Pasadena Pacers

I love running with this group ever since I was introduced to the group last year.
It’s a big group that separates into different smaller groups depending on what they’re training for. So whether your training for a 5k, 10k, half marathon, full marathon, or a mud run, or simply just starting out your running career, come out, and you’ll enjoy the people you’ll meet along the way!
By the time you get back to the aquatic center (meeting spot), you’ll have coffee, water, fruits, bagels, and other refreshments waiting for you. Before you know it, you’re a Pacer yourself!
In addition to Saturday’s 7am runs, there’s also the Tuesday 6pm runs and Thursday’s 7pm runs.
Come out and check it out, and, you’ll be talking about running a full marathon with your non running friends… and when that happen, your (non) running friends will be running with you sooner or later!

Heard about Pasadena Pacers (PP) for two years, but never had the will power to run so bleeping early until I met a friend that runs constantly with them. How bleeping early you say? 7am to be exact! For me, it’s always a constant struggle to drag myself out of bed and head to the Rose Bowl, but once you get there, you feel glad that you made the trip. It’s always nice to go with a buddy. For sure, I don’t think I would make it out by myself.
How would I describe PP? One word usually comes to mind… AWESOME! They are such a positive group and will make you fit in really quick. If you are a slow runner, want to train for 5K’s, 10K’s, half marathons, or full marathons, there is a group for you. They pretty much tailor to your running level and it’s absolutely FREE to join!
Location: Near the equatic center! If you see a big group with red shirts, you are at the right place!
Times they meet: You’ll be able to see them on Tuesdays and Thursdays after work. On Saturdays, they meet at 7am rain or shine. I usually run with them at 7am in the morning on most Saturdays.
Experience: Feels great to run with them. I usually run with the PreConditioners group. These are for people that came off prexisting injuries or just want to get a sweat on. Art and Dave (preconditioner leaders) are very supportive. There is always one person in the front and the back at all times to help guide the runners. They are also very funny. Art usually makes fun of my friend and I by calling us ex-​wife and husband!
Perks that comes with running with the pacers:
1) Feel AWESOME, which will make you feel awesome for the rest of the day.
2) Great way to network and meet new people from all different walks of life.
3) 10% off of purchases at RunWithUs
4) At the end of the run, you’ll be greeted with free refreshments and food. These are usually donated by other pasadena pacers.
COOOOOOOOOOOOOLLLLL RUNNNNNIIIIIIIINNNNNNGGGGSSSSSSSS! :)

My wife and I ran the Maui Marathon today; it was my first and my wife’s fourth. That said I was struggling quite a bit especially with the Maui sun beating down the entire second half of the marathon. Fortunately we ran into Hilda, the marathon coach for the Pasadena Pacers. Never meeting held it before we struck up a conversation and she was wearing her Pasadena Pacers shirt. I have family in that area so we got to talking. Turns out Hilda is the marathon coach for the group and boy could she coach. We were complete strangers but she went with us for a little while giving me support and tips while my wife watched on hoping that I didn’t just fall over. We finished, although not as fast as I thought I would, but there were definitely some tough stretches and I’m happy we had a few minutes with Hilda pushing me along. Next time I get out to visit Pasadena I think I might go for a run with the Pacers!

Wonderful group of runners! I’ve done all my Full Marathon training with this club. Coach Hilda is a life saver, I don’t know where I would be with out her and all her great advice! My hero!

Nice views, friendly people, and free. What more can you ask of a run club? Met some nice pacers named Gigi and Kit that were really encouraging for us in the back of the pack. Next time I’m in the area, I would definitely stop by again.
Also, very well organized. They had announcements, signs, coffee, water stations, etc. All funded by volunteers and donations. Thanks Pasadena Pacers for a great morning run!

