Take Part in this Year's Santa to the Sea Half Marathon - Dec. 14

    OXNARD, CA, November 21, 2014 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Join the race! Nearly 4,000 runners are expected to participate in this year's 7th Annual Santa to the Sea Half Marathon, 2-person relay race, 5K run and 1K kids fun run on Dec 14.

Santa to the Sea is a nonprofit event that helps collect toys for underprivileged children in Ventura County and raises money to provide students with scholarships to attend Oxnard College. Marathon participants are asked to bring a new, unwrapped toy (of at least a $10 value) to the starting line. All proceeds and gifts will be donated to the 11th annual toy giveaway at Santa Park on Saturday, Dec. 20.

All races start at 8 a.m. on Dec 14, except the 1K kids run which starts at 8:45 a.m. The half marathon begins at the giant Santa statue located at 2801 Ventura Blvd., Oxnard, goes through the strawberry fields and a new business park before heading to downtown Oxnard and the Historic District and ends at the Marine Emporium Landing in Channel Islands Harbor. The 5K run and 1K kids fun run start and finish at the Marine Emporium Landing. The 5K course goes along Oxnard Beach Park to Rehab Point, where runners turn around and then head back to the finish line.

All participants must register before the race; there is no race-day registration. Runners can register online at http://www.santatothesea.com.

All events are USA Track and Field certified and will be chip timed by Gemini. A computer chip is placed on the shoe of every runner. When the runner crosses the finish line, two electronic mats send a signal to the computer, which records the runner's time to one-thousandth of a second (.000).

Several events take place within the race, including a Charity Challenge, Neighborhood Challenge, High School Challenge, costume contest and the Finish Line Festival and Race Expo where more than 5,000 supporters are expected to watch the racers and celebrate with them as they cross the finish line.

Charity Challenge
For a fourth year in a row, people participating in Santa to the Sea's half marathon, two-person relay or 5K races can take the Charity Challenge and help raise funds for one of five local charities. And for the team that helps raise the most money: a two-foot tall perpetual trophy to display for one year. This year's charities include FOOD Share of Ventura County, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Oxnard and Port Hueneme, Inlakech Cultural Arts Center, The Autism Society, Ventura County, and Future Leaders of America.

Neighborhood Cheer Challenge
Five neighborhood junior high schools along the race route will compete for most spirited by creating a festival-type celebration in their neighborhood to cheer on and entertain the runners during the race. Runners then vote for the most entertaining school and cash prizes ranging from $2,500 to $500 will be awarded to all schools in order of most spirited. The five schools competing along the race route are Frank Intermediate School, Fremont Intermediate School, Haydock Intermediate School, Rio del Valle Middle School and Rio Vista Middle School. As a gold sponsor, NRG Energy will award the cash prizes.

Finish Line Festival and Race Expo
Santa to the Sea is holding its first-ever two-day Finish Line Festival and Race Expo, Dec. 13 and 14, at the Marine Emporium Landing. Up to 55 vendors will be located under a giant tent. Saturday hours will be 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. and on Sunday, the tent will be open 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. when the race is over.

For more information, or to register visit http://www.santatothesea.com, or call race organizer Mike Barber at (805) 485-7233.

2014 Sponsors: Presenting Sponsor is the Oxnard Auto Center, Gold level sponsors include City of Oxnard, NRG Energy, Marine Emporium Landing and Mayerson Marketing & Public Relations; Silver level includes Don Francisco's Coffee, Port of Hueneme, Ventura County Star, The Collection RiverPark and Whole Foods Market Oxnard; and Bronze level includes 24 Hour Fitness, Costco, CEP America, Essentia, Oxnard Childrens Dental Group, Powerade, PowerBar, Quinn, Ventura County Transportation Commission, Rabobank, CBC Federal Credit Union, Dick's Sporting Goods, Timex Ironman, UPS, Vintage Marina Partners, Travis Agricultural Construction, SoCal Gas, PODS, Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Oxnard and Port Hueneme, and Dignity Health.

Supporting Sponsors include Michelob Ultra, Dole, Smart Shuttle, York's Core and Fitness and Union Bank; Scholarship Program Partners include Gene Haas Foundation and Oxnard College Foundation; and Santa's Helpers include Macaroni Kid, Island Packers, Jersey Mike's Subs, KADY TV, Roadrunner Sports, Opolo Vineyards, Oxnard City Corps, Pizza Man Dan's, Salonpas, Taconic Biosciences, the kitchen and Total Barricade. The Official Host Hotel is Holiday Inn Express Port Hueneme, and other hotel partners include Best Western Oxnard Inn, Hampton Inn Channel Islands Harbor and Residence Inn by Marriott at River Ridge.

Santa to the Sea is a nonprofit event born out of a desire to give back to the community. What started in 2003 as a toy drive to celebrate the relocation of the world's largest Santa Claus from Carpinteria to Oxnard, has grown into a robust running event, toy drive, and community fundraiser. Santa to the Sea includes a sanctioned half marathon and a 2-person half marathon relay, plus a 5K run, 1K kids fun run, Finish Line Festival and Race Expo. The Santa to the Sea Scholarship Fund partners with the Oxnard College Foundation and the Gene Haas Foundation to award $500 scholarships to local high school students and adults continuing their education at Oxnard College.

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