New York City, a city filled with over 100,000 runners and home to the largest marathon in the world, is a global running hub. There are currently over 300 running clubs across New York's boroughs, and they each play a unique role in fostering a sense of community within the sport of running.
Among the 300 clubs in New York, a decade-old Brooklyn-based running club fosters a brotherhood deeper than just running. New York natives Brandon Jackson and Kevon Flowers established Black Men Run NYC in 2013. Captains Keron Allen and Peter Campbell currently lead the club.
Black Men Run NYC is a subchapter of the national organization Black Men Run Inc. Black Men Run NYC serves as the 3rd oldest chapter of the national organization.
After a decade since the club's first group run on October 6, 2013, the club is still going strong, with 44 members joining the club’s weekly runs during the year and over 75 members across the city. “Black Men Run NYC is like a safe space for Black Men," said co-captain Keron Allen.
As the weekend winds down, many people relax on Sunday mornings. However, Sunday mornings are a time when Black Men Run NYC members get together and take on the second group run of the week through Brooklyn's Prospect Park. Black men of all athletic abilities gather at 9:30 a.m. for the club's 3-mile run. "Running is like a free form of therapy," said Allen.
Keron Allen and two other members maintained a running pace of about 8:30 minutes per mile on Sunday's run this past weekend. As Allen and the other members finished up their run, they ran back down the trail to catch up and encourage club members who were trailing behind. This act embodies the club’s morals of never leaving a brother behind.
“What makes Black Men Run NYC so special is that we all come from different walks of life, but running binds us together,” said Allen.
At the end of each of the club's weekly group runs, they gather by circling and stretching, as the guys typically converse and crack jokes about the day's run or other topics such as family and work.
Every run concludes with club members raising their fists in the air and coming together to recite the creed, emphasizing that Black Men Run NYC is a brotherhood that runs and works as a team.
Black Men Run NYC club member,Richard Scott, stretches to warm up for the club's 3 mile run in Prospect Park in Brooklyn, Sunday, Oct. 15, 2023, Photo Tabius McCoy
Members of Black Men Run NYC stand and pose for a picture after warming up for their weekly Sunday 3 mile run in Prospect Park in Brooklyn, Sunday, Oct. 15, 2023, Photo Tabius McCoy
Black Men Run NYC club member, holds his speaker as he runs to catch back up with the group during the club's weekly sunday run in Prospect Park in Brooklyn, Sunday, Oct. 15, 2023, Photo Tabius McCoy
Black Men Run NYC club members lead the group as the fastest runners on the club's weekly Sunday run in Prospect Park in Brooklyn, Sunday, Oct. 15, 2023, Photo Tabius McCoy
Black Men Run NYC club member finishes that last part of the club's run on Sunday in Prospect Park in Brooklyn, Sunday, Oct. 15, 2023, Photo Tabius McCoy
Black Men Run NYC club member, Richard Scott, stretches with joy after the club's 3 mile run in Prospect Parkin Brooklyn, Sunday, Oct. 15, 2023, Photo Tabius McCoy
