Posted: December 18, 2007

Athletics: Timex® Offers $12,000 Half Marathon Speed Bonus At Surf City USA® Marathon

HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif. – The Surf City USA® Marathon, the largest ocean-front running event in all of California, today announced a record $12,000 purse for the TIMEX® Time to Beat Half Marathon Speed Bonus. The Surf City USA Marathon is held on Super Bowl Sunday, Feb. 3, 2008. Race information is available at www.runsurfcity.com. TIMEX and the Surf City USA Marathon first embraced the half-marathoners two years ago, offering an unprecedented “bonus” purse. Since then, the event’s phenomenal growth has been fueled in large part by runners participating in the half-marathon (13.1 miles); some 10,000 in 2008, of which 60 percent are women. “The TIMEX Time to Beat Half Marathon Speed Bonus is unique to the Surf City USA Half Marathon,” said David Schultz, Timex Director of Sales, Sports. “It opens up the opportunity for success and recognizes accomplished athletes for their dedication to the sport of running. Timex is a proud supporter of this event as it offers a tremendous opportunity for our brand and products to reach a large audience of people who share the same passion for running as we do.” The 2008 TIMEX Time to Beat Speed Bonus Prize Pool will be distributed among runners who beat the designated finish time. Part of this pool will be allocated to the first finisher who breaks the course record. If no one breaks the course record, all $12,000 will be distributed among the “Time to Beat” qualifiers: TIMEX Time to Beat – Women (1:20:00) TIMEX Time to Beat – Men (1:10:00) Course Record Time to Beat – Women (1:14:26): Sylvia Mosqueda, Los Angeles, CA 2007 Course Record Time to Beat – Men (1:05:46): Nick Arciniaga, Fountain Valley, CA 2007 “We’re excited to have TIMEX play such a vital role in the Surf City USA Marathon,” said General Manager Amy Tomchak. “The half-marathon is one of the fastest growing participatory sports in the world and the speed bonus prize pool helps draw the nation’s top runners to the Surf City USA Marathon.” The award-winning Marathon course is scenic and flat with much of the race taking place on the beachfront running path, but also featuring the famed pier, beauty of the Bolsa Chica Wetlands and serenity of Central Park. More than 30,000 spectators from the 48 contiguous states and 19 foreign countries are anticipated to pack the downtown and outlying areas. For the third straight year, the Surf City USA Marathon is partnering with the Free Wheelchair Mission to sponsor the “Run for Mobility”. More than $650,000 will be raised and donated to build and deliver specially engineered wheelchairs around the world. Additional weekend highlights include the two-day Active Lifestyle Beach Expo, the Michelob Ultra Post Race Beer Garden, and Classic Surfboard Medals for all race participants. The Surf City USA Marathon is rated among the top five marathon experiences in America by Marathon and Beyond. About Surf City Usa Marathon The Surf City USA Marathon is the largest ocean-front running event in all of California. Formerly known as the Pacific Shoreline Marathon, the 12th annual event is held on Super Bowl Sunday, Feb. 3, 2008. Some 16,000 runners compete in three divisions – marathon, half-marathon and 5K. More than 30,000 spectators from the 48 contiguous states and 19 foreign countries are anticipated to pack the downtown and outlying areas. Weekend highlights include the two-day Active Lifestyle Beach Expo and Michelob Ultra Post Race Beer Garden. Information is available at www.runsurfcity.com. Subscribe to the Runner's Web Weekly Digest