Running, Identity, and Representation with Becky Croft

Running has a funny way of making us believe everything can be measured.

Pace. Distance. Heart rate. Finishing time.

But what happens when the most important part of a race has nothing to do with your watch?

On the latest episode of The Fireside Chat, I spoke with Becky Croft, an Indigenous runner and coach representing the Cherokee and Yakima Nations. Our conversation covered running, identity, representation, and the importance of being willing to learn something that might make us uncomfortable.

Running for Something Bigger

Becky recently completed the New York City Marathon, where she joined other Indigenous runners representing their cultures and communities.

She wasn’t chasing a particular finishing time. She was participating in an experience that meant something beyond herself.

For Becky, representing Native women was more important than anything her GPS watch could tell her.

That perspective challenges a running culture that frequently celebrates speed while overlooking the experiences athletes bring to the starting line.

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Finding Identity Through Running

The Journey Isn’t Always Straightforward

Becky didn’t grow up deeply connected to her Indigenous cultural traditions.

Through running, she began reconnecting with her identity and finding a community where those experiences could be shared.

She also discusses the complexities of feeling that you don’t fully belong in either of the cultural worlds you’ve experienced.

It’s something that resonated with me as a Puerto Rican who doesn’t speak Spanish fluently.

Different experiences, but an opportunity to understand one another through conversation.

Is the Running Community Truly Inclusive?

Representation Beyond the Moment

When I asked Becky whether inclusion in running has improved, she didn’t offer a convenient answer.

She described progress as something that ebbs and flows, particularly when Indigenous athletes receive attention during certain events or celebrations but less recognition afterward.

Her perspective raises a question worth considering: Are we creating lasting opportunities for people, or simply celebrating them when it’s convenient?

There’s a difference.

Learning to Be Uncomfortable

One of the things I appreciate about Becky is that she doesn’t avoid difficult conversations.

Sometimes her perspectives make me uncomfortable because they expose something I don’t know.

And that’s okay.

I can ask a question. I can listen and learn.

We don’t have to share identical experiences to respect each other’s humanity.

Listen to the full Fireside Chat with Becky Croft and tell us what representation and belonging in running mean to you.

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