10/29/2025
After twenty-one years, I have decided to resign as the NBMA volunteer executive director effective November 14 because I have worked myself out of a job!
On December 4, 2004, the seeds for the current Black running boom were planted when the NBMA’s organizational paperwork was registered. Since then, we have fertilized and watered the seeds through our groundbreaking, trailblazing programs, which other organizations have replicated. Today, those seeds have grown into a mature, vibrant, and sustainable Black running community. In recognition of two decades of organizing and advocacy, it was an honour to be one of eight recipients of the President’s Council on Sports, Fitness, and Nutrition 2024 Hero Award.
Growth of Running Clubs and Crews
In 2004, the NBMA was the only national Black running organization. Today, there exists at least three national organizations. Thanks to our influence and social media, there are nationwide groups, such as Black Runners Connections and Wakanda Running Warriors, who coordinate both national and international events.
There were five Black running clubs in 2004.
- Avondale Running Club (Cincinnati)
- South Fulton Running Partners (Atlanta)
- South DeKalb Running Club (Atlanta)
- Team Marathon (Cleveland)
- Rainbow Runners (Chicago)
The NBMA’s plans for growing the running community were published in the 2016 National Physical Activity Plan Final Report. Today, over one hundred local Black running clubs and crews serve major cities with several cities hosting more than one group.
Our impact can best be represented by two photos, which were taken twenty years apart. We started with a dozen runners at our first summit at the 2005 Lewis and Clark Marathon in St. Charles, MO on September 18. I was the only person who had completed a marathon on multiple continents. Two years later, I became the first Black in the world to complete marathons on seven continents.
On August 31, 2025, over one hundred NBMA members attended our international summit at the Sydney Marathon. Many of the runners had completed marathons on multiple continents.
These two photos illustrate the national and international impact of our programs.
Celebrating Black Running History
In 2013, we started the National Black Distance Running Hall of Fame to bring attention to the accomplishments of Black runners. Thanks to the arduous work of our official historian, Gary Corbitt, Black runners are learning more about our history, making history, correcting history, and celebrating long forgotten and/or overlooked trailblazers, such as Marilyn Bevans and Ted Corbitt. We also gave achievement awards to our members for reaching various goals. These individuals became role models and opened doors for others.
Also, our documentaries won over thirty awards at film festival around the globe. This exposed the world to African American distance running history. The films led to growth in sub-three marathoners, Boston qualifiers, international pursuits, ultramarathoning, trail running, and middle and distance track runners.
A personal highlight was winning a Best Director award at the Orlando Urban Film Festival over The Six Triple Eight documentary.
I pondered my decision to resign for many months. It occurred to me that my time with the NBMA is analogous to raising children. We start small and with baby steps. At some point, we must accept, that if we did it right and had the best intentions, then we must let go because the child has reached adulthood. The new adult is ready to live and flourish without our daily support and guidance. That time is now. I am so proud that my individual and collective goals were achieved through the NBMA. It has been an honor and a privilege to interact with and to serve you, both in person and online.
Thank you for the fun and memorable twenty-one years. My job is done. Hopefully, we’ll meet on a running path somewhere around the world.
Safe running,
Tony Reed
