always running essay

‘Always Running’ is more than cholo lit — it’s a manual for L.A.’s salvation

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For most of my life, I didn’t think “Always Running” was meant for someone like me.

Luis J. Rodriguez’s account of his first 18 years — from El Paso to Watts, Reseda to the Lomas barrio in South San Gabriel — has long drawn praise and criticism for its unflinching look at Chicano gang culture during the 1960s and ’70s. Its descriptions of sex, violence and drug use continue to titillate teenage readers and draw bans from schools and libraries across the United States.

When I finally paged through a copy some time after high school, I did it mostly to see if it was as “real” as friends made it out to be. It was. I never lived la vida loca , but Rodriguez’s taut, melancholy sentences felt like the exploits of my cousins in East Los Angeles or the San Fernando Valley whenever one of them had rolled with the wrong crew yet again.

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Still, “Always Running” didn’t hit me on a personal level. I was a nerd, after all, from a blue-collar Latino neighborhood of single-family homes bordering the territory of one of Anaheim’s biggest and oldest gangs. I felt only the “bad” kids — the ones in danger of dropping out of high school, the homies cycling through the carceral system — needed to read about Rodriguez’s redemption. There was little of value for a “good” kid like me, or any adult.

I rarely thought of Rodriguez’s memoir in the decades that followed , even as I enjoyed his subsequent essays, poems, novels and speeches. I also found it impressive that a bestselling author like him did so much besides just write.

He and his wife, Trini, opened Tia Chucha’s Centro Cultural in Sylmar in 2001. His many appearances, from universities to bookstores, public schools to prisons, made him my type of public intellectual. Even Rodriguez’s quixotic forays into politics, twice running for California governor on the Green Party ticket, drew my respect — if Norman Mailer and Upton Sinclair did it, why not a Chicano?

Yet the public always returns to “Always Running,” for better or worse. And it shows up perennially on best-of lists about L.A. and Latino literature. When it popped up on The Times’ “Ultimate L.A. Bookshelf” — a popular favorite among survey writers — I agreed to write an essay and decided to reread it.

I expected to find a better-than-average young adult novel, and carved out a couple of days to finish it.

I was done within half a day.

As a memoir of Los Angeles, it’s a fascinating slice of regional history. The southeast L.A. of Rodriguez’s time is a working-class white enclave. The San Gabriel Valley is still rural, and residents are mostly Chicano and white. You see in real time the rise of gangs, at first mostly a collection of neighborhood toughs instead of vassals of the Mexican Mafia.

Rodriguez wasn’t going for an anthropological tract, though. He wrote an indictment, not a confessional — and his target was one of L.A.’s main civic religions: violence.

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A young Rodriguez learned early on that whoever weathered it best and dished it back even worse were the victors. After a new gang began to terrorize his junior high, he wrote, “All my school life until then had been poised against me: telling me what to be, what to say, how to say it … I wanted the power to hurt someone.”

It’s a mantra that could’ve been uttered by Harrison Gray Otis , Sammy Glick, Eazy-E or any other L.A. striver, real or fictional.

Violence studs each page, but the gang fights, stabbings, rapes and shootings Rodriguez lists with escalating numbness aren’t even the worst of it, nor the individuals who commit them. All interpersonal and individual violence, Rodriguez argues, derives from systemic violence that serves as the baptismal font for Los Angeles. It’s the everyday racism Rodriguez endured from teachers and classmates alike. The marginalizing of working-class neighborhoods. The fact that his dad — a former principal in Mexico — can be no more than a janitor in the Valley in the United States. Redlining, discrimination, policing and pollution.

And among the most ruthless actions is disinvestment. When there are no jobs or no education, communities and individuals enter cycles of violence from which few emerge. There’s a brief description of the 1970 Chicano Moratorium , the East L.A. march against the Vietnam War that ended in violence, Rodriguez’s arrest, and the death of three individuals, including pioneering Times columnist Ruben Salazar . But what hit harder in Rodriguez’s memoir was when the youth community centers opened with grants during the Johnson administration turned into drug dens once the money dried up.

“Always Running” is the literary companion to Mike Davis’ “City of Quartz,” published three years earlier. But while we all rightfully hail Davis as a prophet , we usually sequester Rodriguez’s insights to the genre of cholo lit.

To paraphrase Sinclair’s bitter riposte about the success of his 1906 exposé of Chicago’s slaughterhouses, “The Jungle,” Rodriguez aimed for L.A.’s brain, and by accident he hit it in the heart.

