15,000 Swarm Huntington Beach for Surf City Marathon

As many as 15,000 runners were expected to swarm Sunday's 21st annual Surf City USA Marathon, drawing runners from 17 nations and all 50 states, organizers said.

A field of 2,500 entered the mararthon with another 12,500 in the half-marathon. 

The marathon is set to begin at 6:25 a.m., 20 minutes before sunrise, with the wheelchair racers, followed at 6:30 a.m. with the rest of the field, at Pacific Coast Highway at Huntington Street in front of the Waterfront Beach Resort.

The course will then quickly pass the Huntington Beach Pier. Miles two through nine go through Huntington Beach's Central Park and miles nine through 15 through the Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve.

Miles 16 through 25 are on a beachfront running path paved over the sand. The final mile takes runners along Pacific Coast Highway to the finish line, also near the Hilton Waterfront Beach Resort.

The marathon field is limited to 2,500 because the beachfront running path is not part of the race's closed course and runners may encounter walkers, bicyclists and others not participating in the race.

This is the first year of the marathon's "Race With a Purpose'' program to help nonprofit nonprofit organizations raise funds.

The race's official charities are Freedom 4/24, which assists victims of sexual exploitation and human trafficking, and the Golden View School Parent Teacher Organization, which raises funds to help pay for programs and supplies at the Huntington Beach elementary school.

The Surf City USA Marathon will necessitate the closure of Pacific Coast Highway between Warner Avenue and Beach Boulevard from 1 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The following street closures will be in effect from 6 a.m. to 9:45 a.m.:

-- Goldenwest Street from Slater Avenue to Ellis Avenue;

-- Goldenwest Street from Orange Avenue to Pacific Coast Highway;

-- southbound Edwards Avenue from Slater Avenue to Garfield Avenue;

-- southbound Seapoint Street from Garfield Avenue to Palm Avenue;

-- northbound Seapoint Street at Summit Avenue;

-- Seapoint Street from Palm Avenue to Pacific Coast Highway;

-- Garfield Avenue from Edwards Avenue to Seapoint Avenue; and

-- Talbert Avenue from Fieldbury Lane to Edwards Avenue.