PROJECT INVITE...
WHAT’S HARDER? RUNNING FROM LA TO NYC…
OR-
BEING A RELATIVELY CONSCIOUS BLACK PERSON IN AMERICA?
I ASK BECAUSE; PEOPLE SEEM TO THINK THAT MY RUN FROM LA TO NYC IS THE HARDEST THING I’LL EVER DO, AS THOUGH I HAVE SOMETHING TO PROVE TO PROVE.
I'M RUNNING FROM LA TO NYC TO INSPIRE PEOPLE. THE KIND OF PEOPLE WHO DON’T KNOW THAT A 5K EQUATES TO ABOUT 3 MILES. THIS MOMENT IS ABOUT INVITING PEOPLE TO RUN, NOT INDICTING PEOPLE BECAUSE THEY DON’T. THIS MOMENT IS ABOUT REMINDING PEOPLE ABOUT THEIR INHERENT STRENGTH AND BEAUTY, IN A WORLD THAT VILIFIES PEOPLE FOR THEIR DIFFERENCES. THIS MOMENT IS ABOUT CHOOSING TO DO HARD THINGS, BECAUSE THAT DECISION; BUILDS RESILIENCE AND CONFIDENCE FOR LIFE’S INEVITABLE HARDSHIPS.
WHEN I LEARNED THAT HEART DISEASE IS THE NUMBER ONE CAUSE OF DEATH IN AMERICA, I ALSO LEARNED THAT IT DISPROPORTIONATELY IMPACTS BLACK AMERICANS. THAT’S WHY I’M NOT RUNNING THE TRADITIONAL TRANSCONTINENTAL ROUTE-LIKE SO MANY OTHERS. I’M STARTING IN LOS ANGELES, THEN PHOENIX, DALLAS, ATLANTA, CHARLOTTE, WASHINGTON DC, AND FINISHING IN MY HOME TOWN OF BROOKLYN NEW YORK CITY. MY STOPS WILL BE COMMUNITY MEETUPS WITH LOCAL RUNNING CREW FOUNDERS, AND GYM OWNERS-WHO SHARE MY SENTIMENTS AROUND COMMUNITY HEALTH AND ADVOCACY.
WHY? BECAUSE HEART DISEASE IS THE NUMBER ONE CAUSE OF DEATH AMONGST AMERICANS. I BELIEVE RUNNING/JOGGING ARE THE MOST ACCESSIBLE FORMS OF EXERCISE. SO INSTEAD OF SPEWING TOXIC PHRASES AT PEOPLE WHO ARE HAVING A HARD TIME MANAGING THEIR HEALTH; I'M USING MY PLATFORM TO INSPIRE PEOPLE TO PRIORITIZE SELF-LOVE AND JOY, THROUGH THE LENS OF MOVEMENT.
UPON LEARNING THAT HEART DISEASE IS THE NUMBER ONE CAUSE OF DEATH IN AMERICA, I ALSO LEARNED THAT IT DISPROPORTIONATELY IMPACTS BLACK AMERICANS. THAT’S WHY I’M NOT RUNNING THE TRADITIONAL TRANSCONTINENTAL ROUTE. I’M STARTING IN LOS ANGELES, THEN PHOENIX, DALLAS, ATLANTA, CHARLOTTE, WASHINGTON DC, AND FINISHING IN MY HOME TOWN OF BROOKLYN NEW YORK CITY. MY STOPS WILL BE COMMUNITY MEETUPS WITH LOCAL BLACK RUNNING CREW FOUNDERS, GYM OWNERS-WHO SHARE MY SENTIMENTS AROUND COMMUNITY HEALTH AND ADVOCACY.
SO WHETHER IT TAKES ME 60 DAYS OR 100+DAYS-THIS RUN WILL NEVER BE THE HARDEST THING I’VE EVER DONE BECAUSE-THIS IS MERELY ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY TO LEAN INTO MY CALLING AS A COACH. THIS IS A VOLUNTARY CHOICE THAT I’M MAKING, AND AT ANYPOINT; OPT OUT OF.
CAN THE SAME BE SAID FOR MY BLACKNESS?
YOU DON’T HAVE TO BE ELITE TO HAVE IMPACT. YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE A CELEBRITY-TO BE A CATALYST FOR IMPACT. SO LOCK IN-AND JOIN ME FOR #PROJECTINVITE, AUGUST 2024.
-COACH PERCELL DUGGER
