BLACK GIRLS
DO RUN
The London- based running club that are beating the odds and combatting the disparity in levels of fitness between race and gender.
Sport England, have found that Black people were amongst the least active groups in 2022/23.
Active – here – is defined as doing at least 60 minutes of physical activity each day on average.
Despite this, according to their actives lives survey, Black children and young people are reported to have the most positive attitude towards sports and activity.
Yet, there have been significant drops in Black and Mixed-race girls enjoying taking part, feeling confident when doing so, and understanding why exercise is good; as well as a large drop in Black girls knowing how to get involved.
Traditionally, there has always been a gap in gender-equality in sports, but it’s quite surprising that even in our current climate, of what is perceived to be an all-time high in women’s sports that this is still significant.
What opportunities are actually out there for black women and how accessible are they?
Black Girls Do Run is a London-based running club turned charity that solely focuses on encouraging black women to get into running.
Tasha Thompson founded the group after a conversation that followed an encounter at a race. While dressed in full running attire with their assigned numbers on, Tasha and her friend and co-founder, Linda, had asked a steward a question about the route, when they were met with the response: "Are you running the race?” to which they were both taken aback.
This prompted a post-race discussion on why there are so few black female runners in the UK, and after seeing the success of Black Girls Run overseas in the US, and marking Tasha’s own twenty-year anniversary in running, Black Girls Do Run UK was born.
I sat down with Linda, Club and Membership
Secretary, to hear more about the group's journey.
Only 56% of Black adults
are active, compared to 71%
of a Mixed background and
61% of White-British origin.
Source: Sport England's 2021/22 Active Lives Survey.
Black Girls Do Run attracts black women from all different backgrounds and experience levels, including beginners to seasoned runners.
They run 5K’s weekly in their base of North-West London and bi-weekly across the city. The ladies describe the group as a family and a sisterhood, where they support each other, and no one is left behind.
Judy, 49, joined the group a few months ago, she had ran before but only by herself and wanted to be more consistent. She says: 'I'm not the fastest. I'm usually the one at the back. But they always, kind of, make me feel quite welcome'.
“Even though sometimes I kind of feel like I'm holding them back, they always make me feel like no, you know, we were all there once, you know, let's do it together.”
Juliet, 52, has run for seven years and joined the group last year. She described the group as being inviting.
“It was nice to be running with, not just being black, it was nice to be running with ladies that have never really run before.
"When I joined Black Girls Do Run UK I realised there are a lot of ladies that have never run, so, joining the group motivated them. Being a part of them I was able to motivate these ladies to say: ‘Don't worry I started like you’.
“I said to the new runners: ‘I was once like you but if you keep running, run with us, run with other groups, this will help you’. And with Black Girls Do Run UK no one is left behind, you are encouraged to run at your own pace and just enjoy it - it's very inclusive in that sense.”
Tasha explained that some people have claimed the group is actually being socially exclusive by only catering to black women and not others, however she insists that this is exactly what makes it inclusive, as their priority is to introduce running to those who are often overlooked in the community.
I asked some of the ladies why it was important for them to run as a collective of black women. They said they enjoy being with people who they can relate to, look like, understand, and the ability to just be themselves unapologetically.
“Part of it is just not having to explain ourselves, like, the girls understand
what I mean when I say I can’t wash
my hair after every run.”
One of the members Denise, 55, who’s been running for a number of years and joined the group at the start of lockdown. She said “I never really thought of myself as different or special, and it’s only when I connected with the group that I kind of realised how often you kind of make yourself invisible sometimes.
“Actually being able to run proudly as who you are being able to feel the support of your community and people just like you, feels pretty cool. And being able to enter these races and be a representative of your community is special too.
“I remember going to a race and supporting some of the girls who were running, and recognising this is what it was like when I first started: lots of men of a certain age and certain community, not a lot of black women there. And I think: ‘Oh God isn’t it great that I’m able to be a part of making us seen and heard and recognising we can and should be able to run in these spaces.”
" I love to watch the cream of the crop doing what they do, it's amazingly inspiring. But I’m equally inspired by some of the women who turned up tonight"
Denise
Financial experts Deloitte have predicted that this year women’s sport will revenue £1Bn for the first time. This follows the success of the Women’s world cup last year, and increased visibility of women in sports.
Linda says their group is often met with questions asking why a club for black women is needed as they run all the time. She says people see many black women in elite sports, and that’s not what Black Girls Do Run is about, it’s for everyday women.
Denise says “This isn’t about elite sport, or being the best of the best. Just because you’re not the fastest doesn’t mean it’s not important for you to take part and get something out of it.
“Our motto is very much: ‘no one is left behind’ you shouldn’t feel excluded from a space because you feel you’re not as fast as, or as good as somebody else.
"All of [the elite athletes] are amazing, I love to watch athletics and the cream of the crop doing what they do, it's amazingly inspiring.
“But I’m equally inspired by some of the women who turned up tonight, who are just starting out who are just feeling: ‘Yeah I can do this, and I may be in my 40’s, 50’s, but I can still put one foot in front of the other and actually get something out of this."
Juliet said “Generally, I think although we have [some] black people running I think it's still quite low.” She added “I have three sisters, I have a lot of friends. I'm African, I come from a really big family and yet I’m the only one who runs. So, you have a family where there’s like 30 women and only one that runs.
“I still think in terms of running we still need to encourage more black people to join in. We still don't have a high percentage of black women running.”
Miranda has been with the group since 2019 and says awareness is the best way to encourage more people to get into running.
“Them knowing about us and us embracing, you know, the younger people to run. Knowing that we are out there." says Miranda.
“We were running about two weeks ago and this young girl was driving, well she must have been in her parents car, and she shouted out the window: ‘You guys are awesome’. So it's, like, things like that, you know, the awareness.”
BLACK GIRLS
DO RUN
by Jazz Melody Saunders
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