I’m Not Safe As a Runner, Even While Coaching White Women
In an ironic twist, it was my clients’ privilege that protected me that night
A friend of mine owns a company that coaches endurance athletes, and I helped him get his company off the ground for a few years. We offered running, cycling, and swimming coaching to clients ranging all levels, whether it was beginners running their first 5K or elite triathletes and ultra-marathoners. I still remember how he tricked me — a former sprinter — into working for him.
He’s one of my best friends, so when he casually asked me to coach a marathon group, I said sure — but as a former sprinter, I could barely run a 5k then. He told me not to worry; when the runs got too long, he’d get me a bike.
By the time I got that bike, I had already gone on 15-mile runs with my group. I ended up becoming a full-time coach and second in command of the company, and I loved it. At my peak, I taught five running classes a week.
In the midst of all this, I had just moved to Brooklyn. I lived in South Park Slope, which was perfect because we taught all of our classes in nearby Prospect Park. Inevitably, we became well known by frequent park-goers. My beginner running class often had 30 or more participants and consisted of mostly well-to-do White women…
