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As a DJ, Charlie Dark MBE has traveled the world bringing people together on the dance floor. Getting people to find community through movement has always been his passion, whether as founder of the Urban Poets Society, a mentor for Bikestormz, through Bridge the Gap, and certainly with his London-based running group Run Dem Crew. Run Dem Crew was born out of his burnt-out from the music industry, when on Christmas Day 2006, Charlie decided to go for a run. Fast forward to 2024, and Run Dem Crew continues to transform running by encouraging the vulnerable and outsiders to take up space in running. "It's a sport not just for the professionals, elite or fast runners," as he describes it, "but also for those who run marathons in over five hours, because there, that's where you see the will power to and inner strength."
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It was a moment 10 years in the making for Black Roses NYC member Danni McNeilly. When she crossed the Chicago Marathon finish line at 2:59:33 in 2023, she became the newest Black American born woman to join a very exclusive list. With her accomplishment, Danni joined Black Roses teammates Sharada Maddox and Erica Stanley-Dottin. On the first episode of season four, Danni shares how long distance running became her passion, her dislike for the Boston marathon, and why running New York City and Chicago marathon courses remain her favorites.
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Tom O'Keefe started his non-profit Stride for Stride in 2018, and to date the group has secured bibs for over 500 runners into the New York City, Boston and Miami marathons, the NYC Half, the Falmouth Road Race in Cape Cod and many other races across the country. The bibs to date, are over $138,000. With $54,000 this year alone, when the yearly average is $46,000 a year. Tom stumbled into running by having a very popular twitter account dedicated to Boston. From his experience, he recognized that a major hurdle to running is financing, and that has become his motivation for running. Stride for Stride creates a space for minorities, immigrants, and low income people to find themselves in the frontline of races. Running helps build communities, and it's that community that now will support Tom as he waits for a kidney transfer.
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Mwangi Gitahi would be the first to tell you that he is naturally gifted as a runner. Growing up in Kenya, where long distance running is as common as apple pie, running is what everyone did. So excelling in South Kingstown High School in Rhode Island, was a no brainer. The unexpected challenges came when he picked up the whistle to be a coach. The red carpet that was laid out for him as a runner, didn't translate to being on the other side of the track. With his coaching career in bloom, he is set on challenging race directors to make races more accessible and inclusive.
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In the first episode of season three, the Chinatown Speed Kooks join the show for a behind-the-scenes look at The Speed Project. If you've never heard of TSP, it's an unsanctioned and unsupported race from the Santa Monica Pier to the Las Vegas sign. Sebastian Chiu and Let's Get Uncomfortable cohost Jaime Chien break it down the planning, financing, and running logistics, with a surprise visit from a special guest -- and a full action plan for how to escape a desert dog mafia.
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The name says it all: 10IronWomen. A movement from Rowann Bowcutt and friends to bring true gender parity to the Barcelona Ironman—and so much more. Like many triathletes, Rowann began as a runner, before adding cycling and swimming, two disciplines that require access to training spaces and expensive equipment. On the latest episode, we hop across the pond to London to learn why Rowann co-founded 10IronWomen, how they trained during the pandemic, and what happens at changing stations on race day. Spoiler alert: full nudity is not allowed.
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Today we step off the track to go behind the scenes into the business of running with Sol Rivera and Alex Felicier of Race the Bronx. Proud Bronx residents, Sol and Alex give us an inside look at how and why they bring races to their borough, which has the worst health rating of any county in New York State. They’re on a mission to make running races affordable and inclusive, and we’re along for the ride.
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With nearly 40 marathons under his belt, Davon Culley has spent the last three decades running and being part of the running boom, from the track to ultramarathons and everything in between. Encouraged by the growth of Black runners, as well as the significant number of races by Black race directors, Davon joins the show to discuss his hopes of true diversity and inclusion in running, and how his leadership roles give him a seat at the table to bring change.
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Art and running have a lot in common. Depending on your social connections or access to the outdoors, they can both be exclusive clubs. For Nacho Valle, the founder of Snake Run and volunteer/coach with Achilles International, art and running are about inclusion. On the latest episode of Let’s Get Uncomfortable, the Valencia, Spain, native shares his love for art and how it changed his perception of the world while growing up in an art gallery thanks to his father. That same passion for color, beauty, and heartbreak then led him to running and exploring the world. From being a guide for runners with disabilities in Spain, London and now New York, it’s all part of his master plan to blend all his passions, and ultimately open doors for others.
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Jean Bell, a judge for New York State and former college track runner, has been coaching girls in Brooklyn through Jeuness Track Club, the grassroots organization she founded in 1985. Jeuness athletes, ages 5-17, learn not only how to train for athletic excellence, routinely competing in national and world championships, but how to become dedicated students with the goal, often attained, of earning a college scholarship. Join us for Episode 27 of the Let’s Get Uncomfortable running podcast to hear how Jean Bell has overcome barriers of personal and institution doubt to become an inspiration to thousands of young girl runners in Brooklyn—and how she feels about the acclaimed Netflix documentary Sisters on Track, featuring three of Jeuness Track Club's runners.
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While attending Tilden High School in Brooklyn, Kim Rodrigues ran the 600-, 800-, and 1,200-meter dashes, and the 400-meter hurdles, mainly to stay out of trouble. Years later, as she celebrates her 57th birthday with 15 marathons under her belt and more to come, she reflects on how running not only set her on the right path in fitness, but also helped her manage bouts of depression. Kim has become a premier fixture in the New York City group running scene, but she continues to find solace in the internal nature of the sport. Join us to hear how Kim is redefining expectations for master’s runners—and doing it with an unmatched sense of style—on the first 2022 episode of the Let’s Get Uncomfortable running podcast.
