Cult or just really, really good time??????????♀️
VRC, this is my ode to you. I love you, I admire the community you’ve built and I laugh at the haters who hate us.
So what is VRC?
It’s a road running club founded in 2020 by two friends, Justin and Tyler. The club has its roots tied to the unrest experienced nationally after George Floyd and sets out to philanthropize for racial injustice and local Venice Beach causes.
You can read the full story here and check out the socials here.
The group meets every Tuesday at Santa Monica Community College for a track workout, every Wednesday at 2150 Dell Avenue, Venice, CA for the big mob through Abbot Kinney and every Saturday morning for a long run (two groups going either 6 or 8-18 miles depending on the week).
I heard about VRC from by good friend and running inspo Juju Roberts???????? September of 2021. She was an OG member and I hadn’t begun my running journey yet.
It always looked fun, but I was plagued with nerves about actually going until I felt like I could run a mile without stopping. So I trained up for it… which is half embarrassing/half justified because if you scope the socials before going, all you see are fast hotties cruising down the board walk with their shirts off. Ya girl wants to keep up…????
In January 2022, a mutual friend of Juju and I offered to drive me to my first time which was a GOD SEND. Had I driven up alone I would have turned my car right around lol.
As you pull up, you find that the parking situation is tricky but ALSO hundreds of hard 10s with skin glowing, eyes twinkling and abs flexing. It’s exciting to see but nerve wracking to walk up to if you don’t know anyone yet. Which is why I recommend the buddy system.
As you go more regularly, you’ll find the people are welcoming, friendly and you’ll likely make some new connections or, at the very least, bump into people you already know!
The club has grown like crazy since I joined. In January of 2021 it was 80-100 people every Wednesday and now it reaches 400. It grew so much, our original starting point had to change to accommodate! Many members train for the LA marathon together and those Saturday morning runs climb from 8 miles to 22 in preparation for race day????.
The club has grown so much that the major Venice streets on our route pretty much come to a stand still as we pass through. Some people love us, some people hate us. Some people honk and you can’t tell if it’s out of anger or admiration????.
Who are the haters, you ask?? Find a distinctive list below:
- Some drivers on Washington Blvd.
- Some drivers on Abbot Kinney.
- Some shoppers/diners on Abbot Kinney.
- Sometimes the police (hence the video à gauche).
- The bikers on the bike path (but who likes them anyways? I mean, seriously, have you every met a nice biker? Their booty shorts are too tight and must be making them crabby).
- Always the drivers in the Venice Canals.
- My boyfriend (often gets stuck in the traffic we cause and has bad knees).
- That one old lady who complained about us parking in her neighborhood (it was very public and very legal). Her interaction with the club resulted in the founder of the group kicking off the run by announcing, “If you’re making old people mad, you’re doing something right,” into the mic. FACTS.
But haters gonna hate and potatoes gonna potate.
Who enjoy’s VRC?
- Me.
- The 350-400 people who show up every Wednesday night.
- Most drivers on Washington Blvd.
- Most drivers on Abbot Kinney.
- Most shoppers/diners on Abbot Kinney.
- Usually the police (they’ll stop traffic for us from time to time).
- The fun/cooky folks on the board walk.
- The friends I bring to try it out.
- Social media (hello West Sides top place to meet hot singles). It is a very Instagram/TikTok friendly gathering. If you want a digital pat on the back for the sweat session, this is the place to get it.
- Etc… This list will grow as the club does. But my point here is there are waaay more lovers than there are haters.
What should you expect when you show up for the first time? So glad you asked.
- A bit of trouble with parking. So show up closer to 6:00PM than the 6:30PM start.
- A large crowd of those beautiful people who glisten in the sun. If you smile first and offer an introduction they’ll offer one back????.
- At 6:30, the group leader, Justin, will kick things off with a few announcements via megaphone.
- He will then ask anyone who had shown up for the first time to line up.
- Each new attendee has to share their name, the answer to a fun question (i.e. what’s your favorite color) and whether they are single or not. A.K.A. this is a total dating scene and everybody is scoping each other out. You get a good mix of single and cuffed folk, but a real stir is caused in the crowd each week as several “situationships” are exposed. They’ll usually say something like “It’s complicated.”
- We then take a group photo and head on our way!
- The route is 4.5 miles with opportunities to rest. There are speed demons with something to prove up front, a moderate group that I usually hang out in and a nice slow group bringing up the back at about 10:45/mile. So depending on how you’re feeling that day, there’s more than a few people taking on a similar pace. There’s also no shame in bringing up the back! I’ve done it many a times and the vibes are great back there.
- When we close the loop, we’ll end with more announcements on workouts for the rest of the week, if there are any vendors tabling at the finish (free ice cream, Barry’s classes, running shoe demos) and which bar to hit afterwards.
- Then we do a group break. Usually with our typical “Keep it right. Keep it tight!” chant.
- Depending on who you are, you could continue the VRC party and hit either Brennans or The Brig for post run pizza and beers. OR you head home to stretch, recover and get a good nights rest. If you’re looking to grow your circle, I say join for beers????.
I’m away from LA for the next several months, so won’t be frequenting VRC as much as I’d like. But will be testing out some other clubs in the Ventura/Santa Barbra area. I’m excited to break out and learn new things from different runners. But I will miss the magic and energy that VRC brings. The community is strong, the smiles are big and the distances are great!
I hope this is helpful for anyone looking to give it a go. Be brave and put yourself out there! VRC turned some of my very big frowns upside down and I never regretted going. Not once!!
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