Even well-meaning fans do this. They’ll cite Rodriguez’s admission that he wrote “Always Running” as a warning to his son as proof that its intended audience was exclusively young men. But “Always Running” is hardly nihilistic or dour. While the gang violence in the book gets most of the attention, we need to finally listen to the salvation he offered to us all.

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The most inspiring passages to my adult eyes are when mentors channel Rodriguez’s teenage rage into community action — walkouts, youth sports, protests, organizing. The story reaches a climax during a tense student assembly at Mark Keppel High in Alhambra, Rodriguez’s alma mater. By then, he was trying to work within the system, on his own terms, which also meant trying to reach out to the white students who saw no reason to side with Chicanos for anything, let alone demands for ethnic studies and hiring of more Mexican American teachers.

“This is not against whites,” Luis said to his fellow students. “It’s against a system that keeps us all under its thumb. By screwing us, the school is screwing you.”

Rodriguez has preached this lesson to anyone who’ll listen ever since.

When I finished “Always Running,” I realized the memoir wasn’t finished; Rodriguez’s decades-long witness to the depths and heights of his life are its continuation. Authors tend to write memoirs to look back from the better place they now occupy. Rodriguez wrote it knowing he wasn’t there just yet. He speaks now knowing we’re not there just yet. But, like the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. telling a Memphis, Tenn., audience on the last night of his life that he wasn’t going to see the Promised Land, Rodriguez knows L.A. can get there, even if he doesn’t.

So the work continues. Will we finally join him?

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Gustavo Arellano is a columnist for the Los Angeles Times, covering Southern California everything and a bunch of the West and beyond. He previously worked at OC Weekly, where he was an investigative reporter for 15 years and editor for six, wrote a column called ¡Ask a Mexican! and is the author of “Taco USA: How Mexican Food Conquered America.” He’s the child of two Mexican immigrants, one of whom came to this country in the trunk of a Chevy.

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Home — Essay Samples — Literature — Always Running — The Different Classes of the Society as Depicted in Always Running

The Different Classes of The Society as Depicted in Always Running

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Published: Jun 29, 2018

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Always Running

33 pages • 1 hour read

A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.

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Always Running

Luis j. rodriguez, ask litcharts ai: the answer to your questions.

Rano Rodriguez / Joe Character Timeline in Always Running

Run streaks: is it safe to run every day?

PhD Candidate, Sport and Exercise Science, Anglia Ruskin University

PhD Candidate, Exercise Physiology, Anglia Ruskin University

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Running is a great form of exercise that has numerous benefits for our health. For instance, people who consistently run at least an hour a week throughout their lives tend to live three years longer and have fewer chronic illnesses, compared with people who don’t do any exercise.

But some people are taking their love of running up a notch – running every day for as many days in a row as possible. This trend is being referred to online as a “run streak” . The rules of the run streak trend are simple: runners must complete a minimum of one mile (1.6km) every day, either on road, trail or the treadmill.

There are some remarkable streaks currently ongoing. Jim Taylor is said to have the longest streak among runners in Britain, having completed at least a mile a day for over 30 years. Globally, the longest streak is held by Jon Sutherland, a US runner who has reportedly run at least mile a day for over 50 years .

These are certainly incredible feats – but what are the effects on the body of running every day? Is it actually safe?

Whether you’re an amateur or professional runner, in order to get fitter you need to follow a training regime that places just the right amount of stress on the body so it can adapt. This is usually done through low-intensity runs and interval training , followed by periods of rest.

When this cycle is consistently repeated over months, runners will notice many changes in their fitness. These include a 5%-10% improvement in maximal oxygen consumption (the maximum amount of oxygen the body can use and transport to its working muscles), reduced heart rate during low-intensity runs, and improved ability to use fat for energy . All of these improvements help runners get faster or run further with less fatigue.

But a key element to becoming a better runner is taking rest periods . This allows the joints and ligaments to recover from the stress that running places on them. Rest also permits the body to replenish carbohydrate stores in the muscles , ensuring the body has energy for subsequent training days. Rest days can also help improve a runner’s recovery time between workouts .

But the nature of the run streak trend means there are no days off. This could have many potential pitfalls that runners should know about.

Continual training without adequate rest can cause many harms to the body. In extreme cases – such as ultra-endurance running – mild scarring of the heart can occur.

It can also weaken the immune system by reducing the function of immune cells. This can increase risk of respiratory infections and cause drastic changes in hormones , such as an up-to-40% reduction in adrenaline and testosterone. This may lead to poor recovery between runs and symptoms of overtraining – including changes in mood or muscle damage .

Runners must also be mindful of potential overuse injuries. These affect up to 70% of elite and recreational runners and could derail a run streak. One of the leading causes of overuse injuries is poor hip-muscle stabilisation in runners. This type of injury is more likely to happen as the training volume increases.