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When Lenny Grullon and Jean Paul (JP) Fontana, former basketball players from the Bronx, founded the Boogie Down Bronx Runners in 2017, they were their group’s only members. It took a few tries, but soon a few people showed up, including Chris Guzman, who wanted to get healthy and model an active lifestyle for his son. Today, the three of them lead well over 100 members, including 50 marathoners, throughout the Bronx, going beyond Van Cortlandt Park to Pelham Bay Park and down to the South Bronx. Their runs are inclusive by design, so that beginners feel welcome alongside experienced racers, and embrace the community, showing that running is happening in the Bronx, and not just with fast white guys. With a budding partnership with Nike and a raucous cheering section at mile 20 of the New York City Marathon, which returns this Sunday for its 50th anniversary after a pandemic hiatus, the Boogie Down Bronx runners show how investing in your community takes time, effort, dedication, and love — and pays off big time. Join Lenny, Chris, and JP for an inside look at how it happened and where it’s going, on the first episode of season two of Let’s Get Uncomfortable. (Note: JP had to leave the live recording but chimed back in for the hot mic segment.)
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Mitchell Silver’s drive and determination is the kind of story that inspires generations. The kid from Brooklyn who dropped out of high school after just two years, made his way back to earn degrees in architecture and urban planning, the first black president of the American Planning Association to then become New York City Parks Commissioner. His road had many turns and valleys, and deeply marked by the his mother's death at a young age, and the death of his brother and best friend Sam as an adult. His legacy as a runner and Parks and Recreations Commissioner will be felt for generations to come. His goal at the helm of the agency was to make public spaces more equitable. His decision to rename the Central Park loop after Ted Corbitt, the co-founder of New York Road Runners and its first and only black president is one of the many outdoor spaces he renamed under his tenure. Silver is training for the Chicago and New York City marathons in 2021, and memories of running with Harlem Run and the diverse NYC running community is what keeps him going.
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On her calendar for 2021, Ashley Davies has marathon number 15 circled for October. It is going to be Boston. Marathon training is always a challenge, and her road to Boston is paved with learning to heal from an eating disorder at age 11. On episode 23, Ashley shares her difficult journey with anorexia, the prevalence of eating disorders in running, and why she entered a body building contest. For the past six years since moving to Seattle, Ashley has also made waves as a fitness instructor for Shred 415 Seattle, FlyWheel, as well as co-founded Seattle Club Runners Division.
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The foundation for why Resident Runners was started in 2013 is pretty simple: three men who enjoyed each other's company, getting together for run and then grabbing a beer. In 2021 the bond between Rashaan Rogers, Eric Blevens and Raymond Hailes is stronger than ever, a global pandemic and fatherhood during social unrest would do that. Because now as fathers, they understand the impact of their contributions in running will have for their children, on and off the course. Whether it is supporting a local business like Gueros for their taco runs, collaborating with other crews under the Under Armour family, and hosting the best after party for the New York City marathon. Were you there when Method Man performed? or Jadakiss? Or Busta Rhymes? IYKYK
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Before the United States and practically the entire world went into lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic, The 504th hosted the Bridge the Gap NOLA in March 2020. The event, as with previous host cities, served as a gathering of like-minded run groups from all over the world. The recipe was simple: run together, run for a cause, run free, and party. All the money from the event was donated to Youth Run NOLA, in line with the mission that Harold Dale Jr., Trey Monaghan, Lindsey Dennis, Denali Lander and Marquest Meeks have for The 504th. bringing running to areas of New Orleans often overlooked by the larger running community since 2017. Harold Dale aka the Black Korean, also shares how his identity allows him to bridge two cultures with honesty and authenticity and why collaborations to make running accessible are starting to bare fruit.
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When Leland Yu found himself unemployed due to the COVID-19 global pandemic, he decided it was a good time to start running. Then Asian hate crimes became a byproduct of the pandemic, and Leland saw running as the best tool to raise awareness against Asian hate crimes. Running also became an outlet to support the businesses in Chinatown and essential workers. With the help of running coach Kai Yu, Leland went from being comfortable at running 5 miles, to one day running 61 miles in 12 hours and raising $25,000 for Chinatown businesses. You can catch them every Monday night with their new group, Run for Chinatown.
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When Mixpe Ley and Raquel Roman met through social activism circles in Los Angeles, they knew that were kindred spirits. It wasn't long after that, the two young mothers quickly noticed how running was different as a parent. Running Mamis was founded in 2018, to give moms a place to be active and find support in sisterhood. But it is much more than a running group. Through their activism and teaching background, Mixpe and Raquel are also championing for representation of the working class mom to have access to affordable running strollers, more inclusion in races that allow strollers, and helping women rediscover their strength after becoming moms.
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Everyone has a different origin story for why they started running. For Gerardo Rodriguez, it was the death of a former student to cancer at just 24 years old. Gee aka El Oso Blanco then decided to turn his own life around and dive into running. It was 2015, and he has not looked back. The founder of the WEPA run crew in Queens, now has the 2017 NYC Marathon and multiple half marathons on his running resume. On our latest episode, he discusses sharing the running journey with his students, creating the Queens Running Collective, and never letting the naysayers get the last laugh.
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As one of the five co-founders of The Race, Temilola Sobomehin Marshall, is happy to celebrate the boom of Black run distance runners in Atlanta and across the world. The Race also makes it a point to run through historically Black neighborhoods in Atlanta to encourage its residents to become active. Temilola only started running in 2010, but by 2019 she had already completed nine marathons. As the founder of RunningNerds, Social Atlanta and a certified running coach, and Lululemon legacy ambassador, the mom to be shows no signs of slowing down.
PS: The Race donates $5 from every registration to local charities.
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