Surf City USA Marathon Evolves into Premier Travel "Destination" Race

HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif., Dec. 15, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- The Surf City USA Marathon is not only the largest combined oceanfront marathon and half marathon event in California, it has evolved into a premier travel destination for domestic and international runners.  The award-winning race attracts more than 20,000 participants and 45,000 spectators from all 50 states, 1,000 U.S. cities and 18 foreign countries.  Staged on Super Bowl Sunday, February 5, 2012, detailed information is available at www.runsurfcity.com.

Myriad reasons account for the growing appeal, ranging from the development of running clubs to the unique ocean-front course (voted 2nd most favorite in the nation by readers and fans of Marathon and Beyond), but the allure of Surf City and its mild winter weather is clearly strong.  Participation from Arizona, Illinois, Colorado, Washington and Nevada has spiked recently; all boast 100 or more runners.  Several states feature 50 or more runners—Illinois, Oregon, Texas, Utah, New York, Minnesota, Wisconsin and Massachusetts.  Canada tops international registrations followed by the UK, Australia, Mexico, Italy and Japan. 

Another major draw is Huntington Beach itself, boasting seven miles of beaches and an iconic pier that is home to international surfing competitions.  Many runners spend time hiking in the spectacular Bolsa Chica wetlands while others embrace Surf City's namesake surfing culture via the Surfers' Hall of Fame and International Surf Museum along with world-class retailers like Huntington Surf & Sport and surf-stoked restaurants like the famed Dukes, named after legendary Hawaiian surfer Duke Kahanamoku.

Led by the Waterfront Beach Resort, a Hilton Hotel, the city's hotel rooms are now filled to capacity with overflow going to Newport Beach and surrounding communities.  Furthermore, room stays have evolved from one to three-night packages as attendees are spending more time and money visiting Surf City's famed landmarks.  To that end, the event works closely with the community to foster an appealing environment for runners and merchants, offering valuable discounts and FREE shuttles on race day for runners.

"The Surf City Marathon brings a nice group of people to Huntington Beach hotels, downtown merchants and area attractions during a traditionally 'slow' season," said race GM Amy Tomchak.

About The Surf City USA Marathon
Staged in front of The Waterfront Beach Resort, a Hilton hotel, the Surf City Marathon's exclusive oceanfront course runs on Pacific Coast Highway, past the famous Huntington Beach Pier and winds through the surfing beaches that define Southern California.  Weekend highlights include the two-day Active Lifestyle Beach Expo and Michelob Ultra Post Race Beer Garden.  Official Sponsors include Oakley, Michelob Ultra, the Waterfront Beach Resort, Kona Brewing, Arrowhead, Vitalyte Sports Drink and Hoag Hospital. Through Free Wheelchair Mission's Run for Mobility, the race as raised more than $2.0 million over the past six years and distributed nearly 40,000 specially engineered wheelchairs to needy and developing nations.  More information is available at www.runsurfcity.com. 

SOURCE Surf City USA Marathon

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