On Jan. 7, Altadena and the Palisades were linked forever by the most devastating wildfires the region has seen. Fast forward to Saturday, and the two areas — immersed in the recovery from the twin tragedies — were linked yet again. But this time, 31 miles of distance was bridged by human hope and resilience: Runners.

The “Altadena to the Palisades: An Ultra-Marathon Relay,” spearheaded by members of Silver Lake Track Club, a Los Angeles-based community running club, kicked off at 7 a.m. at Good Neighbor Bar in Altadena.

Their goal: to raise money for the recovery of the fire-weary communities.

But Silver Lake Track Club founder Howie Goldklan’s had another goal: To bring people together in an event that challenged runners to conquer all of the region’s major boulevards.

As he told the Southern California News Group in the days ahead of the run: “Then, unfortunately, the fires happened. And one of those runners just took the idea and suggested that we do it now as a fundraiser.”

That runner, Kevin van Klooster, carved out a route that proved these two parts of L.A. County — one known for its foothill, bohemian vibe, the other for it coastal landscapes — “these two parts of town are more connected than folks may think.”

On Saturday, it was the crowd of runners and their supporters who proved that connection with their sheer spirit, from sunrise on Lincoln Avenue to the end.

From the Good Neighbor Bar, the crowd of runners headed southwest toward Eagle Rock. They then weaved through the city until it ended at Pacific Palisades’ Will Rogers Beach for a finish-line celebration.

In between was Silver Lake, Hollywood and Santa Monica.

For more information, go to the Silver Lake Track Club’s Instragram posts at instagram.com/p/DJSVWi3B6Tq, or silverlaketrackclub.com.

Staff writer Dorothy Elder contributed to this report.