Sun shines on Surf City

George Border was the oldest runner in this year’s Surf City USA Marathon, but the 81-year-old from Huntington Beach didn’t act his age Sunday as he neared the finish line.

He said he stopped for several minutes to celebrate with supporters lined along the race route.

“I had a good time,” Border said. “The first part of the marathon I did very nicely. I was right around a 10-minute mile. [At the finish line] I talked with a lot of people and had a lot of high-fives. I probably could have done a little bit better, if I wasn’t a celebrity.”

Border began running marathons when he was 67. He said this year’s Surf City was his 40th marathon and it was a nice run on a sunny day, the rains having stopped the night before.

He might have been the oldest, but his enthusiasm was what people noticed after he crossed the line in 5 hours, 22 minutes, 59 seconds.

“No sore muscles,” Border said. “I didn’t exert myself. I probably could have done it in around five hours. But I enjoyed it. It was a nice easy run. I love to run, period. I’m going to run this one again next year.”

Border was one of more than 20,000 runners, a Surf City record, who hit the streets Sunday morning for the marathon, half marathon or 5K run. Matt Wiltse of Las Vegas, 33, won the marathon in 2:37.19.

Karen Warrendorf of Canada, 36, was the top women’s finisher in 3:05.24.

“I thought it was a real nice event,” said Wiltse, who said it was his sixth marathon he’s run. “It’s a course that’s pretty conducive to running a fast time. Going through the park was good, and going through the residential neighborhoods. I enjoyed the experience.”

Steven Osaduik of Canada, 30, won the men’s half marathon in 1:04.52, and Karen Barlow of Australia, 31, was the top women’s finisher in 1:18:44. In the 5K, Jason Valenzuda of Laguna Hills, 25, was tops in 15:39. Vivien Wadeck of North Hollywood, 30, won the women’s 5K in 17:17.

About 40,000 spectators lined the 26.2-mile route for the marathon and more than 1,200 volunteers were out in full force on race day. Amy Tomchak, the Surf City USA Marathon general manager, said the rain that stopped Saturday night left great conditions.

“If there’s such a thing as too much sun, that might have been Sunday,” Tomchak said. “But I’m not going to complain considering how the weather was the day before It was just super-energetic. There was a high feeling of inspiration in the air. It was just really amazing.”

Danielle Zankich definitely felt the same way. The Huntington Beach resident, a fifth-grade teacher at Hawes Elementary, met her goal of qualifying for next year’s Boston Marathon. Zankich needed a 3:45 or better and finished in 3:42:13.

“I made it by the skin of my teeth,” she said. “I started getting tired around mile 20. I was in a lot of pain. I felt like I was going to cry.”

But Zankich was inspired by Ron Hill of Woodland Hills, who she didn’t know but who had a sign pinned to the back of his shirt that said he also needed a 3:45 to qualify for Boston. Hill at first didn’t want to talk to Zankich during the race, but she said he patted her on the back as she stopped for a water break.

“He said, ‘Come on, we’ve got to go,’ ” Zankich said. “I don’t know if I would have made it. It was just amazing.”

More than $200,000 was raised for the Free Wheelchair Mission in the fifth annual Run for Mobility. Some runners used the marathon to help raise funds to build and deliver specially engineered wheelchairs around the world.

Surf City USA Marathon Results

Top marathon locals: John Haden, HB, 3:09.54 (fifth in men ages 40-44); George Border, HB, 5:22:59 (first in men ages 80-99); Ashley Martin, FV, 3:38:32 (second in women ages 18-24); Lisa Yokoyama, HB, 3:24:37 (fourth in women ages 40-44); Rosalinda Johnson, HB, 3:37:41 (fifth in women ages 45-49); Sherry Gregory, HB, 4:07:33 (fourth in women ages 55-59); Mary Wilvert, HB, 5:20:47 (first in women ages 65-69).

Top half-marathon locals: Bob Norton, HB, 1:56 (third in men ages 70-74); Ni Taniguchi, HB, 1:40:28 (second in women ages 1-17).

Top 5K locals: Johann Appell, HB, 15:59 (first in men ages 30-34 and second overall); Roger Mignosa, HB, 17:09 (third in men ages 30-34); Art Gittleman, HB, 26:20 (first in men ages 65-69); Lee Gillespie, HB, 29:56 (second in men ages 65-69); John Cernok, HB, 30:35 (third in men ages 65-69); Robert Arner, HB, 35:36 (second in men ages 70-74); Bill Vaughan, HB, 45:54 (first in men ages 75-79); Catherine Durant, HB, 21:00 (third in women ages 13-18); Kathleen Dover, HB, 27:15 (second in women ages 55-59); Sandy Butts, HB, 29:45 (third in women ages 60-64); Marjean Brandt, 44:38 (second in women ages 70-74); Dorothy Gaul, HB, 49:00 (second in women ages 80-99).