Malibu Marathon Draws 150 Runners From Canceled NY Race

A field of about 800 runners, including almost 150 who had planned to run the New York Marathon, is expected for Sunday's fourth annual Malibu International Marathon, whose 26-mile, 385-yard course will take runners from the Camarillo Airport to Zuma Beach.

Malibu International Marathon organizers offered runners who had planned to run the New York Marathon, planned for last Sunday but canceled because of Hurricane Sandy, the opportunity to register for the race for the $109 early rate, with 25 percent of the entry fee donated to the AmeriCares Hurricane Sandy Fund.

The race, which has drawn runners from Australia, Brazil and China, is scheduled to begin at 7 a.m. Sunday at the Camarillo Airport, with the first eight miles through Ventura County's flat farmlands. The course will then follow Pacific Coast Highway for its final 18 miles, beginning with two miles along the Point Mugu Naval Air Station, then entering the "Keyway to the coast,'' the rock valley passageway to the Pacific Ocean at Point Mugu.

The second half of the course includes cliffs lining the undeveloped coastline, with the final six miles going past mansions owned by a variety of movie stars. The race concludes at the entrance to Zuma Beach.

About 2,700 more runners are expected to race in the half-marathon, conducted over the final 13.1 miles of the marathon course. Another 50 people have entered the SUPathlon, which combines a seven-mile run with a six-mile stand-up paddleboard race. The race serves as a fundraiser for:

• Christopher's Haven, which provides housing for families who bring their children to Boston's MassGeneral Hospital for Children for cancer treatment.
• The Lazarex Cancer Foundation, which provides resources for cancer patients who've been told they have no other options;
• The Cornucopia Foundation, which develops programs for children and adults, teaching sustainability;
• Girls on the Run, a running program for girls from third through eighth grades;
• Future Leaders for Peace, which teaches youths positive ways of approaching life challenges and dreams;
• The Malibu Boys & Girls Club;
• The Malibu Special Education Foundation;
• The Malibu Wings Team, which helps prevent child abuse and treats its victims; and
• The Shark Fund, the fundraising organization for Malibu High School.

Motorists should expect delays along Pacific Coast Highway from Ventura County to Zuma Beach, where southbound traffic will be reduced to one lane, according to Caltrans.