Reflecting on the Vision, Mission, and Purpose of a Movement 5 Years in the Making
TL;DR - We’re more than just another running company, and what goes on both in front and behind the scenes of every race feeds into a much larger mission at hand. If you’ve never thought to take a deeper look into what Second Capital Running is, you might be surprised to find what’s just under the surface.
So what is Second Capital Running?
On the surface, Second Capital Running is a race management and production company. Simply put: we make races happen, and our events span all over South Jersey from Long Beach Island to Cape May to Salem County. Our home is smack dab in the middle of all these places in Vineland, and that is where the greater mission, which I’ll dive into shortly, really takes shape. The idea for SCR came about 5 years ago with a very particular vision for a race that would reinvigorate the running community in Vineland and raise the standard of what a race can be. That race is now known as the Running the Ave 5K, our flagship race that will be celebrating 5 years in the heart of Vineland on June 25 2023. It’s the vision for that race that set things in motion for what many people know the name Second Capital Running to stand for now. Our name is a symbol of our city, and what I believe it can become, so that there’s never any question of why I do what I do and who I do it for.
The original plan was not to go forth from that first race in 2019 and make dozens of races happen every year since. I honestly just wanted to focus on what I could do in Vineland. But as with any mission worth attempting, circumstances change, and the stakes change, and so the mission evolves. The pandemic offered a unique opportunity for me to use SCR to fill the void that had suddenly been created and I, like a lot of other race industry professionals, had to be ready to strike when the time came. In fact, the Vineland Grand Prix, a series of free races that predates the formation of SCR but is an integral part of our annual lineup, was the first in-person mass start race in the state of NJ following re-opening orders in July of 2020. I’ll never not brag about that; not because of ego, but because it’s a living testament to the mission of Second Capital Running: serve the South Jersey running community and secure its growth.
So Second Capital Running had to evolve into a formal business, and a community centered business at that; meaning we don’t grow unless the community we serve grows first. Of course, there are challenges to deciding to operate that way, and my responsibilities as the owner do not, and can not always immediately align with my own values. Over the last few years, I’ve found myself thinking that having to operate as a business first kept me from focusing on the non-race projects that I wanted to see accomplished, but I’ve come full circle on the realization that my time and effort is valuable, and what SCR stands to accomplish as a successful business only means more impact on the community efforts that you can’t put a price on.
The greatest accomplishment of the last few years is without a doubt the Vineland Youth Running Club, the first recreational running program for elementary and middle schoolers in the area in decades. It’s crazy to think we’ll be starting our 5th season in the Spring of this year and serve another 50+ youth. The large presence of young people at our races is something I hear people comment on all the time. If not anything else - that is what makes us stand out. Participation of people under the age of 30 is extremely low across all endurance sports events, which only spells out more struggles to bring them in down the line, so I’m very proud to say that it is built into the company standards to stay ahead of the curve on that issue.
Additionally, efforts to establish more of what I call “Movement Infrastructure” in Cumberland County have been at play since day one, and though progress on these kinds of projects tends to move slow, there are a few coming to fruition in the very near future. Current collaborations with partners in the private sector, as well as on the municipal, county, and state level of government will serve to increase the amount of designated running/walking/hiking paths and routes available to the public in both common and uncommon locations. The reason for these projects is simple: The more recreational space that is made available to the public for safe and convenient use, the more movement you’ll see; the more movement there is, the higher the likelihood of positive change in our community.
These projects and more are funded through the business that is Second Capital Running and powered by the dedicated community that stands behind us. Creating iconic races is a large facet of the mission, but not the only one. Our purpose is revealed with every first step taken by runners old and new, every adrenaline fueled crossing of the finish line, every exasperated cry and joyous cheer, and all the moments of inspiration in between. SCR exists not because of just a few individuals, but the collective action of an entire community. The last five years have paved a perfect foundation for what’s to come in the next five, and I can’t wait to witness it all with you.
- Andre “Andy” Rivera
Founder & Race Director