We Run for More - An Ode to Black Women Runners
By Tulani Elisa, Contributor
Yesterday, I cried.
I stopped halfway through mile 2 of my run and cried right there on the sidewalk. I cried for the lives lost, the families broken and this country that’s so fractured. As my tears mixed with sweat, I realized something.
We, us, Black women, run for more than just exercise or ‘body goals’. Like most things in this life, for us, it’s not that simple. We run for so much more.
We run for peace--of mind, of heart, of soul.
We run for a break from stereotypes and assumptions, the presumed attributes and the responsibilities we take on, whether they’re ours or not.
We run for the time it allows to be with our thoughts and worries.
We run for an escape from the noise, the news and the microaggressions.
We run for the freedom that can only be provided by an open road and a supportive shoe.
We run for a reminder of our power, courage and influence.
We run for the strength we need to support a family, a community, a country.
We run to remind ourselves that our bodies were meant for more than just sexualizing, imitating, degrading or casting aside.
We run for sanity. We run for progress. We run so we can one day fly.
So, here’s to the women, the Black women, who run for more.
We see you, we are you, we love you.
Tulani Elisa
Contributor
With a love for fitness and staying active, Tulani is an avid runner and has completed five half marathons in Boston, Las Vegas, Virginia Beach, Chicago and Paris. She is vice president of social media at Fox Television [broadcasting], a writer and lover of travel. She also works part time as a cycle instructor at CycleBar. Tulani’s writing lead her to creating and publishing Advice From A Unicorn, a printed day calendar with straight-forward and witty advice.