Purpose over Pace: Malibu Moves' brings 2,500 together for community and fitness

By Barbara Burke · Fri Oct 30 2026

Purpose over Pace: Malibu Moves' brings 2,500 together for community and fitness

Third annual event welcomes all ages and abilities as cumulative charitable contributions surpass $150,000

Malibu Moves, an inclusive two-day running and movement festival, is the only running event featuring a course within the City of Malibu. This year’s event began on Saturday, Oct. 24, and included the 1K Kids Run and the one-mile Zuma Dash. Sunday featured a half marathon, a 10K and a 5K, followed by a finish-line festival that offered food, wellness, music, and community celebration, including a charity beer garden.

Welcoming all to the race course

Malibu Moves welcomes all ages, sizes, and fitness levels to the race course; has no pace minimum on any of its distances; and is dedicated to celebrating every finisher. Founder and race director Erica Segal noted that the event features a USATF-measured half marathon course.

“The third annual Malibu Moves saw a 20 percent registration growth, with 2,500 runners and walkers participating over the weekend,” Segal stated, adding that the 3-year-old festival has raised more than $150,000 to benefit Malibu-based causes, including youth-focused charities such as the Malibu Education Foundation, which benefits Malibu’s four local public schools, and fire relief causes, including the local Fire Brigade. Contributions support the philanthropic efforts of the Move Together Association, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that oversees the Malibu Moves Community Impact Fund, and the event’s community charity partners.

One local nonprofit organization that benefits from Malibu Moves is the Emily Shane Foundation, which provides mentor-tutors to underserved and struggling middle school students at risk of academic failure.

“The community spirit at the event was incredible,” Ellen Shane, Emily’s mother, exclaimed. “We are grateful to Erica for including us and for her establishing a culture of having a race for all — I’m proud to have come in third place in the 5K for my age group!”

Speaking of age-group champions, Segal noted that the oldest runner in the race was Frank Perna, 88, a Malibu resident who ran the half marathon for charity.

“Frank hit his full $500 fundraising minimum and added a donation of his own,” Segal said. “It was his second year with us!”

It is quite a Herculean task to coordinate a two-day race festival along Zuma Beach in Malibu’s era of wildfires and coastal erosion. Many sponsors supported Segal’s efforts to hold the event, including Rusnak; UCLA Health; Ventura Rental; Pepperdine University; Edison International; Capriroso, a performance and longevity intelligence platform and app built for endurance runners and cyclists; Fleet Feet Agoura Hills, a specialist running store offering expert shoe fittings and personalized foot analysis; SoCalGas; the Malibu-Pacific Palisades Chamber of Commerce; Allied Universal, formerly IPS; and media sponsor The Malibu Times.

A host of vendors also participated, including Voli Hydrate, Saje Natural Wellness, Santa Monica College and its Emeritus lifelong learning program for senior adults, and Solstice, which provides acupressure ear seeds.

Also participating was the Sarah Shulze Foundation, which supports mental health, student athletics and women’s rights in memory of Sarah Shulze, the Ventura County 2018 Female Athlete of the Year and a racing champion at the University of Wisconsin who died by suicide in 2022. Her foundation has inspired the passage of the Sarah Shulze Act to ensure mental health resources are readily available on college campuses.

“As we celebrate our second year as part of Malibu Moves at Sarah’s favorite place, Zuma Beach, means more than words can ever express,” the Shulze family and the foundation posted online after the event. “We feel Sarah in every part of this event and in the heart of Malibu Moves itself — a celebration of community, movement and philanthropy.”

If it’s in Malibu, creative art must be involved!

Local artist Ann Krasner, owner of the Malibu Art Garden with its gorgeously intriguing artwork and bronze and fiberglass sculptures, often brings her works to the beach. This past weekend, Krasner added lots of joy and color throughout the Malibu Moves space, drawing curiosity from many attendees. Her colorful sculptures invited onlookers to appreciate the works as they exist in direct conversation with Malibu’s surrounding landscape and beautiful Zuma Beach.