Had an amazing time with this group training for months for a marathon. I would never have been able to do it without them. Every Saturday morning they were always there and ready and energetic! Very supportive group and well organized. Had a lot of fun too because of the relationships made! Oh yah and it’s free and all are welcome. Would recommend to anyone from elite, long time, experienced runners to those who never run but are interested.

I love this group! The people who host these weekly runs (every Tuesday 7p, Thurs 7pm, and Sat. 7am) are incredibly supportive. There’s a different pacing group for every level, so if you’re out of shape, no worries. chances are there will be a group there where you can comfortably jog/​walk with and if you’re currently an insane marathon runner, there are people at that level as well.
Tuesday nights consists mainly of hill running, Thursdays are used to loosen up and Saturday mornings are to test your limits! People who join generally have ambitions to run in a Marathon, get healthy, or to recovery from an injury.
They meet on the south end of the Aquatic Center in the Hollywood Bowl. Great area to run, there’s normally a good number of activities happening around that area, so it’s a very safe and fun place to go nuts.

I love the Pasadena Pacers!
It’s a great group of people, we have runners, hikers, walkers, and triathletes! We meet every Saturday morning at the tables next to Rose Bowl Aquatic Center in Pasadena at 7:00 AM (unless the Bruins are playing, then we meet at Garfield Park in South Pasadena).
It’s free to join, and it’s fun to be with people that are interested in getting healthy, and hanging with your friends!

Love. Love. Love. Love. Love the Pacers!
Not sure I need to say much more. I was a huge runner in Seattle Washington and then I moved to Los Angeles. Running groups (especially when running is a passion) is really a great way to get to know people. When training for a race– running with a group is always nice… especially on those 20 mile training runs. Who wants to do that alone? Ugh!
The Pacers meet every Saturday morning at 7am at the Rose Bowl. Groups are divided up into (I believe) Half Marathon, Full Marathon and then the 20 mile challenge group. There’s always someone to run with. Someone around the same running pace as you. They will never leave you behind and they always make you feel so welcome. Love this group of people!

I am overwhelmed today, in a positive way. It was my first day and everything went well. Seeing people in such a warm and enthusiastic energy made my Saturday morning extraordinary. Triple wow!!!
0700. I was there. I was able to see the group without a sweat because I was preinstructed over the phone to look for people in reds in the Aquatic Center area. Here I met Kathy, a pro runner. She kinda gave me a quick orientation, although this is only her second week. I appreciated that a lot. Kathy asked me to «like» Pasadena Pacers on FB to get updates and extra news which I did… quickly and also to friend-​request her on FB. Then Jeff, nutrition tech rep talked about POWERGEL samples that we gotta try. So exciting. Then the stretching. She asked me to listen to the group leaders and that will make me decide which group of runners, hikers to start with. I am a 3-​mile runner. None of them offered this. Lol. So then I joined the walkers… lol. As we were approaching the bowl, I changed my mind at the last minute (I’m crazy like that) and joined the other 5k run-​walk group. I thought the walk will bore me and was giggling to myself. I was the oddest.
Lots of food afterwards. I can tell volunteers just bring stuffs for the pacers. They got Starbucks house blend coffee, OJ, bagels, H2O, bananas enough to feed 100 people. That’s ridiculous… and generous. I met more poeple and I remembered all their names. I can only meet them every other Saturday because of work. :(But it’s a good start and I am looking forward to do marathon training.

