91欧美激情

Social running is growing among athletes of color in DC, and one group is leading the pack

Matt Green doesn鈥檛 run for the love of fitness. He has other motivations.

鈥淚t鈥檚 the community. It鈥檚 the connections. It鈥檚 the cool factor,鈥 he said. 鈥淭o say that I woke up one morning and loved it? No.鈥

And Green is not alone.

Social running groups have taken off nationwide, especially among athletes of color in D.C. And Green鈥檚 running crew, , also called DRC, is leading the pack.

鈥淲e bring out anywhere from 400 to 500 a day on Wednesdays and Saturdays to runs,鈥 he told 91欧美激情. 鈥淭he network of DRC is in the greater thousands.鈥

It started as a much smaller group.

Eleven years ago, Green and three other college buddies decided to complete a 5K to celebrate his birthday.

Green agreed to do the run. Although he had always played sports, he wasn鈥檛 a runner.

鈥淚f you were an athlete growing up, running was punishment,鈥 he said. 鈥淚t was, ‘Go run laps,’ or you had to do some conditioning with running.鈥

 

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After that run, the four friends, who attended North Carolina A&T University, decided to run together every week.

Soon, Green鈥檚 physical fitness improved. He bought more swanky sportswear and enjoyed seeing the city in a new way: on foot.

And the runs evolved into a time to connect with others that he couldn鈥檛 pass up.

鈥淚t鈥檚 everything that鈥檚 involved with running,鈥 he said. 鈥淚t became a part of my life.鈥

Many people took up running during the COVID-19 pandemic to keep fit and get some social interactions in safe, open-air spaces.

Green said the DRC was also created to provide running partners for experienced athletes and a way to start for novice runners.

鈥淚t鈥檚 a nice entryway into group running,鈥 he said. 鈥淭his isn鈥檛 a race. No one is out here competing.鈥

With so many people showing up to run, the collective breaks runners into groups by pace and routes. Run captains open the city up to runners, leading them through different neighborhoods each week.

A walking group is in the works, Green says told 91欧美激情.

“It鈥檚 important for us to not stay on the trails,鈥 said Green. 鈥淵ou see so much more and really explore. It鈥檚 the best way to get to know the city.鈥

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