Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn:

• [01:40] Valeria Rivera Corona shares her experience growing up between San Diego and Tijuana and how her binational identity helped shape the vision for the Binational Race.
• [03:51] How a small three-person team spent more than a year navigating permits, logistics, government agencies, and operations to make a cross-border race possible.
• [06:18] Valeria explains how she discovered running, completed her first half marathon at 18, and eventually turned running into an important part of her life.
• [08:53] The moment the team realized that a race from San Diego into Tijuana might actually be possible—and how one crucial meeting brought together stakeholders from both sides of the border.
• [11:34] How Valeria’s previous entrepreneurial experience gave her the confidence and network to take on an ambitious binational project.
• [15:30] Why the Binational Race is about much more than running: participants experience two cities, two cultures, and a celebration of the relationship between the U.S. and Mexico.
• [19:49] Valeria breaks down the race experience, including the half marathon, 12K, and 10K routes and the unique opportunity to cross the U.S.-Mexico border while running.
• [21:37] The “King and Queen of the Hill” challenge turns one of Tijuana’s toughest hills into a race within the race.
• [24:52] Why running clubs have exploded in popularity and how fitness has become a powerful way to build community and meaningful social connections.
• [28:50] How the finish-line festival showcases Baja California’s culture, tourism, businesses, music, and food to a participant base that is predominantly from the United States.
• [32:05] The rapid growth of the Binational Race—from 1,200 registered runners in its first year to a goal of 5,000 participants for its third edition.
• [37:17] Valeria reveals her long-term vision: growing the event to 10,000 runners and eventually creating a full marathon that crosses the U.S.-Mexico border.
• [44:45] Valeria closes with the message at the heart of the race: instead of focusing on division, build a community that brings people together.

In this episode…

David Arreguin and co-host Nadia Flores sit down with Valeria Rivera Corona, co-founder of the Binational Race, to explore how an ambitious idea became a one-of-a-kind running experience connecting San Diego and Tijuana.

Valeria shares the story behind the race, from navigating permits and coordinating agencies on both sides of the border to creating an event that now attracts thousands of runners. The conversation also explores Valeria’s entrepreneurial journey, the growing running community, and how the race has become much more than an athletic event—it is a celebration of the people, culture, and shared identity that make the San Diego-Tijuana region unique.

With routes that literally cross the international border and a finish-line celebration in Playas de Tijuana, the Binational Race represents a simple but powerful idea: focus less on what separates communities and more on what brings them together.

Resources mentioned in this episode

• Gomez Trial Attorneys: Website | LinkedIn | Instagram | Facebook
• John Gomez on LinkedIn 
• David Arreguin on LinkedIn
• Binational Race

Quotable moments

• “Why not running?” — Valeria Rivera Corona
• “We started with this mission of connecting both cities.” — Valeria Rivera Corona
• “If that person can do it, why not me?” — Valeria Rivera Corona
• “We can spread the good things—the healthy habits—and have a good experience.” — Valeria Rivera Corona
• “You take for granted that everyone understands border life, but they don’t.” — Valeria Rivera Corona
• “Instead of dividing ourselves, let’s be a community that unites ourselves.” — Valeria Rivera Corona

Action steps

1. Challenge yourself to participate. Whether it’s the half marathon, 12K, or 10K, choose a distance that matches your current fitness level and start preparing.
2. Find a running community. Join a local running club or train with friends to make the process more social, motivating, and enjoyable.
3. Experience both sides of the border. Use events like the Binational Race as an opportunity to discover the culture and communities of San Diego, Tijuana, and Baja California.
4. Start before everything feels perfect. Valeria’s entrepreneurial journey shows that ambitious projects often begin with an idea, determination, and a willingness to figure things out along the way.
5. Build the right team. Surround yourself with people who bring expertise you don’t have, especially when pursuing a complex project.
6. Support local businesses. Explore the vendors, organizations, and entrepreneurs participating in the race expo and finish-line festival.
7. Look for what connects people. Whether in business, sports, or community leadership, focus on shared experiences rather than the borders or differences that separate us.