SeeCalifornia.com

It was a day of smiles and grunts, swiftness and snail’s pace. Watermelons and hula hoops. Just another annual running of the Surf City Marathon in Huntington Beach. 20,000 people from around the world came to run either the marathon or half marathon in front of the beautiful Pacific Ocean and tree-lined Central Park. Runners were cheered on by thousands of supporters, including families and friends holding up signs, ringing cowbells, blowing whistles, clapping and shouting out, “You can do it!” This annual Super Bowl Sunday marathon is but one of over 20 running events held annually in California during Super Bowl weekend, and throughout the year.

Photo: International Friendship-Groups of friends from several countries got together to run in the Surf City Half Marathon today. One joyful team, who successfully completed the event, was made up of Clare Shweyk, formerly of England, now of Huntington Beach; Pam Elderkin of Calgary, Alberta Canada; Lynne Gleave from Calgary; Brigitte Connelly, formerly from England, now of HB; Dawn Craig from Calgary and Mary Maguire of Enniskillen, Northern Ireland. Mary is Clare’s sister. Congratulations!

Highlights of the 2012 Surf City Marathon event:
– Surf bands played Wipe Out
– Asians drummers & bells performed rhythmic sounds to help the runners
– Thousands of volunteers offered water, cleaned up and helped make the event happen
– Weather was crystal clear, 70s, blue-sky day, picture perfect
– It was all about friends! Friends, businesses, running clubs, disabled and even children and dogs ran!
– One man carried a watermelon on top of his head when he ran
– A woman hula hooped the entire race
– Several tutus were seen on the course
– Characters from movies appeared such as Batman and Superman
– Runners of all shapes and sizes ran