Surf City Marathon guide

Sun, Feb 7, 2027 · Huntington Beach, California, USA · Start 6:30 AM

What to know when planning this race

Start, finish & getting there
Start and finish are both on Pacific Coast Highway by the Huntington Beach Pier.
Convenient areas to stay
Downtown Huntington Beach near the pier is walkable to the start and the pier-lot expo.
Confirmed vs. carried over
The race date and start time were checked against official race information on Oct 15, 2026. Aid station mile markers are approximate.
Plan around before race morning
  • PCH closes early. Arrive before 5:30 AM or park inland and walk down.
  • The course is a flat out-and-back along the ocean.
  • Aid station locations are approximate; check the official course map.

Sources for Surf City Marathon:

Race overview

Organizer
Motiv Sports
Date
Sun, Feb 7, 2027
Distance
Marathon
Start time
6:30 AM
Start location
Pacific Coast Highway & Huntington St
Finish location
Pacific Coast Highway near the Huntington Beach Pier
Official race website

Last verified Sep 22, 2026. No source on file.

Course

Cumulative elevation, mile by mile. Amber bars are the significant climbs.

Significant climbs

  • Mile 3–4 · +72 ft

Significant descents

  • Mile 3–4 · −23 ft
Mile-by-mile course notes
  • Mile 0–1 +12 / −13 ft · Mostly flat coastal course between sea level and ~100 ft. Course totals ≈ 377 ft gain / 363 ft loss (source: official description + RunReady GPS data).
  • Mile 1–2 +12 / −13 ft
  • Mile 2–3 +12 / −13 ft
  • Mile 3–4 +72 / −23 ft · The course's only real incline — Seapoint St toward Huntington Central Park (miles 3–4).
  • Mile 4–5 +12 / −13 ft
  • Mile 5–6 +12 / −13 ft
  • Mile 6–7 +12 / −13 ft
  • Mile 7–8 +12 / −13 ft
  • Mile 8–9 +12 / −13 ft
  • Mile 9–10 +12 / −13 ft
  • Mile 10–11 +12 / −13 ft
  • Mile 11–12 +12 / −13 ft
  • Mile 12–13 +12 / −13 ft
  • Mile 13–14 +12 / −13 ft
  • Mile 14–15 +12 / −13 ft
  • Mile 15–16 +12 / −13 ft
  • Mile 16–17 +12 / −13 ft
  • Mile 17–18 +12 / −13 ft
  • Mile 18–19 +12 / −13 ft
  • Mile 19–20 +12 / −13 ft
  • Mile 20–21 +12 / −13 ft
  • Mile 21–22 +12 / −13 ft
  • Mile 22–23 +12 / −13 ft
  • Mile 23–24 +12 / −13 ft
  • Mile 24–25 +12 / −13 ft
  • Mile 25–26 +12 / −13 ft
  • Mile 26–26.2 +2 / −3 ft

Aid stations

  • Mile 2

    First station — heavy congestion, take fluid on the far side.

  • Mile 4

  • Mile 6

  • Mile 8

    GEL

    Gels available just past the tables.

  • Mile 10

  • Mile 12

  • Mile 14

    GEL

  • Mile 16

  • Mile 18

    GEL

    Last full-service station before the closing miles.

  • Mile 20

  • Mile 22

    GEL

  • Mile 23

  • Mile 25

    GEL

    Final fluids before the finish chute.

Rules & important information

Race rules
Bib must be worn on the front and is required to enter the start corrals. Headphones permitted. No pets, strollers or unregistered runners on the marathon course. Gear check is available in the beach lot near the pier.
Cutoff times
Roughly a 6-hour limit. Pacific Coast Highway reopens progressively; runners behind pace finish on the beach bike path with course support to the line.
Transportation
Pacific Coast Highway closes from early morning. Beach lots fill quickly — arrive before 5:30am or park inland and walk down, since most surface streets near the pier are restricted.
Other notes
Oceanfront out-and-back course along Pacific Coast Highway in Huntington Beach. Confirm details with the organizer. Aid station mile markers are approximate — official locations are only published on the organizer's course map; check it before race day.

Last verified Sep 22, 2026. No source on file.

Race week & expo

  • Surf City Expo, Huntington Beach Pier lot

    315 Pacific Coast Hwy, Huntington Beach, CA

    Fri, Feb 5, 202712:00 PM – 6:00 PM
    Sat, Feb 6, 20279:00 AM – 5:00 PM
    Packet pickup
    Bib, shirt and race packet are collected together at the expo. Nothing is mailed and there is no race-morning pickup — plan to attend on one of the open days.
    ID requirements
    Government-issued photo ID required for every runner. Picking up for someone else requires a signed authorisation form and a copy of their ID.
    Parking
    Paid garage and surface lots adjacent to the venue; the final afternoon is the busiest window.
    Transit
    Rideshare drop-off at the main entrance; transit and hotel shuttles serve the venue on expo days.

    Verification date unavailable. No source on file.

Ready 2 Race recommendation: visit the expo on the first day it opens if your travel allows — final-afternoon queues are the longest. This is guidance, not an official requirement.

Athlete tracking & results

Open tracking & results

Tracking and results come from the race organizer.

Hotels near the start, Airbnb and travel planning are available when you create your account.

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