Some days, you just walk the pier for fun. Other days, the pier walks you into inspiration. Redondo Beach gave me both. A breeze at my back, glitter on my arm, and fresh soles underfoot. I didn’t expect to stumble into a tribute to California’s very first surfer… but there he was. A bronze reminder that it takes imagination and guts to try something new, and in doing so, maybe change the world.

Nota importante / Quick Heads-Up: Algunos enlaces en este post son enlaces afiliados. Si compras a través de ellos, puedo ganar una pequeña comisión sin costo extra para ti. ¡Gracias por apoyar a Formafit Active y esta comunidad en movimiento! Some links in this post are affiliate links. If you make a purchase through them, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thanks for supporting Formafit Active and this community in motion!

Pier Vibes & Shoes That Walked It

Let’s be real, I planned this stroll around breaking in my new shoes. Amazon find, super comfy, perfect for coastal walking. I love a solid base, and these were it. Pier planks. Sand grit. A little sun tattoo sparkle on my arm. That “Coach” hat on top. I wasn’t trying to make a statement but maybe the whole look and the whole vibe was one.

A Stroll, A Bite, and a Bold Step

First Surfer, First Step

Near the fish market and food stalls, a statue caught my eye. A tribute to George Freeth, widely recognized as the first surfer in California. At a time when surfing was unfamiliar, and likely dismissed, he brought a Hawaiian art to Southern California, and the ripple effect is still moving through our coastlines today.

It reminded me that every movement starts with someone willing to be misunderstood. Someone willing to get laughed at, wiped out, or questioned. But they go anyway.

An Ode to Bold Moves

George Freeth didn’t invent water. He just saw something in it most didn’t. And that spark? That’s what changes worlds.

That’s what I think about when I take my own steps, whether it’s in my professional world or the world I’m working on building, whether I’m launching a new video, shifting my lifestyle, or creating something others don’t get yet. Shoes help. But it’s the spirit behind them that really moves you.

Fuel for the Walk

Of course, this is still the pier, and the food did not disappoint:

  • Shrimp burger: juicy, bold, a little messy, just how I like it. Coach Forma put his ceviche in it!

  • Bread bowl: texture, color, flavor, the real coastal energy

The fish market added that classic SoCal edge: fresh, vibrant, full of life.

Welcome to Redondo Pier

Final Thought

I came for fresh air and left with a new reminder: Be the first to try. Be the first to move. Let them wonder what you’re doing until they wish they’d done it first. And maybe it starts with just walking the pier… in new kicks (see what I did there?).

Links

Coach Vida

Coach Vida is the voice behind FormaFit Active a movement journal rooted in mindful motion, real gear, cultural pride, and showing up without apology.
She believes in slow mornings, walking when it hurts, and building strength that feels like freedom.

Her motto: You don’t have to look like an athlete to move like one.

She writes from Los Angeles, with a speaker clipped on and sunscreen always in the bag. This journal is for anyone reclaiming energy, stretch by stretch.

Coach Vida es la voz detrás de FormaFit Active, un diario de movimiento con raíces en el cuerpo, la cultura y la intención.
Cree en moverse con calma, en estirarse cuando duele, y en la fuerza como libertad.

Su lema: No tienes que parecer atleta para moverte como uno.

Escribe desde Los Ángeles, con su bocina a un lado y bloqueador en la mochila.
Este espacio es para quienes se están reclamando, paso a paso.

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Zuma Day, Cloudy Mind: Why I Go Anyway

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Discipline Leaves a Mark