- Over 10,000 runners set to race along Pacific Coast Highway as Orange County’s oldest road race reaches milestone anniversary
- New Surf City 10K Challenge adds prize money, run club competition as registrations surge more than 40% year-over-year
- Pacific Coast Highway will shut down for Sunday’s event, residents and motorists urged to plan ahead and expect delays
HUNTINGTON BEACH – September 18, 2026 – Seven decades after runners first took to the Huntington Beach oceanfront, Surf City 10 will celebrate its historic 70th running this weekend, with more than 10,000 entrants for two days of racing along the Southern California coastline.
First staged in 1957 as the Huntington Beach Distance Derby, the event has endured through generations of Southern California runners and evolved into one of the region’s signature road-racing weekends.
The milestone anniversary will feature four distances across two days: Saturday’s Beach Mile and Sunday’s 10-mile, 10K and 5K. The event expo and packet pickup will take place Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Huntington Beach Pier Plaza.
America’s oldest 10-miler will start at 6:30 a.m. on Pacific Coast Highway at Main Street, sending runners north along a fast, flat oceanfront course before returning to the finish line near the Pier. The 10K follows at 7:15 a.m. and the 5K at 8 a.m.
“For 70 years, runners have been coming to Huntington Beach to challenge themselves, chase fast times and experience one of the most scenic courses in the United States,” said Surf City 10 Race Director Julie Coleman. “There is something special about reaching this historic milestone and seeing more athletes than ever before line up on Pacific Coast Highway.”
From the sweeping Pacific views to the clean salt air, the race’s oceanfront setting has long been central to its appeal. All three Sunday distances conveniently start and finish in front of Pier Plaza, with competitors filling all four lanes of Pacific Coast Highway. The 10-mile course is USATF-certified and follows an out-and-back route along PCH, giving participants a largely flat course built for speed and personal bests.
This year will also bring a more competitive element to the 10K distance with the inaugural Surf City 10K Challenge, featuring more than $2,500 in prize money for top individual runners and Southern California run clubs. Awards include $300 for the top male and female finishers, along with team prizes for the fastest and largest participating clubs.
The new competition reflects the growth of Southern California’s run-club culture while adding another racing dimension to a weekend that attracts athletes ranging from elite and competitive runners to first-time racers, families and walkers.
“This race has always had a little bit of everything,” Coleman said. “You have athletes racing for a podium or a personal best, runners training for a fall marathon and families running together who have been coming back to Huntington Beach for years. That combination is a big part of why the event has been so successful for seven decades.”
Among those competing will be approximately 30 athletes representing Ainsley’s Angels of America, the official benefiting charity. Angel Riders will take part in specialized racing chairs alongside volunteer Angel Runners. The partnership expands Ainsley’s Angels’ longtime presence at the event, with all proceeds from the post-race beer garden directly supporting the non-profit organization.
For more information or a complete race-weekend schedule, visit surfcity10.com.