What is the LA Road Runners?
LA Road Runners (LARR) is a premier training program based in Los Angeles that supports runners, walkers, and run/walkers of all levels who wish to participate in the Los Angeles Marathon and all McCourt Foundation races including the Rose Bowl Half and 5K, the Charity Challenge 13.1, Santa Monica Classic 5K/10K and the LA Big 5K.
What are the membership options?
LARR has two options:
LARR’s Club / Group Training program is available for those who want in-person coached workouts in a group setting. It includes coached long runs/walks in Santa Monica on Saturday mornings with the official pace team for the Los Angeles Marathon; Wednesday coached track nights at Santa Monica High School. We also have a new location in Newport Beach on Sundays. Members receives ASICS team shirts, exclusive race day access at the Rose Bowl Half and the Los Angeles Marathon; Corral B access at the Los Angeles Marathon and more! There is a fee for the Group Training program and you must register.
LARR’s Newsletter is free and available to anyone who registers for the 2023 Los Angeles Marathon or is interested in training for TMF races. This weekly newsletter includes downloadable training plans, weekly coaching tips, and invitations to special live and virtual meet up events.
Where does LARR meet?
LARR meets
Saturday at 7am in Santa Monica at the "Totem Pole" which is on Ocean Ave, near San Vicente Blvd. Parking is available on side streets like Georgina. There are picnic tables and bathrooms at this location.
On Sunday at 7am, the group meets in Newport Beach in the parking lot of the Newport Dunes Waterfront Resort & Marina . Park on Back Bay Drive and walk towards the bathrooms in the center of the parking lot.
On Wednesdays, LARR meets on the Santa Monica High School track at 7pm. There is limited parking on campus. Plenty of parking at the Civic Center Lot on Pico and 4th (for a small fee).
How much does it cost to join LARR?
The Group Training program is currently $125. The price will increase to $150 in January.
Is it too late to join LARR?
Registration for LARR is open.
Group Training kicked off in late September and lasts 26 weeks - finishing with the Los Angeles Marathon on March 19, 2023.
The Group Training program will accept new members until February 28, though please note that some benefits are time sensitive – such as access to corral B that closes January 31 – so the sooner you sign up, the more you will get out of your membership.
How long is the training program?
The LA Road Runners training season will last for 26 weeks starting September 24, 2022 and ending on March 19, 2023.
Is LARR only for people who want to train for the Los Angeles Marathon?
While most of our members are training for the Los Angeles Marathon, the Group Training program is available to anyone training for the Rose Bowl Half or the Charity Challenge 13.1.
Can walkers join LARR?
LARR welcomes runners, walkers, and run/walkers. We have about 20 different pace groups for faster and slower runners; beginners and seasoned marathoners!
Who can attend the Saturday or Sunday Group Trainings and what do they involve?
LARR Group Training program is open to those who have registered and paid for membership.
Participants will be placed into pace groups for walkers, run/walkers, and runners that are led by the official pace team of the Los Angeles Marathon.
Meeting time is typically 7am (though time may vary on longer mileage days).
Meetings are usually held in Santa Monica (Saturdays) at the Totem Pole on Ocean Ave, near San Vicente; or Newport Beach (Sundays) meet near the Newport Dunes Waterfront Resort & Marina.
Coach David plans a long run/walk course through the neighborhood. Longer workouts include at least one water station.
If I join the Group Trainings, how will I know the course?
Each LARR member is paired with a pace leader and a group that sticks together during the workout. In addition, Coach David will send out a link with the course prior to the workout so you can download it onto your phone.
Where can I pick up my LARR shirt?
LARR Shirts will be available for our Group Training members to pick up on Saturdays in Santa Monica and Sundays in Newport Beach throughout October. After that, shirts will be available once a month at special meet ups. They can also be found at the LARR tent at the Rose Bowl Half finish festival and Los Angeles Marathon expo.
What are the Race Day VIP perks for Group Training members:
LARR Group Training members get access to the Rose Bowl Stadium locker rooms at the Rose Bowl Half & 5K on January 15, 2023 (must be registered for LARR and the race by December 31, 2022).
Los Angeles Marathon participants have exclusive access to special meet up location in Dodger Stadium on race morning, March 19, 2023 (must be registered for LARR and the race by February 28, 2023) and are given access to seeded corral B (must be registered by January 30, 2023).
If I’m not a Group Training program member, can I attend any of the in-person meetings?
Our weekly trainings are limited to Group Training members only but we offer special meet ups throughout the season that all LARR members are invited to attend. This includes large scale meet ups at Dodger Stadium, as well as localized events hosted with our sponsors. Days and times vary – details will be posted in the newsletter as they become available.
Can I be an LARR member and not participate in the Los Angeles Marathon?
Members can train for the Rose Bowl Half (Jan 15, 2023) or the Charity Half Marathon (March 19, 2023). Or you can just come out an enjoy the trainings with us!
Can I register for the Group Training program but not come to the meetings?
Yes, you will still have access to race day perks.
Who is the Coach for the LA Road Runners?
David A. Levine, is co-author of the Complete Idiots Guide to Marathon Training, which came out worldwide in 2012. He is a certified Coach, Level Two, with USA Track & Field and Level Two with USA Triathlon, both signatories of the US Olympic Committee. A year ago, he received his Ironman U Coach Certification, and Level One Coaching Certification from Road Runners Club of America, two years ago. Coach David is a three-time Ironman and twenty-seven time marathoner and has helped found multiple running clubs and training programs in Southern California. You'll find Coach David at all LARR meet-ups and leading the online coach chats on Thursday nights.
How many pace groups are there and how fast do they run/walk?
LARR has about 50 pace leaders who lead over 20 different pace groups for walkers, runners, and run/walkers. They range from a 3hr goal finish time to a 6:30hr goal finish time - and everything in between. LARR pace leaders will be on the course at Rose Bowl Half and the Los Angeles Marathon, pacing the main event field.
If I am a current LARR Group Training member, how do I connect with my Pace Leader or ask additional questions about training or membership?
When you come to your first LARR training, you'll be paired with a pace leader who will tell you the best way to communicate with them.
In addition, you can reach out to Coach David at DavidL@mccourtfoundation.org for help being placed in pace group. You can reach LARR Program Coordinator Lucie Murray at larr@mccourtfoundation.org with questions about membership.
Do you have downloadable training plans?
Yes, you'll find them under the Training Plans tab of the LARR webpages.
Does my LARR membership include entry to the 2023 Los Angeles Marathon or 2023 Rose Bowl Half Marathon?
LARR memberships do NOT include entry to the Los Angeles Marathon or Rose Bowl Half Marathon. You will need to register separately.
Is an LARR membership refundable?
There are no refunds or transfers for a LA Road Runners membership for any reason including an event cancellation, an event conducted at a shorter distance or as a virtual event, or the event being rescheduled.
