Matthew Bernstein and Kellilyn Short win half-marathon titles at an event rooted in community and coastal running
What began in 2009 as an effort by local runners to celebrate Malibu’s coastline and support community organizations continued Sunday, Nov. 8, as participants took to the road for the Run Malibu Half Marathon. Over the years, the event has changed names, courses, and race offerings, but its beginnings remain tied to Malibu residents who wanted to bring people together through running while giving back to the community.
In spring 2009, the Malibu City Council agreed to partner with Forever Runners on a proposed annual marathon. Malibu resident Blue Benadum, then president of the running club, outlined a vision that combined fitness, support for local businesses, and fundraising for nonprofit organizations.
Early proposed beneficiaries included the Malibu High School Shark Fund, MalibuGreenMachine, and Christopher’s Haven, which provides housing for children undergoing cancer treatment and their families. The proposed full-marathon route stretched from Camarillo Airport to Zuma Beach.
The inaugural Malibu International Marathon and Half Marathon followed on Nov. 15, 2009, accompanied by a Health and Fitness Expo at Zuma Beach. The event gave runners an opportunity to experience the coastline on foot and established a fall running tradition associated with Malibu.
Among its co-founders was Alberto Perusset, known throughout the community as Malibu’s barefoot runner. Perusset died in 2022, but his connection to the event has endured through runners who returned to participate in his memory.
By 2023, Run Malibu had grown into a weekend of activities for competitive runners, recreational participants and families. The Malibu Times reported that year’s event included 3,100 half-marathon participants, 1,250 5K finishers and 100 children in the youth races. A Kids’ Festival brought together the Boys & Girls Club of Malibu and local businesses for activities beyond the finish line.
The partnership with the Boys & Girls Club became a significant part of the event’s community work. In 2024, organizers reported that Run Malibu had contributed more than $350,000 over a partnership spanning more than a decade, supporting the club’s mental health and wellness programs. Organizers also helped launch a children’s running program in local schools in 2023.
The race itself entered a new chapter in 2024 with a redesigned half-marathon course beginning at CSU Channel Islands and finishing along Pacific Coast Highway near Mugu Rock. Race Director Cassidy Case described the change as a return to the stretch of coastline that originally inspired the event.
For the 2026 race weekend, the half marathon began at CSU Channel Islands in Camarillo and finished at the Mugu Canyon Rest Area on PCH. Saturday’s schedule included a race expo and children’s Dolphin Dash. The scheduled CSU Dolphin 5K was canceled because of an unexpected staffing shortage at the host venue, according to organizers.
On Sunday, Matthew Bernstein led the half-marathon field, winning the men’s title in 1 hour, 15 minutes and 2 seconds. Samuel Kohll placed second among men in 1:18:15, followed by Dallas Snider in 1:20:48.
Kellilyn Short captured the women’s championship in 1:20:21, finishing third overall and averaging approximately 6:08 per mile. Sydney Knodel took second among women in 1:21:29, while Elizabeth Ben-Ishai placed third in 1:25:42.
Short finished 1 minute and 8 seconds ahead of Knodel, while Bernstein’s winning margin over Kohll was 3 minutes and 13 seconds. Their victories added the latest names to a running tradition that began with Malibu residents and has continued to draw participants to the coast since 2009.
Complete race results are available through runmalibu.com.