You already know there are a ton of reasons you should run the Malibu Half Marathon & 5K Run / Walk.
You’ve got one of the most scenic races in America, a community of people who are passionate about living well, everything that world-famous Malibu has to offer, amazing charities that you can support, and a well-organized event that just keeps getting better and better every year.
But there’s more! You see, we’re constantly looking for ways to improve a race experience that Women’s Running Magazine called “too gorgeous to be missed.”
Here are some important changes we’ve made to the 13th annual race that you might not have heard about:
We’re now a two-day event
For the first time, we’re splitting our events across two spectacular days. The 5K and Kids’ Fun Run will take place on Saturday, Nov. 13th, while runners for the Half Marathon will start the following morning — Sunday, Nov. 14th.
This change allows us to turn the 5K into a looped course, adding more variety to this increasingly popular event. The course starts and ends at famed Zuma Beach, offering runners an oceanside route at one of the most distinctive landmarks in Southern California (you’ve seen it as the backdrop in countless films and TV commercials).
From the starting line, the 5K proceeds along Zuma Beach Access Road, and then turns left onto Pacific Coast Highway (PCH), offering a prime view of the pristine Malibu beach. After running along the entire length of the Zuma Beach parking lot, you'll turn back inside the parking lot, just south of Trancas Canyon, to the finish line. With no hills, the 5K course is perfect for anyone looking to attempt a personal record (PR) — or just looking for a beautiful race that’s a lot less demanding than the half marathon.
We’re introducing a new Combo Challenge: To celebrate our new format, we’ve created the Combo Challenge — Run 2 races, get 3 medals!🏅 If you complete two races (the 5K and the Half Marathon), you can now bring home some extra hardware. Booyah!
During online registration, select the COMBO option to save $15 on the Half Marathon + 5K Run/Walk. If you’re already registered for a Run Malibu event, you can update your selection to the Combo Challenge directly from your Profile > Upcoming Events > Manage Registration > Click ’Transfer Event’ from the Top Menu.
The Half Marathon also starts and ends at Zuma Beach, giving runners a stunning out-and-back route along the Malibu coastline. The course follows the start of the 5K, but the turnaround is located further along, just north of San Nicolas Canyon. Runners will then head back down the coast to the finish line.
The Half Marathon is a USATF-measured course and participants will have 4+ hours to complete their race (i.e. an 18 minute-per-mile pace). Due to the out and back nature of the course (what goes up also goes down), the total elevation ascension is 330 feet — nothing you won’t be able to handle with a bit of training and planning (read our blog post on 10 tips for running the Half Marathon in fine form). Trust us, that incline on the way down to the finish line feels fantastic!
We’re giving you the option to run virtually
For participants who would rather run on their own, or can’t or don’t want to travel to Malibu, we’ve got you covered! We will be offering our iconic events, which we’ve hosted for the past 12 years along the Malibu coastline, with a new twist — you can now run from any location in the world you’d like, at a time that’s most convenient for you, between Nov. 13th and 28th, 2021. Get ready to race your way with #RunMalibuVRTL 🐬🌴🍹
We’re inviting the whole family to join the fun
For kids ages 4 to 10, we’re putting on a cool, family-friendly event — the Malibu Half K Fun Run. It’s a joyful celebration of youth fitness that takes place Saturday afternoon, Nov. 13th, at the Malibu Half Marathon Race Expo. The entry fee is $25 and all racers are awarded a medal at the finish! This beach trot is perfect for families who share a passion for good health, the outdoors and the beach. Sorry, grownups — this is strictly a kids-only race.
We’re giving you a chance to run for free!
Did you know that there’s a way to participate in the Malibu Half Marathon and 5K Run / Walk without paying any registration fees? Yup. It’s called our Referral Program. When you sign up, you'll get a unique referral link to share. The more people you get to sign up, the bigger the reward. You could earn enough to run the race for free. For more details about our Referral Program, click here. Don’t forget that our Charity Runners can also get free registration for reaching certain fundraising milestones.
After a year of lockdowns and shutdowns, we’re so looking forward to seeing our community in person and watching all of you gorgeous people #CrushTheComeback. See you in Malibu!