Boyle Heights residents David Gómez, and Elisa García, founded the Boyle Heights Bridge Runners in 2013 with the idea of getting the community together in a social and active way. Having seen and participated in another running club in Pasadena, Gomez wondered why only affluent neighborhoods had such clubs.
``It's a way for us to get together in the community because all the runners come from all different sides of life,`` says Gómez. ``There's mechanics; there are teachers, there are artists, activists — it doesn't matter. We all get here, and we all live in this area, and we like to run.``
The Bridge Runners started in August 2013 with only six to 10 runners. Now you will see Marachi Plaza filled every Wednesday night with people from across the city ready to run the streets. The core mission has been and continues to be to create a safe space for the residents of Boyle Heights to workout and continue to celebrate community. Such efforts have not gone unnoticed by both our local residents and small businesses but also by the media at large. The Boyle Heights Bridge Runners have been featured in the LA Times, on Anthony Bourdain’s Parts Unknown, Roy Choi’s Broken Bread and most recently Lisa Ling's Takeout.