While many young athletes of affluent families don’t think twice about how much their athletic endeavors actually cost, there are many kids who struggle to fund their efforts or, even worse, have to limit their activities simply due to financial strain.

This is precisely why Long Beach resident and athlete Armando Hart is creating and hosting the Run for Love, a 5K meditative/run that hopes to become an annual event that benefits a local student athlete.

“I wanted to create an event where I could give back to student athletes with few resources because when I was growing up my family didn’t have the resources to fully support my athletic endeavors and I had the benefit of mentors who invested heavily in helping me achieve my goals,” Hart said. “This is just my way to pay it forward.”

Long Beach through-and-through—Hart was born here, raised, attended school here, and opened his business here—Hart hopes that the event exudes the sense of community that he feels defines our city. For him, it is more about connectivity than it is competition, especially given you are free to walk or jog the 5K and Hart will be hosting a half-hour of yoga before the run to make sure everyone is “present and mindful of our physical movement.”

“We tend to live our lives laser-focused on what’s happening next and move along life without much regard for the present,” Hart said. “I believe there is a power in the present that can catapult our community into a deeper sense of belonging and connectedness.”

The Run for Love will begin at 8AM on September 21 at the Granada location of Alfredo’s Beach Club, located at 5101 E Ocean Blvd. To register for the event or donate, click here.

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