A thunderous pounding grips the Sixth Street Viaduct on Wednesday evening as a hundred thumping feet reverberate off the concrete bridge — it’s not a stampede, it’s not a mob, it’s the Boyle Heights Bridge Runners completing their last group run before the Los Angeles Marathon.
Its members are among the many Angelenos who have caught the “run club fever,” which is propelling the sport of running and its holy grail pursuit of the marathon to new heights of popularity.
This Sunday’s L.A. Marathon is the second-largest in the race’s 39-year history and has more new marathoners than ever before. About 40% of this year’s participants are attempting the 26.2 mile feat for the first time, compared to around 20% in previous years.
“I think one of the reasons why we have such an influx of new people doing their first marathon is because of the run club community where everyone is working towards a shared goal,” said marathon spokesperson Dan Cruz.
Run clubs are not only helping fuel record numbers of marathon runners, they are also shaking up stereotypes about what a marathoner looks like by encouraging more runners of color, women and people who may not have considered themselves athletes to sign up.
Riku Kiyokawa, co-founder of the Hermosa Beach Run Club, joins in a run from the Hermosa Beach Pier to the Manhattan Beach pier and back to prepare for the LA Marathon on Wednesday, March 13, 2024.(Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer)
“There’s so many different groups that are targeting smaller audiences of people that historically have not been in this very white male dominated sport,” said Laurie Gestal, director of marketing for the McCourt Foundation, which puts on the race. “They are bringing the community together and bringing more people to running.”
The Boyle Heights Bridge Runners, for example, have inspired scores of residents in the heavily Latino neighborhood to sign up for the race in its 10-year history by championing the message that anyone can be a marathoner.
“We’re trying to take the elitism out of running,” said group leader Ronaldo Cruz. “I will never ask you what your ‘PR’ is, what your body fat is, how many miles you’re trying to run per minute; to us the success is just showing up to run.”
Ronaldo Cruz of the Boyle Heights Bridge Runners a predominantly Latino run club preparing for the Los Angeles Marathon at Mariachi Plaza in Los Angeles on Wednesday, March 13, 2024. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
The majority Latina group, Running Mamis, has created a supportive space for moms to train for the marathon. And, the newly formed South Central Run Club, led by women of color, will be sending its first 40 runners to the race.
“Historically the story of South Central has been told by mainstream media, so for us to be able to show up at the L.A. Marathon as our authentic self is a really awesome opportunity,” said South Central Run Club co-creator Zaakiyah Brisker. “We’re super excited to do this.”
While run clubs have existed for decades, their popularity exploded during the pandemic when people were both hungry for community and a safe place to exercise.
The Venice Run Club has had one of the most meteoric rises, thanks to its charismatic leader Justin Shields and cult-like Instagram following.
Approximately 1,100 runners show up to the Venice Run Club’s 3-year anniversary run (Courtesy of Justin Sheilds)
The club has sent about 700 runners to the marathon in its four-year history and has been known to attract over 1,000 runners to its Wednesday evening runs around the Venice Canals and boardwalk.
“The Venice Run Club is an inclusive space that anyone can join. It doesn’t matter your skin color, your ability, your experience with running,” said founder Justin Shields. “I feel like the reason why we’ve grown so fast is because you can be anyone and show up.”
Venice Run Club founder Justin Sheilds with his wife and fellow member Grace (Courtesy of Justin Sheilds)
Their rapid growth has inspired even more local communities to start clubs like the Hermosa Run Club which was launched last summer by best friend duo Corey Mack and Riku Kiyokawa.
The group began with just five friends running on the beach together, but through word of mouth and social media now attracts 100 runners to its sunset sessions on the Strand.
For the fledgling club, the marathon was the perfect purpose to organize around.
“I think that has really helped us grow because it’s something for our members to work towards,” said Mack. “A lot of people join run clubs because they want that accountability and we get more people to show up each week because everyone’s holding each other accountable.”
These clubs not only help bring people to the marathon start line, but also make sure supporters show up on the sidelines. Miles 19 to 23 are affectionately known as “Run Club Row” where hundreds of club members set up cheering sections to pump up their marathon runners for the grueling final push.
“When you’re running the marathon and things get dark, your body’s breaking down and everything hurts and then from the sides you hear somebody cheer ‘Let’s go Boyle Heights!’ that no joke brings you back to life,” said Cruz.
The Boyle Heights Bridge Runners, Running Mamis and South Central Run Club will all have cheer zones on mile 19, while the Venice Run Club will host its zone on mile 20.
Ronaldo Cruz of the Boyle Heights Bridge Runners a predominantly Latino run club talks to other runners while preparing for the Los Angeles Marathon at Mariachi Plaza in Los Angeles on Wednesday, March 13, 2024. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
The Running Mamis, launched in 2018, is thrilled to have more than 40 people running the marathon this year.
Co-founders Raquel Roman and Jo Anna Mixpe Ley said that they started the group to empower women of color and children, and to fill a gap they saw in other running groups.
“We really felt that there was a need for an intergenerational space for women of color to be able to gather, where they felt safe to be able to use movement as a form of healing,” Roman, 43, said.
Since most running groups are geared towards adults, running moms often have to go to the back of the pack if they come with a stroller or find childcare to be able to run, the co-founders said. Add in having to pause to breastfeed, pump milk, and change diapers, and little space is left for moms and their children.
The Running Mamis caters to the needs of moms, providing a space where women feel safe running and fostering powerful relationships.
“A lot of women have said how it’s not just a running group or running squad,” Ley, a Boyle Heights resident, said. “It’s a community that has been a saving grace for so many of us.”
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Roman, for example, said the community was a huge source of solace when she was grappling with postpartum depression.
The South Central Run Club, which is participating in the Marathon for the first time this year, also puts the mental health of its members as a top priority.
While welcoming of all, the group defines itself as a “decolonial” space that works to combat white supremacy, gentrification, media depictions and stereotypes of South Central.
“What we’re trying to do is not shy away from that reality of gang activity, we’re trying to bring more of the whole picture of South Central,” co-creator Brisker, said. “There is a lot of Black history here.”
For many communities, run clubs are a way to reclaim their local streets and be a force for positive neighborhood change.
“Because we come out and run at night we see some of the areas where this community can definitely improve like the quality of sidewalks and street lights, so we often reach out to our City Council office,” said Boyle Heights runner Cruz. “We do these things as an act of love for the community.”
In an increasingly digital world, run clubs help residents reconnect with their neighbors and neighborhoods.
Their community spirit will be on abundant display at the marathon finish line, where some 10,000 runners – many of them run club members – will complete their first 26.2 race.
“I challenge you not to cry after standing at the finish line for five minutes,” said McCourt Foundation marketing director Gestal. “When you see people cross that finish line, from all walks of life, doing something they never thought possible, it’s very overwhelming.”
“It really truly is one of the most inspiring things.”