Community First: Run Clubs Then & Now

How do you navigate both building and maintaining a community in the blooming running scene. Some key Los Angeles run club leaders share their insights.

Community First: Run Clubs Then & Now

Last Wednesday evening, 30th April 2025, I brought four Los Angeles run club leaders and 50 guests together in one room at Heimat Club in Hollywood to explore what has fueled the building of run club communities across LA, both in-person and online, and how that has evolved over time and technology. Please enjoy some of the highlights.

Communicating in the digital world

Kit John - Movement Runners (2011): “I use Instagram, but I’m old school. I’ll just call you. I’ll text you. In the beginning I was texting my friends who didn’t run, but wanted to be active, get out of the house for a couple of hours. Sometimes you just have to give somebody a call and ask them how they’re doing.”

Hannah Maile - WeHo Run Club (2023): “I keep it very simple. Instagram’s what I do. Same time, same place, same route every single week, so everyone knows on Thursday at 7pm we’re turning up, no matter what. In the beginning I would send a direct personal message to anybody …