While this is perhaps not the best outlet for me to go into the inequity of systemic racism or the senseless violence directed at the Black community in the US, my heart has been hurting the past few weeks. I’ve felt anger, disappointment, and sadness affecting my runs and daily life. I am reflecting on my privilege and what I can do to help create a more equitable and inclusive running community.
I am listening to those who feel oppressed and educating myself on the history, laws, and policies that have perpetuated racial inequality and wealth gaps from slavery through today. As an ally, I know I’m not going to always get it right. And talking about race is a touchy subject that many people will dance around. I’m determined to be vulnerable and acknowledge my own gaps - even the disproportionately low percentage of Black athletes I coach or who receive this newsletter - to bring about change.
I am encouraged by the overwhelming public support for equality and justice that has already resulted in incremental change. I am motivated by the Black runners, friends, and coworkers I am listening to and had recent discussions with to continue action and turn this moment into a movement for widespread, lasting change. I will hold myself to not only step up and shout but also carry out simple daily acts that no one may ever see.
So for this week’s newsletter, I am sharing the powerful stories below that are a small part of my journey to examine my own privilege, sit with discomfort, and do the work to help ensure racial equity.
Marielle Hall: Racing to Stay Alive
Hall is a female long-distance US runner who competed in the 10K at the 2016 Olympics.
“If we want our running community to be a force for change, and not a reflection of the biases that our nation endures, we have to be willing to consistently have a sustained conversation that will effect change and is capable of asking questions without immediate answers or solutions.”
Kamilah Journét: Your Black Teammate
Journét is a marketing manager at Patagonia and avid runner.
“I was 14 when someone yelled ‘Run n!gger, run’ when I ran by with my teammates. They remained silent as we continued down the road. I was 16 when my Dad approached our school bus with my forgotten lunch and my teammates screamed as he tapped on the door. ‘That’s my Dad,’ I replied. I was 18 when I was told repeatedly that I wasn’t ‘really’ Black by my college teammates...I was 27 when a young woman approached me after yoga and petted my arm because she wanted to know what my skin felt like. Is this progress?”
Meb Keflezighi: Being Black in America
Keflezighi is an Olympic medalist and winner of the Boston and New York City marathons.
“But when you’re running, you’re just a random person. You’re not the famous football or basketball player. You’re just the skinny old distance runner. Fortunately, or unfortunately, I lived both lives. There’s subtle racism. I used to fly first class and always tried to wear a collared shirt or whatever to look presentable. But sometimes I liked to wear a beanie, because I get cold. And you go onto the flight and you’ll be putting up your carry-on bag above the seat and somebody will say, “Excuse me—that’s for first class.” And I’m like, “Well, okay. Let me show you my ticket.”
Rashawn Ray: The killing of Ahmaud Arbery highlights the danger of jogging while black
Ray is a sociologist and public health scholar who has studied how race and neighborhood inform where people engage in physical activity.
“Black men I interviewed [in 2017] who had jogged in white neighborhoods where they lived reported incidents of the police being called on them, neighbors scurrying to the other side of the street as they approached, receiving disgruntled looks and seeing the shutting of screen doors as they passed.”
Rozalynn Frazier: How to Be an Ally to the Black Running Community
Frazier is an award-winning content creator and marathoner.
“Any ally works to support and enrich your running journey with a basic understanding of your belonging to the larger running community. In a way the metaphor is right there -- we’re all equal as humans and in running we all have to do our own work of putting one foot in front of the other. But an ally recognizes that not everyone is beginning in the same starting point, so to speak, and there are things we can all do to make our community more inviting, less exclusionary, less intimidating.”
Melanie Eversley: Running community among Black Americans (2014)
Eversley is an award-winning journalist and marathoner.
“The Atlanta-based Black Girls RUN! came about after a lunch before the Publix Georgia Marathon & Half Marathon in 2011. Toni Carey and Ashley Hicks, former sorority sisters, wanted to connect with other black women runners. They felt unwelcomed by existing running clubs. ‘No one spoke to us; no one greeted us,’ says Carey, 31. BGR started with 30 Facebook/running groups across the country. Today, it has 70 groups and a yearly conference, Carey said.”
