Black Men Run + Saucony = Runner of the Month – May 2017

On behalf of Black Men Run and Saucony we would like to congratulate Luther Isaac on being the first Black Men Run + Saucony “Runner of the Month” for May 2017. Luther is out of our Black Men Run WASHINGTON, D.C. chapter and his story is told below:

Back in the late 60’s I tried out for my high school track team. After a few practices and drills my coach came to me and said he was going to start a cross country team and I would be a perfect fit. During that time very few high schools in Washington, DC had cross country teams. I told the coach I wanted to run the 100 or 200. He told me I was not built for sprinting, but would excel in distance. I quit the team, and did not run again for about ten years.

I was a young Marine home on leave when a friend mentioned he had been training for months for a marathon he was running the next day. I told him I would run it with him. We ran, I did really well and enjoyed the experience of distance running. Soon thereafter I started running distances. Later I started entering into races and running for the joy of running.

When I joined BMR DC in 2015 the love of running really kicked in. I really did not know how I was going to fit in because I was 10 to 40 years their senior. In the end, it didn’t matter because BMR has a Mission Statement that I had been yearning for, for more 40 years and I am finally experiencing the camaraderie of other Africa American men that’s promoting a culture of running/jogging to stay fit resulting in ” A Healthy Brotherhood” which I am finding to be a wonderful life experience. #blackmenrun