A letter from your Race Director - Erica Segel:
I strongly believe in the life-changing power of being active, doing physical exercise and being outdoors.
Most agree that regular physical activity, especially outdoors, can improve our physical and mental health, boost self-esteem, mood, sleep quality and energy. Yet, we fail in finding the motivation and the consistency to do so regularly, myself included.
During my years as a race director I’ve witnessed countless incredible and remarkable stories, your stories, of how people have turned their lives around thanks to physical activity, but the more I collect them, the more I start seeing a common denominator: community.
Although each story is different, some start walking or running to escape a stressful situation and connect with themselves and their breath, others do it to improve their health, others in memory of a loved one or to raise awareness and funds for an important cause, but all find an incredibly supportive community in the process.
I’ve witnessed countless of incredible and remarkable stories, your stories, on how people have turned their life around thanks to physical activity.
Connecting with like-minded people in such an individualistic world has become imperative for our mental health and wellbeing and that is why I love the world of racing.
Signing up for a race can really help with having a goal and staying accountable, but it’s the people that you meet along the way that are going to make this journey life-changing.
When I signed up to run my first race, the first thing I did was look for a group of people to help me train for it and so I joined several running clubs including the LA Leggers, Movement Runners, Azusa Pacers and others. Little did I know that I was gaining so much more than just a support system for my training; I was gaining a community, friends, a second family.
Over the years, through running I have met the most inspiring and incredible humans that I am now lucky to call my friends. I fell in love with the world of races because of the people who are in it, so I decided to dedicate myself to building an event that could celebrate their achievement.
However, I still see that racing is not nearly as accessible as I would like it to be. Many have the wrong conception that racing is only for the fit and the athletic. That you need to be fast, be athletically gifted and have superhuman willpower in order to even consider signing up for an event.
While it is true that some level of commitment is needed (as it is for any other important thing in life), racing is truly for anyone, or at least Run Malibu is. #TheRaceForEveryBODY #LeaveNoRunnerBehind
Being a walker myself, I make sure both the Malibu 5K and the Malibu Half Marathon are walkable. A bib shoutout goes to Hilda Gonzales of the Whittier Pacers. To date she has successfully trained her group to walk several 5ks, 10ks and half marathons, including the Malibu Half Marathon.
When I meet someone who says: “I can’t be part of Run Malibu, I’m not a runner”, that’s when I become the most passionate and excited to help them find the courage to believe in themselves and see that no matter whether fast or slow, running or walking, Run Malibu is for anyone who is passionate about the outdoors, physical activity, community and just having a good time.
If you haven’t taken that step already, this is my personal way of challenging you to do so today.
No matter if fast or slow, running or walking, Run Malibu is for anyone who is passionate about the outdoors, movement, community and having a good time.
Lace up your shoes and go outside. Breathe in some fresh air and soak up the sunshine (especially true if you live in So Cal, lol). Find a group near you to accompany you on this journey or have a friend or family join you. Set up a goal for yourself and, with a lot of self love and always respecting your needs, work towards it because there will never be anything more worth investing in than yourself.
And remember, that no matter the fitness level you start at: YOUR RACE, YOUR PACE!.