The organizers expected 40 runners to show up60 max.
I stood in a crowd of 700.
Most had come with a partner or knew other members of various running groups from around New York.
If you lace up, youre one of them.
They value the fact that its never easy but you do it anyway.
The same applies to the movement.
…
We ran in a sea of white tees.
I sprinted to relieve frustration, moving to the front to lead the chants.
Show me what community looks like!
I belted through my mask, louder than I thought I could be.
This is what community looks like!
We took over the park.
Something running can teach us is that we have so much more power than we think we do.
We have strengthin our bodies and in our community, said Power Malu.
I had never thought about it that way, but its true.
We have determination and drive in spades.
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A black-owned restaurant handed out coconut and aloe juices as we crossed the finish line.
OrganizersCoffeyand Power Malu led a forum for the crowd; anyone who wanted to speak was welcome.
If running has taught us anything, it has taught us to stay active.
Dao-Yi Chow of Old Man Run Club preached.
The sweaty crowd roared.
Once you stop, you lose progress.
This movement cant become another hashtag, I thought.
Another memory that we recall the next time a black person is murdered.
Thats why were here.
Thats only if we stay active, Chow shouted.
His words made me understand that running is a movement and a metaphor in and of itself.
The discipline that running teaches supersedes the track or the confines of a race.
The runner mentality of just keep going applies to the movement now more than ever.
As a community, its our responsibility to hold each other to our promise to continue the fight.
Protest running means feeding off of each others energy to spark something bigger than ourselves.
Runners have the power to take back the streets.
To take up space.
To use strength and movement to peacefully protest and share a message.
To quote the recently departed John Lewis, Do not get lost in a sea of despair.
Never, ever be afraid to make some noise and get in good trouble, necessary trouble.
In the weeks since, Ive become part of this community.
My name isnt on a sheet.
We didnt make this realization alone.
And so we keep running.
Shouting through masked faces.
Sweating for what we believe in.
Ill always be a runner, but Im definitely not a solo runner anymore.
We may be diverse but not divided, Malu said.
Its on us to get away from the ego-system and get with this ecosystem.
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