Apr 2

Apr 2 Running While Black: Finding Freedom in a Sport That Wasn't Built for Us

Author: Alison Mariella Désir
Publisher: Portfolio
Goodreads | The StoryGraph

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Note: Content and trigger warnings are provided for those who need them at the bottom of this page. If you don’t need them and don’t want to risk spoilers, don’t scroll past the full review.

Cover Description

A searing exposé on the whiteness of running, a supposedly egalitarian sport, and a call to reimagine the industry

"Runners know that running brings us to ourselves. But for Black people, the simple act of running has never been so simple. It is a declaration of the right to move through the world. If running is claiming public space, why, then, does it feel like a negotiation?"

Running saved Alison Désir's life. At rock bottom and searching for meaning and structure, Désir started marathon training, finding that it vastly improved both her physical and mental health. Yet as she became involved in the community and learned its history, she realized that the sport was largely built with white people in mind.

Running While Black draws on Désir's experience as an endurance athlete, activist, and mental health advocate to explore why the seemingly simple, human act of long distance running for exercise and health has never been truly open to Black people. Weaving historical context—from the first recreational running boom to the horrific murder of Ahmaud Arbery—together with her own story of growth in the sport, Désir unpacks how we got here and advocates for a world where everyone is free to safely experience the life-changing power of movement.

As America reckons with its history of white supremacy across major institutions, Désir argues that, as a litmus test for an inclusive society, the fitness industry has the opportunity to lead the charge--fulfilling its promise of empowerment.

TL;DR Review

Running While Black is the perfect blend of memoir and hard-hitting social commentary. Desir’s focus on the running world is both narrow (making it feel particularly fascinating) and broad (illustrating its necessity.

For you if: You are interested in how racism affects niche areas of society.

Full Review

"Runners know that running brings us to ourselves. But for Black people, the simple act of running has never been so simple. It is a declaration of the right to move through the world. If running is claiming public space, why, then, does it feel like a negotiation?"

I first heard about Running While Black in Anne Helen Petersen’s Culture Study newsletter (which, tbh, feels like how I get all my nonfiction reads lately). As a (hobby) runner and white woman, I knew I needed to read it. But honestly, I think this book would be interesting for anyone, even if you’re not a runner. Antiracism books like this — that focus on a more niche aspect of our broader society — are one way to go deeper into the work, making them so necessary (and interesting).

Running While Black manages the perfect blend between memory and hard-hitting social commentary. Désir founded the (now massive) running group Harlem Run in 2013 after she fell in love with running but noticed how white the spaces always were. She’s done a LOT since then, and her story was super engaging. As her the narrative of her antiracism work among the running community progresses, so does the book’s exploration of these issues and where they stand today. (Spoiler: It’s bad.)

I learned a lot from this book and will surely think about it every time I go out for a run. I absolutely recommend that you read it too.