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Running Is Political. Period.
You’ve seen the phrase: “Shut up and dribble.”
That mentality has moved into the running space. People tell others to stop “politicizing” running and just focus on running.
I get it. We’re bombarded with political ads, and the texts never seem to stop. You turn to running to escape politics. But wanting an escape doesn’t mean politics stops affecting our lives.
We don’t live in a silo where decisions are made and we never feel the impact. Even if that impact isn’t immediate, we’ll feel it eventually.
So, stop telling me that running isn’t political.
Who Decides Where You Run?
You may think you’re deciding your route when you plot it out on Strava or Garmin, but some of those decisions have already been made for you.
The streetlight that hasn’t been fixed in months makes that street feel unsafe. The overgrowth on a trail forces you to take another route, potentially putting you farther away from help should something happen.
We are ALL impacted by the decisions made at the polls. Who gets elected influences budgets, infrastructure, and the public spaces we use.
Those are just two examples of how your running route can be determined before you even put your shoes on.
And where we run is only part of the equation. How we experience those spaces is another story.
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The Privilege of Just Going for a Run
I am Puerto Rican, but I present as a white male. That has allowed me to move through the world without thinking about certain things that others have to consider every day.
Lori’s experience is different.
When we lived in Seattle, we ran on the trails for about a year. After several months, she asked me if I’d ever noticed a structure just off the trail.
I told her no.
Then she showed me pictures.
She had been aware of it the entire time. I hadn’t even noticed it.
When Lori ran, she was keenly aware of everything around her. Meanwhile, I was running along thinking about how many gels I needed to take.
Same trails. Two completely different experiences.
My reality isn’t necessarily the same as that of a woman running alone, a transgender athlete, a Black runner, or a Hispanic runner whose skin is darker than mine.
Think I’m stretching the truth?
Read this article about what it was like to be Hispanic and running around Chicago during the ICE raids.
Why We Made Running Is Political
We just experienced another election.
As the results came in, I thought about the number of times I’ve seen people tell others to stick to running.
“Why does everything have to be political?”
Because the reality is that politics impacts our everyday lives, including running.
We created this shirt to make people think about how political decisions shape the world runners move through.
But there’s another reason.
Just because something doesn’t impact you personally doesn’t mean it isn’t impacting somebody else.
And when I say runners, I mean ALL runners. This isn’t determined by pace or distance. This is determined by running. PERIOD.
Where you run? Impacted by political decisions.
Whether the streets are adequately lit? Impacted by budget decisions.
Whether public parks and trails are maintained and accessible? Also impacted by those decisions.
You don’t have to think about politics every time you lace up your shoes. But that doesn’t mean politics isn’t affecting your run.
Running Is Political is as true a statement as the sky is blue.
My Challenge to You
The next time you step onto the road or head to the trail, think about who can comfortably run in your community.
Who might not feel welcome? Who might feel stressed or unsafe simply because of their surroundings?
Before you say, “All are welcome,” stop and put yourself in somebody else’s shoes.
Now that your feet are in those shoes, do you still see things the same way?
I invite you to share your thoughts and experiences in the comments.
Always has been. Always will be.
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