Anyway, the Malibu Moves 5k race cost hit me by surprise. The race was $73, and because I couldn’t make packet pickup, it was another $30 to have it mailed. The kicker was receiving the bib at home and seeing that postage was only $1.77. I get that it’s a service, but at that point, the 5k cost over $100. Packet pickup was only available from 1-4 pm the day before, and I was never going to make that.
Before running the Malibu Moves 5k, I had a couple of questions:
- Is the Malibu Moves 5k flat and fast? Yes, it’s actually one of the flattest 5k courses I’ve run in California, you really cannot get any flatter. It does have a few hairpin turns though.
- Why is the Malibu Moves 5k so expensive? Honestly, I still can’t really figure out why they charge so much for the 5k. It’s fun and there is a big expo with the Malibu Moves 13.1, but it’s one of the most expensive 5ks I’ve ever run.
Read this honest Malibu Moves 5k race recap.
Before the Malibu Moves 5k:
We stayed in a local hotel/motel and didn’t get much sleep because there was no way to block the outside light. I guess I’ve become that person who needs pitch black to sleep…who knew? I woke up a bit groggy, tired, and slow-moving.
I planned to get to the race start an hour early but didn’t even leave my hotel until around 7 for the 7:45 start. First, I forgot body glide. Then, I couldn’t find my headphones. Finally, I gave up on the headphones, only to find them in my pocket a mile down the road. I did a quick 2.5-mile warm-up jog to the race start but had trouble getting close enough to the front. Ultimately, I started too far back and got boxed in at the start.
Malibu Moves 5k Race:
The race went off at 7:45 as advertised. You start in a parking lot and make a sharp right-hand turn, which makes it easy to get boxed in. I almost came to a complete stop there. Finally, we ran almost a mile down, and people began to spread out. I briefly looked at my watch and saw a 7:12 pace, which made me think, “Oh darn.” It’s a flat and fast course, but I didn’t feel great. I had eaten a lot of junk in the 48 hours prior and felt lethargic and unprepared for a fast race.
I noticed I was possibly the third-place woman and could see the second-place runner. I thought, “I think I can catch her.” I hit mile 1 in 6:33, which actually surprised me—I felt like I was running much slower.
The next mile was straight on the highway. I was running alone, and while I didn’t feel like I was dying as usual in a 5k, I also took it out about 10 seconds slower than I have recently. That mile went by without much excitement, and I was surprised to run a 6:25. What the heck? I never negative split a 5k.
The final mile was a grind. You pass the finish, do a 180 turn around 2.6 miles, and head back. It felt like it was never-ending. I did appreciate running by 5ks going out. I know out and backs are not everyone’s favorite kind if course, but I like them. I crossed the finish in 20:22 as the second overall woman.
Malibu Moves 5k Thoughts:
I’m actually surprised at how fast I ran. This is my fastest 5k in a while during marathon training, and I did not feel good at all. I felt bloated and lethargic, but that was on me. It kind of makes me want to find a fast 5k to run when I do feel good and see how it goes.
You can see Strava here and all race recaps here.
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Questions for you:
Have you been to Malibu?
What is the most expensive 5k you’ve run?