MAKING A DIFFERENCE

Black Girls RUN! evolves into national fitness movement

By Clare S. Richie

“Anyone can be a runner,” Toni Carey says. She and her sorority sister/ business partner, Ashley Hicks, both fell in love with running after college graduation less than a decade ago. Since then, the two have transformed a blog, Black Girls RUN! (BGR!), into a national fitness movement headquartered in Atlanta.

Early on, the co-founders were surprised by the lack of diversity at road races and motivated to reverse the grim health statistics for minority women. Eighty percent of African American women are overweight and more than half are obese. Carey had seen family and friends deal with chronic health issues like diabetes and hypertension from a sedentary lifestyle. “These problems are not hereditary, you can control them,” Carey said.

Carey and Hicks decided to get the word out that black girls can and should run. By providing encouragement, resources and a support system to African-American women, BGR! helps make fitness and healthy living a priority. Today, BGR! boasts 70 running groups with 136,000 members nationwide and growing. The Atlanta running group of 15,000 members is spread among several neighborhoods.

Whether finishing a training run or a race, this sisterhood welcomes members with a cheer tunnel to show they are not alone. Maybe this is why members are always raising the bar, by increasing distances, taking on triathlons, and trying new sports. For many members a full marathon is considered “graduation.”

Ready to join the movement?

Women of all races and running abilities are welcome to join a running group – sorry, no men. A great place to start will be at the “Sweat With Your Sole Festival” on Sept. 4-7 at the Atlanta Marriott Marquis. The Thursday evening mixer kicks off the festival. The Friday and Saturday conference will feature a lecture series and leading fitness instructors showing attendees new sports like boxing. The weekend culminates with a 5K/15K race Sunday in Centennial Park that is open to women, men and children.

Like its members, BGR! keeps raising the bar. Future plans include growing to one million members, extending the brand to BGTRI (run, swim, cycle) and BGOM (yoga), and possibly introducing its own race series. The ultimate goal remains lowering obesity statistics and related chronic diseases for African American women.

Found out more about the organization at BlackGirlsRUN.com.