{"id":330982,"date":"2025-10-25T06:53:17","date_gmt":"2025-10-25T06:53:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/330982\/"},"modified":"2025-10-25T06:53:17","modified_gmt":"2025-10-25T06:53:17","slug":"1500-runners-to-cross-border-into-tijuana-during-binational-race","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/330982\/","title":{"rendered":"1,500 runners to cross border into Tijuana during Binational Race"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/timesofsandiego.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Binational-Race1.jpg?ssl=1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"780\" height=\"488\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Binational-Race1.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-352178\"  \/><\/a>Runners at last year\u2019s inaugural Binational Race. (Photo courtesy of Binational Race San Diego\u2013Tijuana)<\/p>\n<p>When Payson Warlick told her students she\u2019d be running a half-marathon across the border this Sunday in the <a href=\"https:\/\/binationalrace.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Binational Race San Diego-Tijuana<\/a>, their excited reactions said it all.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>\u201cMy students were like, \u2018Ah, Miss Payson!\u2019\u201d Warlick said. \u201cI\u2019m going to have my camera, taking all the pictures I can to show them.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Warlick is one of more than 1,500 runners who will cross the international border mid-race at the San Ysidro-El Chaparral Port of Entry. The race holds personal significance for the bilingual speech-language pathologist who volunteers in Tijuana and works with predominantly Mexican and Mexican-American students in the Chula Vista Elementary School District, many of whom frequently cross the border. <\/p>\n<p>For co-founder Valeria Rivera, the Binational Race emerged from an idea during long runs amid the COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe live the border life,\u201d Rivera said. \u201cWe go from the U.S. to Mexico. We go shopping, we go to school, we go to work. Why not unite ourselves and do what we all love? That\u2019s running.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>What started as a bold proposal to U.S. and Mexican government officials quickly gained unexpected support.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>\u201cNo one said no to the idea,\u201d Rivera said. \u201cThat was huge for us because we thought they were going to say, \u2018Now you guys are crazy!\u2019\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_swiper-wrapper swiper-wrapper\">\n<li class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_slide swiper-slide\"><img loading=\"lazy\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"780\" height=\"439\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_image wp-image-352180\" data-id=\"352180\" data-aspect-ratio=\"1024 \/ 576\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/BNR3.jpg\"  \/>A runner celebrates in front of the mariachi band after crossing into Mexico last year. (Photo courtesy of Binational Race San Diego\u2013Tijuana)<\/li>\n<li class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_slide swiper-slide\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"780\" height=\"439\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_image wp-image-352181\" data-id=\"352181\" data-aspect-ratio=\"1024 \/ 576\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/BNR4.jpg\"  \/>A runner along the border during last year\u2019s race. (Photo courtesy of Binational Race San Diego\u2013Tijuana)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><a class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_button-prev swiper-button-prev swiper-button-white\" role=\"button\"\/><a class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_button-next swiper-button-next swiper-button-white\" role=\"button\"\/><a aria-label=\"Pause Slideshow\" class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_button-pause\" role=\"button\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Runners start at Las Americas Premium Outlets in San Ysidro, complete a flat 10K on the U.S. side, then cross the border through a specially opened gate. Rivera said border authorities, including officers who cheered runners on last year, help make the crossing possible.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Once in Mexico, participants face the \u201cKing of the Hill\u201d challenge, a mile-long climb with a 7% incline known to local runners as \u201cLa Enchilada.\u201d The fastest male and female runners earn trophies, with timing mats tracking their progress through this race-within-a-race.<\/p>\n<p>All runners finish downhill at a beachside park in Playas de Tijuana, where they can enjoy their accomplishment at a post-race festival open to spectators, featuring live music, food vendors and beer.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Last year\u2019s inaugural event drew participants from across North America and even overseas, including one runner who traveled from London just for the experience. For others, the race offers a new perspective on a familiar place.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>\u201cA lot of runners who were born and raised in San Diego, it was their first time going to Tijuana,\u201d Rivera said.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>The unique concept has captivated even seasoned runners. Warlick said her San Diego Track Club teammates were fascinated by the logistics, asking, \u201cSo wait, how does it work exactly?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Organizers have spent considerable time making the experience as easy and safe as possible. Participants crossing the border to enter or re-enter the U.S. need to bring the usual immigration documents. Cross-border shuttles with fast-pass access ensure runners can return to San Ysidro within an hour. <\/p>\n<p>This year\u2019s race has already more than doubled half-marathon registrations, with 1,500 runners set to cross the border, up from 700 last year. Another 1,000 are running the 10K in Tijuana and a virtual option lets participants worldwide earn the same medal.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Part of the appeal is that the race offers an entirely different kind of running experience, something outside the norm, according to Rivera.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYou have this great experience crossing the busiest border in the world and then you\u2019re greeted by a mariachi band in Mexico. It\u2019s unbelievable,\u201d Rivera said, adding that the race can also be emotional.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>\u201cEveryone who runs has their story. Testimonials from runners saying my grandparents went to the U.S., and because of them, I\u2019m able to come and go with no problem,\u201d she said.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>For Warlick, a Vermont native who now calls Ocean Beach home, the race represents more than a physical challenge.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/timesofsandiego.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Payson-Boston-scaled.jpeg?ssl=1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"683\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Payson-Boston.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-352182\" style=\"width:400px;height:auto\"  \/><\/a>Payson Warlick running the Boston Marathon. (Photo courtesy of Payson Warlick)<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe idea is that just because there\u2019s a divide, there\u2019s a land border, doesn\u2019t really mean that much. We can literally break those fronteras, those borders.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe are all one. We\u2019re all humans and we\u2019re all working hard to do the same things: to take care of our families, to love each other and grow together,\u201d Warlick said.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>The lifelong runner, who has raced in destinations including Europe, Mexico City and Africa, said she didn\u2019t hesitate to sign up after hearing about the event.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>\u201cTijuana is one of my favorite places,\u201d Warlick said. \u201cUsually, it\u2019s waiting in either the pedestrian or car line to cross the border. I\u2019d rather be running. It\u2019s a great way to get across, and I get to eat the best tacos ever afterward.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>To learn more or register for the race, go to <a href=\"http:\/\/binationalrace.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">binationalrace.com<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>READ NEXT<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Runners at last year\u2019s inaugural Binational Race. (Photo courtesy of Binational Race San Diego\u2013Tijuana) When Payson Warlick told&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":330983,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5134],"tags":[45612,5229,164221,1582,276,16214,132984,164222,3549,164223,7264,67,586,132,5230,68,2969,164224],"class_list":{"0":"post-330982","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-san-diego","8":"tag-10k","9":"tag-america","10":"tag-binational-race-san-diego-tijuana","11":"tag-ca","12":"tag-california","13":"tag-chula-vista","14":"tag-half-marathon","15":"tag-payson-warlick","16":"tag-san-diego","17":"tag-san-ysidro-el-chaparral-port-of-entry","18":"tag-sandiego","19":"tag-united-states","20":"tag-united-states-of-america","21":"tag-unitedstates","22":"tag-unitedstatesofamerica","23":"tag-us","24":"tag-usa","25":"tag-valeria-rivera"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@us\/115433492913410193","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/330982","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=330982"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/330982\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/330983"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=330982"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=330982"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=330982"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}