Running While Black With Alison Mariella Desir

Running saved Alison Mariella Desir's life. Now she wants to save running from itself.

Alison's new book, "Running While Black: Finding Freedom in a Sport that Wasn't Built for Us," is a memoir.

It simultaneously tells her personal story while uncovering the historic reasons why distance running is a predominantly white sport, tracing it to the origins of the running industry, racial discrimination and white supremacy.

Alison decided to train for a marathon to fight depression. It worked. But, she quickly realized her experience as a Black female runner was drastically different from white women.

She wrote an op-ed for Outside Magazine called "Ahmaud Arbery and Whiteness in the Running World" that went viral and ultimately led to her book.

She is the founder of Harlem Run and Run 4 All Women movement to support women's reproductive rights. She's an advocate, a brand ambassador and most recently, the TV host and producer of "Out and Back with Alison Mariella Desir."

Well + Good named her one of its "Changemakers of 2023" and Women's Running Magazine calls her one of the "Power Women of 2022."

Running While Black is unlike any other book I've read. It will make you think, make you laugh, and likely make you look at a start line with different eyes.

On this Dying to Ask:

• Who inspired Alison to start running and what she noticed instantly
• What happened after she started her own running club in Harlem and only one person showed up
• The historic reasons distance running and the running industry lack diversity
• Why movement is a powerful agent for social change
• And the unusual opportunities that have come Alison's way since her memoir came out

Connect with Alison Mariella Desir:

On Instagram

On Twitter

Harlem Run Retreat.

Alaska Retreat.