LA Running Connoisseur

By: Kate Olson, Founder of LA Running Connoisseur

I’ve wanted to describe this passion project for a while now, but the words wouldn’t quite come until I congratulated Raz of Running Sucks 101 for hitting 4,000 Substack subscribers. He’s a writer and founder of Glendale Runners but what he does means so much more. In reflecting on this, the words finally came, and I realized what LA Running Connoisseur is (or has become) to me.

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Actually, this resource isn’t really about running. I mean, on the surface, sure, it absolutely is. But after two years, I’ve realized that’s not what it’s really about.

It started that way. I wanted to help people find running. To guide them toward the realization that running isn’t that awful thing we were made to do in PE class.

But I’ve only just figured out the why behind it all. Why do I want people to run? Why have I eagerly poured thousands of hours into this mission?

This resource continues to evolve and expand. The core has always been run clubs. But I’ve found ways to share more. The Weekly Update includes both running and non-running events. Community Content Stories highlight meaningful things from community members. Local LA Stories amplify small businesses that serve runners. Our newly-launched Channel shares a mix of things, like a club founder’s video demo of plyometric workouts or a $10 race that supports a local park. And I’ll keep building whenever inspiration or opportunity strikes.

Why? Because running isn’t just running.

Sure, you move and get more fit, but it’s so much more than that. In my heart, this project is about helping people:

• Find community and their people
• Play (because what is a run club if not playing outside with friends?)
• Realize that fear has held them back from doing things they’re absolutely capable of
• Understand the power of consistency, dedication, and showing up
• Challenge themselves, set goals, and reach them
• Step outside their comfort zone (the pain cave is easier with company)
• Remember how to coexist, communicate, and move through shared spaces
• Support others selflessly (that’s what cheer zones, race crews, and club founders do)
• Explore the city in a new way, outside of a car
• Connect with nature (and feel the mental reset it brings)
• Laugh, breathe, and stumble upon joy
• Take chances (on people, on doing hard things, on new ideas)
• Gain confidence from growth, connection, and finding their niche
• Experience how movement can be an escape, a ritual, or a reset
• Discover that yes, we can change and grow, even as adults
• Lead by example (for kids, friends, or anyone watching)
• Support local (that’s why we spotlight the businesses that host and welcome runners)
• Grasp that despite all our differences, we’re not so different after all

At some point, running stopped being just something I do; it became a way I grow. It shaped how I connect, how I show up, and how I move through the world. And I think, if you reflect, maybe it’s done the same for you.

That’s what this resource is really about. Not just miles, but meaning. Not just running, but becoming.