'We need to be represented:' Philly group is encouraging Black men to run – WHYY

George Morse woke up on a brisk, sunny Saturday morning to meet his friends and fellow runners at the intersection of 33rd and Diamond Street for a 5 mile distance run. Morse has been an avid runner since his younger days at John Bartram High School in Southwest Philadelphia, but this morning’s run was special. He was about to turn 37 years old. “This is my birthday celebration,” he said. “When I get to any of my birthdays, I may get up that morning and do something like a light jog, but I’m glad I got to celebrate it this weekend with my brothers.” Morse is a member of Black Men Run Philly, a national coalition of Black and brown men dedicated to promoting running as a way to improve health and fitness in the BIPOC community. He’s been involved with Black Men Run for eight years, and feels a renewed sense of pride when the group gets together. Black Men Run has more than 50 national chapters from Philadelphia to Seattle. The group was created to address ongoing historical health risks that persist throughout the Black community, such as cardiovascular disease and high blood pressure. The CDC cites that…
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