Running Group Encourages African-American Women To Run

The Black Girls RUN! blog has surged in popularity since its founding four years ago.

Toni Carey and Ashley Hicks are on a mission. According to an article about the pair on the  Today Show’s website, the two runners want to encourage more African-American women to run.

Back in 2009 they started a blog called Black Girls RUN!

Carey and Hicks are African-Americans and they began the blog, because they felt under-represented at races.

“We would be the only black people there,” Carey says about showing up at some road races, “and we never got a warm welcome. It was like, ‘are you guys in the right place?'”

Their message has resonated. Since its founding, lack Girls RUN! has over 70,000 Facebook “likes.”

Additionally, their Twitter feed has 17,000 followers.

Besides trying to get more representation in the sport, Carey and Hicks have sought to use running to help African-American women combat obesity.

According to the U.S. Government, four out of five African-American women are considered to be overweight or obese.