Participants and a supportive audience were delighted with Malibu Moves

“We are incredibly proud to support Erica Segal, a Chamber board member, by participating in Malibu Moves,” said Maryam Zar, CEO of the Malibu-Pacific Palisades Chamber of Commerce. “With at least five of our board members participating in the run, it was a perfect day to celebrate community spirit and resilience.”

“One hundred fifty-one Malibu residents ran with us, and counting our neighbors in Topanga and the Palisades, more than 170 locals participated,” Segal said.

Participant David Chokachi, who joined others from the local brigade running in the 5K, chimed in, stating, “Erica Segal puts together an incredible event and sets the tone for what Malibu Moves is all about: bringing people together and giving back to our community.”

Chokachi added, “The brigade runners used the event to complete our pack test — three miles carrying 45 pounds in under 45 minutes. Staying together as a group made that effort feel a little less painful and a lot more rewarding. Being there together, raising awareness for the brigade and supporting our community — it could not have been a more beautiful day.”

Joe Irvin, Malibu’s city manager, and his wife, Katie Irvin, completed the 10K race.

“Having the opportunity to run next to my neighbors, friends and visitors on one of the most beautiful race courses in the country is quite a memorable experience,” Joe Irvin said. “I continue to urge everyone to focus on health and wellness.”

Brandon Jenner and his four children participated as well.

“Having our family take part in Malibu Moves proved to be such a wonderful time,” Jenner commented. “The whole weekend was run very well and it was so special to be able to do something positive and healthy with my kids that was actually so much fun for them!”

Malibuite Maggie Castle noted, “Malibu Moves has become a bit of a family tradition.”

She added, “My husband, Jamin Kerner, ran the half marathon that first year, while the kids did the 1K; now, all four of us ran the 5K together. We want our children to understand why they’re running — they help rally support from family and friends, run every step, and write thank-you notes afterward. Knowing their efforts benefit local nonprofits gives them a sense of purpose, confidence in what they can do and a connection to their community.”

The couple’s son, Will, ran, as did their daughter, Rooney Kerner, and her friend Gemma Benson, both 10, who placed fifth and sixth, respectively, in their 1–19 age group, according to Segal.

“It is so amazing those girls placed so high and doing so gets their competitive, can-do spirit going!” she said.

Nine-year-old Aiden Caymaz, nephew of Malibu’s Bianca Torrence, ran fast and furious in memory of Bianca’s son, the late Olympian David Torrence, and in honor of the David Torrence Legacy Foundation, created posthumously in his name. David Torrence represented Peru in the 2016 Summer Olympics, placed 15th in the men’s 5,000 meters and broke the Peruvian national record. Caymaz was delighted to participate and win medals.

“It was my second time running and it was very fun and it felt really good to win all those medals in honor of my Uncle David Torrence,” he commented. “My uncle was very good at running, and he was a very good guy, and he broke records at the Olympics. I’m going to keep practicing and hope that I can be like him!”

Jaclyn Medeiros paused to reflect on the race course, the expo and those gathered and noted, “It’s really good to support Malibu this way. Even though me and my husband Brett, who is running in the event for the first time, live over the mountain, we feel a part of Malibu today!”

Passion. Resilience. Power.

While the race works to create an inclusive environment, elite competitors were part of the field of athletes who took tothe Malibu course. Participants excitedly gathered under a beautiful Hunter moonset, ready to start the race. Top results for the day included:

All results are now available online at sites.chronotrack.com/event/94302

Amid the post-race rush, the event’s food sponsor served hungry participants. Malibu’s Ian Roven and his team from Howdy’s again sponsored the event.

“This is how our community should be recognized,” Roven said. “I am so proud of Erica, the event’s founder! Malibu Moves inspires Malibu!”

Chokachi agreed wholeheartedly and noted, “I think community is something we sometimes overlook until we need it, but you can’t put a price on it. Having people around you who care and show up for one another is such an important part of being human — that’s what I felt out there at Malibu Moves.”

View on The Malibu Times