Is there a safe way to run every day?

To complete a run streak safely, pay attention to your training load – a combination of the volume, frequency and intensity of your workouts. It’s pivotal to manage this – taking particular care with the intensity of your runs, since the frequency of training is daily and the duration of runs is at least one mile.

High-intensity runs – such as intense sprint intervals – place more stress on the body and take longer to recover from, compared with low-intensity runs.

There’s also a window when the immune system is suppressed after high-intensity running of up to two hours . Keeping most of the runs easy will not only help you stay consistent, it will also reduce the chances of illness and injuries.

When starting a run streak, consider simply completing the minimum distance required (one mile per day) before gradually increasing the amount of running you do .

If you’re worried about taking days off, active recovery may be useful. This involves doing light exercise on your easier run streak days – such as a very light jog. Or, if you’re willing to break your streak but don’t want to take time off from exercise, you could always go for a brisk walk instead. This allows muscles to recover from the stress of running and can reduce muscle soreness .

Rest days are still strongly recommended, however. Even elite runners have periods away from running or incorporate rest blocks during a week of training. In fact, passive recovery ) – which involves doing no exercise at all – is generally considered better than active recovery for helping the body to repair itself and adapt to the stress of training.

Not taking any rest and attempting run to every day could also result in obsessive behaviour towards exercise – and in turn, have negative effects on your body. Before starting a run streak, evaluate whether it’s really in line with your fitness goals.

Running is a great way to improve your health, both physically and mentally. But runners should proceed with caution if they’re thinking of going for a run streak, to prevent overtraining and other risks to their health. Keep in mind things such as intensity and be sure to properly fuel after each run . This will reduce the likelihood of injury and health complications, and should ensure a more enjoyable run streak experience.

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Always Running Quotes

By luis j. rodriguez.

These notes were contributed by members of the GradeSaver community. We are thankful for their contributions and encourage you to make your own.

Written by Micola Magdalena

“Why are we being harassed?” Carlito, chapter 3

In the third chapter, Luis mentions one time when he saw a friend of his being beat by the police for the simple reason that he asked the police why he was being harassed. The other Latinos could no nothing, just stay on the side and watch as one of their own was almost killed by the police. This scene has the purpose of showing just how prejudiced the police was and how the Latinos suffered sometimes for no other reason than the fact that they were Latinos.

“She’s being initiated into The Tribe.” Joaquín Lopez, chapter 2

In the society where Luis lived, gang life was not exclusively only for the boys as women and girls could chose to become gang members as well. For them, the initialization process was different than the one that men were subjected to. In the second chapter for example, Luis sees a girl around his age having sex with a man from the same gang he wanted to become a part of. The leader of the gang told Luis that the girl was being initialized into the gang, hinting thus that women had a place in the gang but their purpose was to be used by the men in the gang as sex toys.

“I wanted the power to hurt somebody.” Luis, chapter 2

Luis tries to explain the reason why he wanted to join a gang and he tells his readers that he wanted to feel powerful, to feel as if he had the power to hurt somebody. In his childhood, Luis grew up feeling powerless, feeling as if he was a ball bouncing from one place to another. Because of this, when he grew up and when he was no longer a little boy he decided that he wanted to stop feeling helpless and that he wanted to become the one the others were afraid of.

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Always Running Questions and Answers

The Question and Answer section for Always Running is a great resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss the novel.

How does the description in paragraphs 8-10 shape your perception of the narrator's relationship to his brother? What does it help you infer about his decision to write this piece

From the above quotes, we come to understand that the narrator's older brother was just that... an older brother. The brother who didn't want him around, and the brother who believed that he was always in the way. Injured and humbled, the older...

Rodriguez describes himself in this way because he's never had a choice about his future. His life revolved around the whims of others, as their actions seemed to dictate what happened..... he was bounced from one thing to another..... by his...

Is there a possibility for peace? Chapter 8?

In Chapter Eight, we see a possibility for peace, as the gangs join together to see justice after the killing of Miguel Robles. The peace, however, is short lived, and the gangs begin fighting again. It is important to note, that this chapter...

Study Guide for Always Running

Always Running study guide contains a biography of Luis J. Rodriguez, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis.

• About Always Running
• Always Running Summary
• Character List

Essays for Always Running

Always Running essays are academic essays for citation. These papers were written primarily by students and provide critical analysis of Always Running by Luis J. Rodriguez.

• A Never-Ending Battle? Tools Necessary to Combat the Injustice of Class Oppression
• Social Stratification in Always Running

Wikipedia Entries for Always Running

• Introduction