COURTESY GREG WASHINGTON

Black Men Run Charlotte encourages men to run for their health and fellowship.

Black men run, too.

Nearly five years since Jason Russell and Edward Walton founded Black Men Run in Atlanta, several chapters have emerged across the country, including Charlotte, where captain Greg Washington answered the call in 2013. Four people showed up, two less than at the inaugural run in Atlanta.

“Today we had 15 guys,” Washington said at a recent Saturday morning group run at Omega Sports Park Road. “Our main runs are on Mondays [6:30 p.m. at Ultra Running Company] and Wednesdays [6:30 p.m. at Mallard Creek Greenway], and on average we have 20-25 guys.”

From losing weight to improved mental health, Black Men Run offers a life-changing experience.

“It helps guys who have been depressed,” Washington said. “The running and the comradery and the social influence of the group has helped them. We’ve had guys documented who were depressed who credit running with getting them out of their depressed state. We have guys who have lost over 100 pounds. You get to meet like-minded individual from all aspects of life. We have lawyers, health professionals, physical trainers and more.”

Black Men Run Charlotte brings together Brooklyn natives like Washington and Charlotteans like Darius Moore, a first-year Billingsville Elementary School Let Me Run coach and member of Black Men Run Charlotte.

Washington’s relationship with running extends back to high school, but he was a sprinter and hurdler. Distance running didn’t begin until his 40s when his wife, Sheneka, got involved with the sport through Black Girls Run.

“When she wanted to go out for a run, and she didn’t have anybody to run with,” Washington said. “She would pester me to go run with her. That’s how I got into running. It was not by choice. I was basically going out with her so she didn’t have to go on her own, and then it kind of grew on me.”

Washington began the transition from spectator to Black Men Run Charlotte organizer while attending one of his wife’s races.

“I saw a guy coming across the finish line, and he had the Black Men Run shirt on,” Washington said. “I was aware of Black Girls Run because of my wife, but I didn’t know about Black Men Run. I researched it, and saw that they had a running group that had started in Atlanta and they were looking for chapters in other states. My wife kind of coaxed me into reaching out, which I did, and the rest is history.”

Moore took an unconventional path to running.

“I used to work for UPS,” Moore said. “I was supervising there, and a box busted open advertising for Thunder Road Marathon [now Charlotte Marathon]. A guy told me I couldn’t run a half marathon, because at the time I didn’t have such healthy habits. I took that as a challenge, and I trained for two months.”

After finishing behind teenagers and significantly older competitiors, Moore decided to pursue running.

“That prompted me to train and really get good at running,” he said. “Once I got good, my mom [Zebrina Adams] said, ‘what are you doing to share that gift?’”

Running also serves as a way to explore the world.

“I love running,” Moore said. “It was healthy for me. Helped me lose weight. Helped me get in shape. Helped me focus. Without it I probably wouldn’t have traveled all the places I’ve traveled.”

Black Men Run inspires what Moore describes as a “healthy brotherhood,” even for those who don’t like to run in public, like Moore’s father Darren Moore.

“I’ve seen a lot of good strides take place,” Moore said. “A lot of guys have lost weight, come off medications. My dad [is a] prime example. He’s 53 now. He was on high blood pressure pills about six years ago. After about a year and a half of running, now he’s off of those pills. He actually did his first race last October. He ran with me and my daughters [Debria and Jayla]. That’s what I feel like Black Men Run brings to the table. It’s a welcoming community where some people feel like some clubs aren’t for them, you want to see someone who looks like you. That makes it feel a little bit more welcoming.”

On the Net:
blkmenrun.com/charlotte
 

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