Black Girls Run

A few weeks ago I was introduced to a group on Facebook called Black Girls Run.  I have gotten a number of invitations to participate, but never took the plunge.  Well as we know thankfully - only God- I have been running on the treadmill 3 miles 3 days a week for the last few months.  Today I took the plunge and ran with Black Girls Run, on the Freedom Parkway route.  It was awesome to run with a group - something I had never done before (minus my triathlon).  It was encouraging to run with such a diverse group of women varying in running levels, ages and sizes.  They break up the groups according to running levels.  I have been running a 10 minute miles so I presummed I could run with the 10-12 minute mile group - my mistake.  Each group has a leader  who circles the group to make sure no one is left and my group leader to Darlene and then within in each group you are paired with a running parner, my partner was Samantha.  They both were awesome.  On the way back of the 20 minute out and 20 minute back run my hip which hurts off and on as a result of my accident mentioned here  I stopped and Samantha stopped with me but I say oh no go ahead I do not want to hold you back, she continued on.  At one point I was the last in my group and Darlene (the group leader) stayed with me when I did my run walk phase I eventually encouraged myself thru the pain and in the absence of my usual running music  which is mostly gospel which is enouraging and the outside temperature.  As I  was running back in, Samantha is ran back to me and ran with me to the end.  That was awesome sportmanship and great character and some other word I cannot put my fingure on. I was so touched by this group of women that I have never meet and who embraced me as a long time friend.  I look forward to the next run.

I learned a few thing about myself on the run.  I really do need music to encourage me thru.  I will synce my ipod TODAY.  I desperately still miss my iphone.  I learned I do not like carrying things when I run.  I had to carry my ipod which had not been synced in years and my car key.  I will need to get a waist or an arm band pocket for these.  I also learned I like running with people.

Black Girls Run thanks for being an awesome group of women dedicated to encouraging black women to exercise and making them feel welcome and encouraging them on the journey to preserve the sexy!