FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
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 natio'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.
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