Meet the Team Behind: Students Run LA

Students Run LA empowers young people to build confidence and resilience by training for and completing long-distance runs, fostering teamwork, self-belief, and community support along the way. Learn more here! 

Can you tell me about your mission? 

For more than 35 years, dedicated volunteer teachers and leaders have created a supportive community-driven environment where students from marginalized backgrounds develop discipline, resilience, and confidence. SRLA translates the life-changing experience of training for the marathon to lifelong success, inspiring students to dream through goal setting, mentorship, and community. We work with over 3,000 students each year, have a 99% LA Marathon finishing rate, and 94% of our students have plans to attend college. 

How did Students Run LA start? 

In 1986, high school teacher Harry Shabazian set out to motivate his students in a way no textbook ever could. His challenge? Lace up, train hard, and complete the Los Angeles Marathon with him. That first group of student runners didn’t just complete the race– they went on to finish high school and go to college. Harry’s running group grew, word spread, and more teachers began challenging their students to run the marathon, seeing incredible results in the process. A few years later, the training was expanded into a city-wide program and Students Run LA was born. You’ll still find Harry at every LA Marathon, cheering on students and reminding them that no challenge is too big. 

What does your training program entail? 

Every year, our flagship training program welcomes thousands of students from across Greater Los Angeles. The season starts in September, with students running alongside mentors and coaches before or after school. Throughout the year, students participate in community races to build endurance and confidence on the road, leading up to the marathon in March. We remove all barriers to the starting line— running shoes, training gear, entrance fees, transportation, and a marathon uniform are offered free of charge. This allows students to put their focus on the miles ahead and running towards their full potential. 

What is SRLA Cares?

SRLA Cares is a community-focused initiative that encourages students to give back to the neighborhoods they call home through everyday acts of kindness throughout the training season. We have donation drives at our community races, where students contribute canned food, toiletries, and spare change to support local food banks, hospitals, and other charitable groups. By parking action with marathon training, we’re showing students that even the smallest acts can have a big impact and the importance of lending a helping hand to those in need.