🌊 Surf City Marathon 2026 – 3:44:50, A PR, and a Whole Lot of Life in Between
Two weeks ago, I lined up again at the Surf City Marathon in Huntington Beach.
Last year, my wife and I ran it together and I crossed the line in 3:52:00 with a goal of sub-4. It was one of those breakthrough moments.
This year?
Different season of life. Different prep. Different outcome.
3:44:50.
About 7 minutes faster than last year.
And honestly… I didn’t expect that.
The Reality of This Training Block
If you followed last year’s build, it was structured and methodical:
Long runs up to 22 miles
High-intensity track work
Tempo sessions dialed in
Strength and power training 3–4x/week
This year?
❌ Got the flu in December
❌ Missed multiple long runs
❌ Business busier
👶 Baby arriving end of April
🧠 Slightly more life stress than ideal
It wasn’t the “perfect” build.
But it was smart.
I built a simple, effective plan (with a little AI assist to organize pacing structure), stuck to it, protected my recovery, and leaned into efficiency instead of volume.
And it paid off.
🏨 The Lifestyle Side – Because It Matters
4
We stayed at the Pasea Hotel & Spa right on PCH.
Booked it with Chase Sapphire points and somehow got upgraded to the 8th floor ocean-view room. 🙌
Waking up, looking over the Pacific, knowing race morning was coming… that’s a different kind of energy.
Last year my wife ran the marathon with me. This year she couldn’t (baby > PRs 😄), but she still crushed the 5K that weekend. Proud husband moment.
Morning after the race, I met up with my aunt and uncle for breakfast — good food, good coffee, good conversation. That post-race connection time hits different.
After the race:
Festival food & drinks
Cabo Wabo at the Hilton for tacos and beer
Calories aggressively replenished
You train hard. You race hard. You enjoy the moment.
Balance.
🍚 The Carb Load & Race Morning Fuel
Nothing fancy. Just simple execution.
Night Before:
White rice
Simple carbs
Hydration focused
Race Morning:
Rice cakes + honey
Plain bagels
Bananas
Gatorade
Coconut water
Vietnamese coffee ☕
More coffee ☕
BPN Go Gels
G1M Sport+
Simple, digestible, predictable.
🏃♂️ During the Race
Execution > emotion.
Fueling:
6 BPN Go Gels
2 GU Chews
2 LMNT packets
Water at aid stations
Plenty of Biofreeze (race sponsor — lifesaver late race 😅)
Pacing:
Controlled early
Settled into rhythm
Strong middle miles
Closed hard
No panic. No ego miles early. Just trust the plan.
📈 What Was Different This Year?
Here’s the interesting part:
I didn’t train “better.”
I trained smarter.
Less junk volume
More intentional intensity
Maintained strength training
Prioritized recovery
Stayed consistent even when imperfect
And mentally?
I felt calmer.
There’s something about:
Building a business
Preparing for fatherhood
Managing setbacks
That makes 26.2 miles feel… manageable.
💥 Finished Strong
The last couple miles weren’t survival mode.
They were controlled.
That’s growth.
And the crazy part?
I felt better post-race this year than last year — despite faster time.
Less wrecked. More stable. More confident.
🎯 What This Means (For You)
You don’t need:
Perfect conditions
Perfect prep
Zero stress
Ideal sleep
You need:
A smart plan
Consistency
Fueling strategy
Recovery discipline
Emotional control
Whether you’re chasing:
A marathon PR
Strength goals
Fat loss
Hybrid performance
The principles are the same.
❤️ Full Circle Moment
Last year was about proving I could go sub-4.
This year was about proving I could improve — in a harder season.
3:44:50 at Surf City.
PR.
Baby on the way.
Business growing.
And grateful for every mile.
If you’re thinking about running a marathon, building strength while training endurance, or just want help structuring your hybrid training the smart way — let’s talk.
You don’t need perfect.
You just need a plan.
— Kevin
