By Voice & Viewpoint Staff Writer
Photos: Courtesy of Bertha Cross
With the sun not yet peeking through the clouds early Saturday morning, the local chapters of Black Men Run and Black Girls RUN! hosted a 5K Shakeout Run in San Diego last weekend for running enthusiasts of a darker hue. The run was held in advance of the annual Heineken 0.0 Rock ‘n’ Roll Running Series marathon held this past weekend, June 3-4 in San Diego. A shakeout run is a short, 10- to 15-minute warm-up jog that is done the morning of a race.
The groups hosted the run to give Black runners a unique opportunity to learn about local San Diego Black history. Black runners came from as far as Washington, DC, New York/ New Jersey, San Antonio, TX, Dallas, Florida, and Los Angeles. The annual Rock ‘n’ Roll event draws thousands to San Diego each year.
Black Men Run and Black Girls RUN! were each formed to encourage and support African American men and women to prioritize health and fitness in their daily lives.
To highlight a few runners who set a personal record: Jason Russell of Los Angeles, CA finished the Rock “n” Roll Half Marathon in.1:38 min; Lawrence Gilliam, finished in 1:43. Some runners, including Bertha Cross of Washington, D.C., took on the full Marathon, a 26.2-mile course, in 4:27. The course started at Balboa Park and meandered through several iconic San Diego neighborhoods.
Keen to start a running practice? Visit blackmenrun.com and blackgirlsrun.com/ for more information.