Do you enjoy waking up at 6 in the morning on a Saturday? Neither do I. But, for some reason, meeting with the Pacers at 7am on a Saturday is something I look forward to doing! Crazy, I know.
This group of people has the most encouraging and positive energy about them. My wife and I have only been a part of this FREE running club for about 4 months now, but the support and encouragement and friendly conversations and new friends you make every week is just amazing!
Within the club, they have a TON of sub-​groups for every degree of running/​walking! If you have never run a step in your life, they have a group that walks. If you have been walking, but want to start doing a little running, they have what is called the «pre-​conditioners» group. Have you done some running but want to push yourself to go farther? How about 10 miles?! They have a group for you. Are you training for your first Half Marathon? or your first Full Marathon? Are you a veteran runner? Guess what, they have groups for you too! Do you just want to start making running a part of a new healthy lifestyle? Great! There are tons of people in the group that are doing just that!
The mornings start off with stretching, lead by either Ezra, Dr. Smith or the unabashed Wende. Then you break up into your respective sub-​groups and run, run, run. They also coordinate water stations along the course for the day. Then back at base camp they also have volunteers bring juice, bagels and fruit for the post run refueling!
If you have run a half/​full marathon without the support 100’s of other runners, you NEED to join this group. My wife and I just ran our first Half Marathon in Pasadena this past May, and running by other Pacers, cheering us on, and greeting us on the course made all the difference. It gave us that extra energy and push we needed to make it to the finish line! It also helped that they had gummy bears and pretzels at their cheering tent around mile 11! THANKS EVERYONE!
Run you Pacers, run!

Motivating, caring and supportive running group. And ya, it’s free. They meet Tuesdays and Thursdays near the Rose Bowl Aquatic Center at 7pm. On Saturdays they meet at 7a.m. at the same location unless there’s an event going on (then meet at Garfield Park). They may meet at earlier times during the summer months, it’s best to check their website.

While I’m a roll writing about running, I might as well right about one of my favorite groups ever, the Pasadena Pacers. I’ve been a Pacer for over 2 years now and have loved every single moment of it. I used to think running was for crazy people, but after I was bit by the running bug, I started seeking out races. I quickly learned that training for marathons on treadmills was very hard so I went online and found the Pacers.
Ever since my first run with them, I’ve been hooked! On my very first day, I ran with a very nice guy who slowed down his pace just for me. I was recovering from a hiatus after my first marathon and just didn’t have the steam to mow down the miles. Somehow, I managed to do 6 miles with a smile on my face. I was so touched by the kindness I was shown, I kept going back.
Dr. Steven and Robin Smith are the founders of this AMAZING running group. They are very approachable and friendly, not to mention super knowledgeably about this sport. I also love all the coaches that we have. Every single one of them loves the sport of running and you could tell.
Our Pacer family is growing so you will always meet new people who run at your pace (I’m one of the snail-​paced runners). The Pacers meet every Saturday, rain or shine, at 7AM by the Rose Bowl Aquatic Center picnic tables. They also meet on Tues and Thurs at 7PM, also at the same place. Some other Pacers have started branching out and doing Sunday Fun Runs at local trails in Griffith Park. Please come and join us when you have some time! There is always free water, juice, bagels, and fruit after each run. Sometimes we have several water stations along our longer routes!

Amazing group of people to help encourage and motivate you. I started off with absolutely no running experience, none! I joined the preconditioning group and by the end of the 12 week program I could run 4 miles, a huge accomplishment for me.
Needless to say there are all levels, from beginners like me to those training for marathons.
This group is truly one of a kind, everyone is so friendly and helpful.

I started running in May and was told about the Pacers. I only wanted to do 5K’s and wasn’t looking for «running» as opposed to «endurance»… little did I know this group of red shirts have me hooked!
If you are considering getting out there… this is the crowd to be around. They are encouraging, motivating and always ready to give you handy tips. 5K? Sheesh… that was so yesterday!

