Image: That’s me, my daughter, and my mom at last year’s Better World Racing Father’s Day Run.
If you’ve ever been on the Santa Monica beach path on a weekend or holiday, you’ve doubtlessly seen them (us). Hundreds of runners (or walkers) in their (our) gear running from a start line just south of Shutters north up the path to some point north of the pier. Then they turn around and run back. The stronger runners may repeat this loop two or three times.
Earlier this week, High Tides Runs announced that these runs won’t be taking place anymore. In a Facebook post, High Tides runs announced that this weekend’s April Fool’s themed run will no longer be happening. A quick look at the calendar for High Tides and their competitor (and OG beach path running group) Better World Running shows that neither group has a race scheduled for this year in Santa Monica.
High Tides put the blame squarely on the City.
“In an unfortunate turn of events, we have had to cancel our Only Fools Run race this coming Saturday and our future Santa Monica races. It’s not a joke or a prank. The city of Santa Monica has made some changes to permitting for events like ours along the beach path, no longer allowing them,” reads the post.
Not so fast High Tides, the city responded. Responding to an email from me, Tati Simonian with the City of Santa Monica noted that these weekend/holiday runs weren’t actually permitted (despite a requirement to do so, read the city code here) and the city only intervened after an altercation between two groups that scheduled events for the same day and time.
“Permitting costs for community event permits haven’t changed. Costs have remained the same, and there is no change to what is allowed. Permits fees are established and approved by Fee Resolution i.e. approved by council,” Simonian writes.
There are at least two charity runs that I know of that use the beach. The Rick Crocker 5k that raises funds for the Police Athletic League in May and the 310 Walk/Run that is a cancer charity run in September. The Rick Crocker Race follows different rules as it is an untimed race. The 310 Walk/Run has all of its permits.
As you can tell from my pronoun usage above, I was one of the runners that sometimes ran on the beach path. My personal best times in both the 5k and 10k were on the “beach path course.” I first ran a Better World Running race on the path a dozen years ago with my son when he was three and my last race on their course was on Father’s Day of last year with my daughter and mom (and for some reason a bunch of pastries…my daughter’s idea.)
I hope there’s some way the city and at least a Better World can bring these races back. They will be missed not just by me, but thousands of runners throughout the region. Maybe one day, hopefully soon, they’ll be back.
“Communication lines are open and we welcome any organization interested in learning more about holding community events in Santa Monica,” Simonian concluded before providing this link for anyone, run club or not, seeking a permit for a community event.
I reached out to both High Tides and Better World for this article and neither group has responded.
