Community Run with the running crews

COVID-19, “ The Rona Era”

Today is the community run with Black Men Run, Black Girls Run, and Pioneers. We are meeting in Franklin Park at 7:45a.m. The location is perfect, the heart of the black community is in Roxbury and Franklin Park is the jewel and central location for many black folks who live in Roxbury and other parts of Boston. Let’s not kid ourselves. It is July. By 8 a.m. is was already 80 degrees and humid. Of course , us being us, We didn’t start running until 8:45a.m. We were more than 100 deep with folks. Seeing everyone in one place was great. Our we had to socialize, organize, and do our stretch warm ups. To see so many black and brown folks running, we recruited some walkers who saw us and wanted to join in.

The option was a 1 mile or a 5k run. There are folks that are training for New York, Chicago Marathons and they have to get longer miles in. For some 5k wasn’t enough. Running craziness.

I knew to be slow and steady because it was hot. We ran through roxbury and to see the community and the looks on peoples faces when they saw us is priceless. Really Representation matters. I was good for two miles then I had to walk and run a bit. I kept moving and the support from the running crews around me kept me going.

It was a good 5k course but the heat was no joke. I felt good and strong. I just wished I had brought water with me and fueled up more. It was a great morning. Then socializing and catching up with everyone was great. We really should do this at least twice a year, just us.

I reminded myself that I can do hard things.