SANTA BARBARA, Calif. /ENDURANCE SPORTSWIRE/ – The Santa Barbara Half presented by HOKA and UCLA Health 5K weekend, Friday, November 1 to Sunday, November 3, will celebrate its 4th edition on the iconic American Riviera with a record number of more than 6,000 entrants, including 4,500 in the Half Marathon, 1,700 in the 5K and 300 in the Kids race.
The Palm Park Festival presented by the Santa Barbara Independent kicks off race weekend on Friday, November 1 and Saturday, November 2. Hosted at the Carousel House, registered participants can pick up their race day packets. The community is also welcome all weekend long for the free festivities, including the HOKA shakeout run & yoga in the park, live music (local DJs and Soul Majestic), a kids zone and vendor booths.
The event culminates on Sunday, November 3, race day, with thousands celebrating their journey to the finish line. Santa Barbara’s Funk Zone, along the Yanonali Street corridor, will transform into a block party with live music and many businesses open early to welcome runners, family and friends. For more event weekend details, see schedule below.
This year, featured local artist Madi Manson of Loud Flower Art Co has designed awesome event medals, t-shirts, hoodies, hats and stickers with the theme “Moving Together Brings Us Together” that perfectly capture the spirit and energy of the Santa Barbara Half.
“For the third consecutive year of record entrants, everybody involved in the event’s presentation, from local businesses to the hundreds of volunteers, cannot wait to welcome, cheer and celebrate all the runners in beautiful Santa Barbara this weekend,” said Race Director David Monico. “We’re also expecting to raise more than $50,000 for the Santa Barbara Running Association’s youth programs along with various other community organizations.”
The top elite runners in the Half Marathon are HOKA Aggie Chris Frias, two-time men’s runner-up (2021, 2023), and local resident Seth Frazer, who sports a 1:06:32 half marathon personal record.
EVENT SCHEDULE
Friday, November 1, Golden Hour
Palm Park Festival presented by the Santa Barbara Independent
(Carousel House near Chase Palm Park)
- Packet Pick-Up: 2:00pm – 6:00pm
- Drinks from Local Breweries: 2:00pm – 6:00pm
- DJ Set: 2:00pm – 4:00pm
- Soul Majestic: 4:00pm – 6:00pm
Saturday, November 2, Community Day
Palm Park Festival presented by the Santa Barbara Independent
(Carousel House near Chase Palm Park)
- HOKA Community Shakeout Run: 9:00am
- Packet Pick-Up: 10:00am – 2:00pm
- HOKA Yoga in the Park with Power of Your Om’s Adrienne Smith: 10:00am
- Kids Zone & Activities: 11:00am – 2:00pm
- DJ Set: 11:00am – 2:00pm
Sunday, November 3, Race Day
- Race Solutions Tent opens at 5:30am (Yanonali & State Streets)
- Half Marathon presented by HOKA start: 7:00am (State Street)
- UCLA Health 5K start: 8:30am (State Street)
- Half Marathon Overall & Age Group Awards: 9:00am (Yanonali Street, Funk Zone)
- 5K Overall & Age Group Awards: 9:30am (Yanonali Street, Funk Zone)
- HOKA Kids Fun Run (free): 10:00am (State Street)
- Finish Line Festival (free to all) from 8:00am to 12:00pm (Yanonali Street, Funk Zone)
FAST FACTS
- Fourth edition
- Central Coast’s largest running event
- Runners from 46 states & 13 countries
- Youngest entrant, 10 months (Kids race)
- Oldest entrant, 82-years-old (Half Marathon)
- Volunteer crew of more than 300 strong
- 60-plus porta potties
- Two dozen blind runners as well as their guides from United in Stride, Blind Fitness & Eyeshine
- Half Marathon event records:
- 1:06:54, Phillip Reid, 2022
- 1:17:38, Addie Zerrenner, 2021
- 5K event records:
- 15:46, James Silva, 2021
- 17:44, Jordan Hasay, 2022
- The Half Marathon is a Santa Barbara Running Association Grand Prix event.
- The 5K is a SBRA Junior Grand Prix event.
For more event information, including registration, maps, road closures, live tracking & results, go to santabarbarahalf.com or follow the event on Instagram @santabarbarahalf.
About Run Local®
Founded in 2012, Run Local’s mission is to inspire movement in your community
. It has produced events in the San Francisco Bay Area and throughout California, including the Oakland Marathon (March), San Jose Half & 8K (June) and the Santa Barbara Half presented by HOKA & 5K (November). Each of its events celebrate the local running community, artists and the unique diversity of each region.
For more information, visit runlocalevents.com and also join us on social @runlocalevents.
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