If you’re looking for a relaxed, supportive environment to begin or improve your running, I highly recommend you join the Pasadena Pacers. Other groups will charge you upwards of $ 100 for the services and support you get for free with the Pacers. Pre-​run stretching, water stops, and a breakfast spread with bagels, fruit and OJ are all part of the experience. And of course the camaraderie of a shared passion, and a built-​in cheering squad of red-​shirted Pacers on race day.
They offer programs for couch potatoes (pre-​conditioning) or more experienced runners (10-​mile, half and full marathon), and the courses they follow (beginning and ending at the Aquatic Center parking lot near the Rose Bowl) are safe, scenic and have a good mix of flat terrain and hills to prepare for whatever race you’ve circled on your calendar. Plus you get 10% off at Run With Us running store in Pasadena.
There’s no catch here, folks. I’ve run with other groups and I can say without a doubt the Pacers are the most welcoming group of runners you could hope for. A true running community. Find out more at
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Definitely one of my new favorite things that I will be implementing into my lifestyle. Mimi C., avid runner that she is, advised me to join up with the Pacers if I wanted to start training for any sort of extended/​competitive run. I thought to myself. 7am call time? You’ve got to be kidding!
Well anyways — I eventually dragged myself out of bed to meet up with the gang (they’re the folks in the red clothing) and got to do the group stretching with everyone — which was great.
While stretching, they make announcements regarding upcoming races, events, and any other Pacer-​related news. Then we divvy up into marathon runners, half-​marathon runners, pre-​conditioners, and 10-​mile runners. I chose the 10-​mile runners because they said they’d be going for 7 miles… little did I know later that I’d be running all 10 miles.
Reasons why Pasadena Pacers is great for those that want to run? They’re just like you, if you want to join. They’re all crazies that enjoy running or enjoy what running does for you. Everyone there is extra friendly and more than willing to be a friend. I met Trisha and Jenny M. there, who were the ones that dragged me to run all 10 miles with them.
I will definitely be back to run with everyone as I am in training for a half-​marathon in May.

Wow a free running group with all levels from the pre-​conditioners like me (1 – 3 miles) to marathon runners. This group was started by Dr. Steve Smith
over ten years ago and he continues to advise to prevent running injuries.
They meet officially on Saturday mornings at 7 a.m. most of the time at the Rose Bowl Aquatic Center and the same location on Tuesday and Thursday nights around 7p.m. They’ve got anywhere from 10 – 150 runners at a time each meeting and it is a free positive and beneficial group in the community. I always look forward to the next meeting since that means later that day I can go off and chow down on my next Unilocal restaurant experience.
Dr. Smith inspired me so much to help elevate the health of the community that I am started the Pasadena Hiking Pacers group who meet on Sundays now.

I used to run with the PP’s more regularly and probably should again to train up for LA marathon! This is definitely one of THE BEST (and free… yes, free) running groups in Pasadena.
Why? It’s run by people who just want to run and improve their time while motivating others to do it out of their own good will. Plus, they like to have fun!
What’s the run like? Like I said, this is a free running group, and I typically meet up with them on Saturday mornings (usually a fairly large sized crowd). They go through a warmup session then break into multiple groups — walkers, ½ marathoners and people training for marathons. Each has their own group and someone usually paces… depending on how competitive you are trying to be or if you’re trying to break a PR.
The best part… they provide ROUTES and training régime schedules! AND someone is usually gracious enough to provide free water along the routes… which is awesome especially when you’re at higher altitudes. Water station info:
FOOD and WATER?! In addition, at the end of Kidspace Museum (near the end of the parking lot), runners can gather together to snack stretch, and relax as volunteers bring foods (fruits, waters, juices, bagels… etc) nearly every time (I personally haven’t been to one where there hasn’t been!) If you go here more than a few times, do a nice thing and bring in food or drinks to share with others. =)
I strongly encourage you to check this group out …
Whenever I run a half or full marathon, I always give a big cheer whenever I spot another person sporting a PP shirt. =)

What a great supportive group of people!
The Pacers meet every Saturday morning as well as every Tuesday and Thursday nights, mainly at the Rose Bowl in front of the aquatic center (parking lot I). There are groups for every level of running (even a walking group as well). It is completely non competitive. I just started with this group after getting to know Dr. Smith, the founder of the Pasadena Pacers. Running has always been something that intimidated me, but now it fits in perfectly with my active lifestyle. I am so happy to have found this group of runners.