terribly boring route. Poor standard of souvenirs for purchase - and they were overpriced. The t-shirts etc. for sale were as if the organizers had found left over garments and just slapped the logo on them. All in all, if you live in California, or you'll be passing this neck of the woods this time of year, it's one to do; other than that, to be honest, it's not worth the trip or the expense.

I had high expectations for this race and it did not disappoint. The wave start prevented congestion in the early miles. There were water stops about every mile and the kids cheering were a great motivator. The finishing miles along the beach were spectacular. I highly recommend this marathon.

I have run this marathon now for the last 8 years, and I appreciate the changes and improvements that the organizers have made to it during that time. It's still one of my favorite "mid-size" marathons, but it's becoming less so each year due to the congestion out on the course. As other reviewers have mentioned, when the marathoners and half-marathoners meet on PCH, it is way too crowded to do any real racing. And for the marathoners, the small path in the park for miles 5 - 8 is too small to accommodate all of the runners (there were sections where we were actually walking this year and I started mid-pack). Additionally, the bike path from miles 16 - 25 is also too small, not to mention that there are runners going in both directions while simultaneously dodging walkers, surfers, bikers, skateboarders, etc. (if you can close down the streets for a few hours, why can't you do the same with the bike path?). I realize modifying the course would be unpleasant and the organizers would like to keep the start/finish lines near the Hilton, since it's the host hotel, but if the start/finish lines could be moved back a couple of miles down to Beach Boulevard or Brookhurst, moving the turn-around down at Warner (basically, 13 miles out and 13 miles back), I think that would alleviate a lot of the current overcrowding. And not to only highlight the negatives, as this race does a lot of stuff right. As usual, the volunteers were great (especially the kids), the shirts are great (thanks for getting away from white!), and the medals are the best!