Skid Row Running Club was founded in 2012 by Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Craig Mitchell. Running is an activity, but mentorship, friendship, and overcoming addiction are life-changing side effects.
Three days a week, runners gather on Skid Row early in the morning for a sandy, scenic 5-mile route that takes them across the 6th Street Bridge to Hollenbeck Park in Boyle Heights and back over the 1st Street Bridge. I'm leaving for street bridge.
Most of the people running in groups have experience living on the streets. The club aims to build bonds among members and keep runners focused on their health.
“All of these people had their lives spiral out of control at some point, and now they're productive members of our community,” Mitchell said.
One member, Rebecca Hayes, was living on the streets of Los Angeles before Midnight Mission, but the running club changed her life. She is a nurse now.
“They helped me grow and see bigger things in my life that I didn't see at the time,” Hayes said. “I had never exercised and my addiction was getting in the way of everything.”
Goal setting is important for clubs because there is always something to train for. The running club trains and runs marathons all over the world, and their efforts were documented in the film “Skid Row Marathon.”
Mitchell said the program and Midnight Mission have helped thousands of people find jobs, secure housing and stay sober.
“There's no substitute for feeling loved by others, and you get that three times a week,” Mitchell said.