- Orange County’s Oldest Race to Welcome 4,000 runners to the Pacific Coast Highway for first time since 2019
- Registration still available; All participants to receive a complimentary ice cream at the finish line courtesy of Handel’s Huntington Beach
- Oceanfront road closures to begin at 4:00am; drivers and Orange County residents encouraged to plan ahead
Huntington Beach, CA – September 22, 2022 – In addition to the 4,000 runners, walkers and wheelchair athletes who will line up in front of the Huntington Beach Pier for Sunday’s Surf City 10, there should be historians in attendance, toting video cameras, tape recorders, notebooks, pens and pencils.
The event will celebrate its 66th running, making it the oldest 10-mile race in the United States and the oldest race of any distance in Orange County.
Magnifying the event’s significance, after pauses caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Surf City 10 will be staged for the first time since 2019.
Of Surf City 10’s return, Director of Event Operations Natalia Mendez said, “It’s special. It’s a testament to what everyone’s gone through. We waited to be able to return to our traditions….that sense of normalcy we have all been wanting.
“This is about community and coming together.”
More historical data: the Surf City 10 – which features a 10-miler, 10K and 5K – runs entirely on the Pacific Coast Highway. It is one of only three days during the year that the four-lane PCH is closed for foot traffic. The others are the Fourth of July and the Surf City Marathon presented by 361.
Good luck finding a more beautiful setting for a road race, with the Huntington Beach Pier, ocean, surfers and palm trees to the west and the Bolsa Chica Wetlands, nature reserve to the east.
About running on one of America’s most iconic roads, Mendez said, “It’s one of the coolest things you could possibly do. There’s opportunity for runners, walkers and athletes of every ability. They’re definitely in for a treat this coming weekend.”
And who doesn’t like free ice cream and beer? Runners crossing the finish line will get a free Handel’s Ice Cream cone and those age 21+ receive a complimentary Michelob ULTRA beer or seltzer.
The fun kicks off at 6:30am when the 10-milers hit the course. The 10K starts at 7am with the 5K field putting feet to pavement at 7:30am. All three courses are out and back.
“We like to say this is flat, fast and the perfect 10,” said Mendez, who cited the cooperation race organizers receive from the city of Huntington Beach, from the police and fire departments and other agencies that enable Sunday to unfold.
Said Mendez, “We want to emphasize how grateful we are to continue that partnership.”
The 10-miler is a perfect training race for upcoming fall half marathons and marathons, like the Long Beach Marathon and Half Marathon on Oct. 9. The expo is open from 11am to 5:00 pm Saturday just north of the pier and last-minute entrants may register onsite.
Proceeds from beer garden sales will go to Ainsley’s Angels, which pairs special needs riders with able-bodied athletes so that all can experience the joy of participating in sporting events.
There will be 13 Ainsley’s Angels hitting the PCH on Sunday, five in the 10 miler, eight in the 5K. The youngest rider will be 6 years old, the oldest 42.
“We’ve got quite the range of ages, quite the ranges of ability,” said Tricia Burton, whose daughter is one of the Angels. “We’re one big family.”
One final history lesson: for 56 years, the Surf City 10 was known as the Huntington Beach Distance Derby. The event was rebranded as the Surf City 10 when it moved from the beachfront path to the Pacific Coast Highway in 2011.
So come Sunday, all four lanes of the PCH will be closed and it’ll be runners cruising the coast. For more information, visit www.SurfCity10.com.
ABOUT SURF CITY 10
Orange County’s Oldest race, Surf City 10 returns to Sunday morning, September 25 for the first time since 2019. Featuring 10-mile, 10k and 5k distances, the out and back course on the Pacific Coast Highway gives runners spectacular views of world-famous Huntington Beach’s sand and surf, with a convenient start and finish line and expo located just steps from the pier. Event weekend concludes with a finish line festival and Michelob ULTRA beer garden. To register or for more information, visit SurfCity10.com or follow @SurfCIty10 on social media.
