D iplo showed us Sunday that being healthy and partying are not mutually exclusive and, in fact, may be even better when you do them together.
I guess we expected something a little wilder — the DJ famously added several drops of LSD to his water before running the LA Marathon last year. So the run could have been Bay to Breakers-flavored, with costumed white rabbits and nudists running around. Instead it was more like ravers who were into a healthy BMI alongside their dance party.
It would have been a little weird to do drugs that early anyway. Diplo kicked off the 9 AM run with Greek-American Olympian Alexi Pappas, from Alameda. We followed shortly after, running from Pier 30-32 to the Ferry Building, lopping back, then down to run through Oracle Park (very cool experience), and back to Pier 30-32 for the party.
Getting into the event took a minute but was well-organized, and I can’t imagine there’s much they could have done to corral 13,000 people any faster.
The only logistical miss would be the bar situation. I got in line early on, but it was moving slowly. After 25 minutes I decided it wasn’t worth it, so I asked the people behind me if I could go get pictures and get back in line, and they said yes. I walked around and shot the scene and checked in periodically and just as we reached the front my friends texted me that they we were leaving.
The line had taken over an hour, and would have been more like a 2-hour line later in the day. The bartenders seemed to be mixing the cocktails on the spot, which I don’t think makes sense. They should have premixed and the lines would have been 10 times as fast.
Diplo came through with the positive energy and upbeat vibe that he’s famous for. “You guys did great, make sure you drink something and eat something,” he said as he chowed down on what looked to be sushi.
“I just love that he’s promoting health, when raving is generally associated with taking a bunch of drugs,” said Megan Tyner, who flew up from San Diego just for this event.
Megan is right. Despite the “hurry up and run so we can drink” sign that I saw (and loved) on the way in, the crowd felt more like a run club than a party one — at least for the hour that I was there. I’m sure when the other 7,00 people showed up it got a little more rowdy but that’s great — the balance is where it’s at.
Kristina Kavon, Megan Tyner’s best friend of 34 years traveled from Joshua Tree and said that it was her top 2 or 3 concerts she’s ever been to and that she’ll be coming back for it next year. “Also, where are the homeless people? That’s all I see on the news and I haven’t seen one since I’ve been here this is actually crazy.”
Diplo’s a fitness junkie who loves a good post-run party, so that’s how we got a 5K race with an outdoor festival at the end. It’s San Francisco, but not the yoga-and-juice-cleanse SF. More like, “Sure, I’ll run 5K if it means I get to hear Diplo drop a set by the Bay.”
We did get some yoga though. A day earlier, Vennu Yoga and LuxFit threw in some free-style yoga, EDM sculpt yoga & abs remix, and a runner’s stretch yoga fusion. If you thought you were just going to show up and stretch for a few minutes, think again. We’re talking EDM-fueled yoga that actually felt like a workout.
With the San Francisco race wrapped, all eyes are on Seattle for the next stop of Diplo’s Run Club. Same rules apply: run first, party later, and don’t miss the post-race recovery sessions.
Courtney Muro is a San Francisco-based content strategist, producer, designer, and creator.
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More photos from Diplo’s Run Club — September 8, 2024
All photos by Courtney Muro for The Bold Italic.
