by Ryan Freebing

Black Men Run (BMR) is a group of men, both young and old, in the Nashville community that strives to promote physical and mental health through running.

What started as a small group to combat the lack of diversity in the running community and encourage black Americans to take control of their health, BMR has grown to include many groups in many different cities across the nation.

Today, Black Men Run has is a community where runners can express their feelings and make themselves heard – whether through pledging miles, discussing issues with fellow members or simply “taking their emotions out on the pavement.”

BMR’s mission is to encourage health and wellness among African American men by promoting a culture of running/jogging to stay fit resulting in “a healthy brotherhood.”

The group supports a wide range of abilities and is open to everyone from first timers to advanced runners. They strive to promotes fitness through a healthy culture of running and get together frequently during the week.

As many of the members will attest, BMR participants are not running away from anything though. They are all running towards opportunity and a brighter future together, participating in events like the Steps of Success 5K that is helping to “cultivate tomorrow’s leader today.”

“Never before has the need to develop young leaders in the African American community been more apparent,” says Demetrius Short, owner of Steps of Success 5K and BMR runner. “We have a great opportunity to ignite both collegiate students and individuals to have a positive impact on our community and we are doing that by providing scholarships to college students through the Transformation Life Center.”

Nashville’s BMR group runs on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. Visit https://blkmenrun.com/nashville-runs to learn more and become a member today.

*Participation in BMR runs is voluntary and up to the discretion of the individual. Black Men Run, Inc. is not liable for any injuries that may occur as a result of joining a group in your city. Please run safely and obey traffic laws.