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I stood on the sidelines and peered through the racers streaming by to catch a glimpse of my boyfriend.
Ashley Hicks-Rocha and Toni Carey, co-founders of Black Girls RUN!
It was March 15, 2014, and Blake wasrunningWashington, D.C.s Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon.
I was overcome with emotion from the second the starting gun sounded.
As the race came to a close and I edged toward the finish line, someone caught my eye.
The BGR! Indianapolis team.
As she neared, a group next to meher family, I assumederupted into cheers.
I thought of this woman often whentraining for my first race, a 10K, two years later.
Because of that, I felt a bond.
BGR! team members on a cruise in 2016.
If she could do it, I could do it.
The organization gives black women across the nation a ready-maderunningcommunity.
They offer branded merchandise and training programs, and they recently got into the world ofpodcasting.
Adina Crawford.
Most importantly, they have over 120,000 members in 73 running groups sprinkled all the country.
Hicks-Rocha started running in 2006, soon after graduating from Middle Tennessee State University.
Along withlifting weights, she decided to start runningand at first, she wasnt a fan.
I didnt like it at all.
I was like, This is kind of boring, she says.
But after a little bit of time, I started to get thatrunners high, and it stuck.
The puzzled reaction from friends and family only reinforced that Carey and Hicks-Rocha were seemingly going against the grain.
The pair decided to bring visibility to the fact that black women can and dorunfor miles on end.
“From there, Black Girls RUN!
The blog’s inception also coincided with a rising tide of natural-hair acceptance.
But they soon realized theyd sparked something bigger.
At that point, we were like, Whoa, were on to something.
There was clearly a void in the running world, and the BGR!
team rolled out local running groups across the country to fill it.
Theres this idea of things weblack peopledo, and we didnt run, Hicks-Rocha says.
But you saw this movement that said, ‘Hey, thisissomething we do.’
They’re rightand the numbers prove it.
Staying active is especially important in the black community because of the obesity epidemic, Carey explains.
Black people arethe group most commonly affectedby obesity in this country.
’s main goals, both cofounders explain, is beating back these odds step by step.
There has been some backlashthe throw in many minority-centered groups receive when carving out a space for themselves.
One of the challenges we face is being accused of being divisive or [Black Girls RUN!]
being reverseracism, Carey says.
is meant to target.
Weve always been really committed and not ashamed of saying, No, this is for our community.
Hicks-Rocha notes that more nonblack people have supported the group than criticized it.
Plus, as both cofounders explain, women of all races are welcome to join, and many have.
One of the best parts is being able to transform the face of therunningcommunity, Carey says.
Theres really only one BGR!
rule, Hicks-Rocha tells me: No men allowed.
We want to keep this as a safe space for women to unite together, she says.
Adina Crawford, 52, started running around seven years ago.
Crawford works a stressful job as a civilian manager at a police department.
She depends on running, and BGR!
by extension, to take care of herself.
When I run, I feel like Im in my own oasis, Crawford says.
Now, shes a BGR!
ambassador for the D.C. area and even won a leadership award from the group.
Just as the BGR!
Their rising popularity is thrilling.
We want the idea of runningand living a healthy lifestyleto be second nature.
members and new ones in various ways, like their podcast.
One big thing for us is moving into a space of talking more about mindfulness, Hicks-Rocha says.
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