Saturday with BMR

COVID-19, “The Rona Era”

Every second Saturday of the month Black Men Run(BMR) has a group run. This group run is co-ed and open to non BMR members. Yesterday, I decided to go to the meet up run and support BMR. Every month they meet at Peabody square in Dorchester, which is across the street from the Ashmont T station. That makes it convenient for people who do not have a car to make it to the group run. I haven’t never run in that section of Dorchester before, this would be an exciting first.

We started off with group stretches. Afterwards, we talked about our intenstions and our “ Why” we were all here today. I loved listening to everyone’s Why and even my own. It was a good way to be present and centered before we started running. There were options of running/walking 1 mile, 5k, or 5 miler route. Everyone decided to run a 5k.

We ran through Dorchester and the section of the neighborhood of the former home of the Wahlberg’s from New Kids on the Block. While we ran, the men would check in on me. I told them, my race, my pace. They said “ no sista left behind.”. There would be one BMR member who ran with me.

I was taking in the neighborhood scenes and the freakin incline of the hills we had to run up. There were a couple of points along the route, were we all stopped together to do a quick check in and catch our breathe.

What I loved most was the final .50 mile. It was running up a hill. I was the last person. The men were all at the top of the hill cheering me on. Encouraging me to keep going and pushing. I had to dig deep and give them whatever I had left to make it a 5 k run.

It was fun, challenging, and so positive and supportive. Afterwards we all did a group cool down stretch.

I appreciate this organization and the space they have created for black men to discuss their health, health justice, and build community together.