Running on Malibu Road aka The Place To Be

Getting Started

There are many beautiful places to run and enjoy the ideal weather and picturesque scenery near Calamigos Ranch, but one of my favorites is Malibu Road. This route is a perfect run for anyone looking to get in 8-9 miles or less. It is a viable option for anyone hoping to run a fast time, or just enjoy an easy jog by the beach. Marked by flat roads and oceanside views, I’ve grown to love this run and it all begins at good ole Ralph’s Beach.

Ralph’s Beach

Ralph’s beach is a small semi-secluded beach at the end of Malibu Road and this is where you will find parking to begin your run. The end of the road begins to slope uphill and right there by the beach you can park your car and begin to warm up for your workout. Since this is also where you will finish your run, you might want to bring a towel in case you decide to take a dip in the ocean after a warm and sunny run.

The Lagoon

You shouldn’t have much trouble finding your way through this run as it is pretty straightforward. From Ralph’s beach you just run straight down Malibu Road in the direction away from PCH. The first turn you will make is a little over 2.5 miles into your run. You will end up on a gravel path beside the road and come to a traffic light and see a sign for the Malibu Lagoon. You take a right here and run about a third of a mile into the lagoon and then you will find yourself at another beautiful beach called Third Point. At this point in the run you should be at almost 3 miles and you turn around at third point and run back out of the lagoon. However, instead of turning left out of the lagoon to return to Ralph’s, you take a right and make your way to the Malibu Pier.

The Malibu Pier

This next stop on your run is easily my favorite, however you need to be running at least 7 miles to enjoy the Malibu Pier which overlooks a favorite surfing location of mine, First Point, also known as Surfrider Beach. After you leave the lagoon and take a right, you will be running on the sidewalk beside PCH. The cars can be pretty loud for this stretch but don’t worry it’s less than a mile of road to get to the pier. As the sidewalk continues it will start to become thin and you will find yourself running past lots of vans full of surfers putting on their wetsuits and accidentally hitting you with their boards, this is how you know you’re going the right way. Around 3.8 miles in you will get to the Malibu Pier, you can’t miss it. You take a right turn through the massive gates and run the stretch of the pier all the way to the end. At the tip you should be about 4 miles into your run. This is a great place to stop, take a break, and relax at the halfway point of your run while you watch the surfers at First Point. This is the point at which you will turn around and run the route you already did just in the opposite direction and return to Ralph’s Beach.

Finishing Up

If you run this route in its entirety from Ralph’s Beach all the way to the Malibu Pier, going into the Malibu Lagoon both ways, you will end up running right around 8 miles. However, for beginner runners concerned about going that far there’s lots of room for adjustment, don’t be afraid to make this run your own. If the lagoon isn’t your thing but you’re all about the pier, just skip the lagoon for a shorter run. If you want to see both the lagoon and the pier but don’t want to run so far, you can find parking all along Malibu Road closer to those spots. The most important thing about running is having fun so I recommend you head out to Malibu Road and get your blood pumping all the way from Ralph’s to the pier!

By: Jackson Felkins

Pepperdine Cross Country