19,000 run in H.B.’s Surf City USA Marathon & Half Marathon

More than 19,000 runners packed Pacific Coast Highway on Sunday morning for the 19th annual Surf City USA Marathon & Half Marathon in Huntington Beach.

Nearly 45,000 people watched as racers ran a course that started outside the Hilton Waterfront Beach Resort, then headed past the Huntington Beach Pier, Central Park and the Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve to a beachfront running path before ending back on PCH.

The event also included a three-day Active Lifestyle Beach Expo and performances by local bands.

The top finisher in the 26.2-mile marathon was Cheyne Inman, 29, of Hayward, with an official time of 2 hours, 35 minutes and 35 seconds.

“This is my second year running the race and I love the event,” Inman said in a statement issued by race organizers.

The top female finisher in the marathon was Devon Yanko, 32, of San Anselmo, who timed in at 2:48:20.

“The course is more challenging than I expected and I didn’t feel great, but ultimately pulling through for the win is so satisfying,” Yanko’s statement said. “It was awesome to have some fun in the sun and surf.”

The top finisher in the 13.1-mile half-marathon was J.P. Slater, 24, of Berkeley, with a time of 1:06:29. The top female finisher was Liz Camy, 31, of Simi Valley, in 1:17:12.

Anne Garret, 80, of Oceanside set a national record in the half-marathon in the women’s 80-84 age division with a time of 2:13:23. Garret, who turns 81 on Thursday, set the American record in the 75-79 age division at the 2012 Surf City Half Marathon.

—Rob Vardon