Description

A searing expos onthe whiteness of running a supposedly egalitarian sport and a call to reimagine the industry

Runners know that running brings us to ourselves But for Black people the simple act of running has never been so simple It is a declaration of the right to move through the world If running is claiming public space why then does it feel like a negotiation

Running saved Alison Dsirs life At rock bottom and searching for meaning and structure Dsir started marathon training finding that it vastly improved both her physical and mental health Yet as she became involved in the community and learned its history she realized that the sport was largely built with white people in mind

Running While Black draws on Dsirs experience as anendurance athlete activist and mental health advocateto explore why the seemingly simple human act of long distance running for exercise and health has never been truly open to Black people Weaving historical contextfrom the first recreational running boom to the horrific murder of Ahmaud Arberytogether with her own story of growth in the sport Dsir unpacks how we got here and advocates for a world where everyone is free to safely experience the lifechanging power of movement

As America reckons with its history of white supremacy across major institutions Dsir argues that as a litmus test for an inclusive society the fitness industry has the opportunity to lead the chargefulfilling its promise of empowerment