♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ >> Crossley: WELCOME TO "BASIC BLACK."

SOME OF YOU ARE JOINING US ON OUR BROADCAST AND OTHERS OF YOU ARE JOINING US ON OUR DIGITAL PLATFORMS.

I'M CALLIE CROSSLEY, HOST OF "UNDER THE RADAR," 89.7.

TONIGHT: RUNNING FOR HEALTH, WELLNESS, FITNESS AND COMMUNITY.

WE, LIKE YOU, ARE DEALING WITH THE EFFECTS OF THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC AND ARE TAKING PRECAUTIONS.

WE ARE WORKING WITH LIMITED STAFF, AND OUR GUESTS ARE JOINING US REMOTELY.

30,000 MARATHON RUNNERS ARE BACK TO COMPETE IN ONE OF THE BEST LONG-DISTANCE RACES-- THE BOSTON MARATHON.

THIS 126th MARATHON WILL ALSO PAY TRIBUTE TO 50 YEARS OF WOMEN RUNNING THE RACE.

PROFESSIONAL AND AMATEUR ATHLETES FROM 122 COUNTRIES AND ALL 50 STATES WILL SPRINT THE 26.2 MILES ROUTE THROUGH GREATER BOSTON NEIGHBORHOODS AND TOWNS, HEADING TO THE BOYLSTON STREET FINISH LINE IN DOWNTOWN BOSTON.

BUT BOSTON MARATHON RUNNERS ARE OVERWHELMINGLY WHITE, WITH THE NOTABLE EXCEPTION OF FOREIGN ATHLETES OF COLOR.

LOCAL BLACK AND BROWN RUNNING ADVOCATES ARE WORKING TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF AMERICAN MARATHONERS OF COLOR BY CHALLENGING ISSUES, AND SAFETY CONCERNS, AND BY TOUTING RUNNING'S HEALTH BENEFITS.

JOINING US REMOTELY: ADRIENNE BENTON, MEMBER, B.A.A.

BOARD OF GOVERNORS, AND MEMBER OF BLACK GIRLS RUN!, AND THE NATIONAL BLACK MARATHONERS ASSOCIATION; THADDEUS MILES IS AN AWARD-WINNING PHOTOGRAPHER AND FOUNDER OF HOODFIT; RUBEN SANCÇA, A 2012 OLYMPIAN AND CO-CHAIR FOR THE ADULT AND YOUTH RUNNING COHORT, BOSTON RUNNING COLLABORATIVE; AND DR. CHARLES ANDERSON, PRESIDENT AND C.E.O., DIMOCK COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTER.

WELCOME TO YOU ALL.

SO I WANT TO BEGIN BY POINTING OUT THAT YOU ALL ARE PART OF A SMALL COHORT OF PEOPLE A STATISTIC IF YOU WILL.

BECAUSE LESS THAN 20% OF ALL RUNNERS IDENTIFY AS BLACK.

AND SO HERE, THE TOWER OF YOU ARE.

SO I WANT -- THE FOUR OF YOU ARE, SO I WANT TO START BY JUST GETTING A TINY BIT OF HOW YOU GOT INTO RUNNING AND LEADING US TO WHERE YOU ARE NOW.

I START WITH YOU THADDEUS.

I KNOW IT GREW OUT OF WANTING TO ALLEVIATE SOME DEPRESSION AND SOME MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES.

>> YES, SO I'VE ALWAYS BEEN AN ATHLETE.

I WAS AN ALL AMERICAN IN HIGH SCHOOL, ALL AMERICAN AND WENT OFF TO COLLEGE AND INTO THE MILITARY.

ENDED UP RUNNING BUT DOING VERY LITTLE OF DISTANCE RUNNING.

BUT AS I MOVED THROUGH AND STARTED TO LOOK AT THE HEALTH DISPARITIES IN ROXBURY COMPARED TO THE BACK BAY, STARTED TO LOOK AT WHAT CAN WE DO TO ADDRESS THOSE CHALLENGES.

AT THE SAME TIME I WAS HAVING SOME CHALLENGES WITH MY OWN FAMILY AND SOME PEOPLE WITHIN MY FAMILY THAT WERE STRUGGLING WITH MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES BUT DID NOT WANT TO TAKE ANY MEDICATION OR DO ANY OF THOSE THINGS.

SO WE ENDED UP TALKING ABOUT IT AND TALKING TO SOME SPECIALISTS AND THEY SAID THAT WE NEEDED TO DO MORE MOVEMENT AND TO PUSH THROUGH AND NOT JUST GO TO THE GYM AND LIFT.

BUT TO ALSO, TO GET OUT AND TO RUN AND TO DANCE AND TO DO SOME OTHER THINGS.

AND SO RUNNING WAS THE EASIEST THING AND IT ALLOWED US TO ADDRESS SOME OF THOSE MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES, SOME OF THE STRESS WE WERE DEALING WITH AND TO BE ABLE TO ADDRESS SOME OF THOSE OTHER HEALTH ISSUES AS HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE AND DIABETES THAT WE WERE STRUGGLING WITH AT THE SAME TIME.

CD WE SHOULD.

>> Crossley: WE SHOULD ADD AS I'M MOVING TO YOU ADRIENNE, RUNNING HELPS INCREASE THOSE BRAIN ENDORPHINS, REDUCING STRESS AND ANXIETY SO THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT WAS HAPPENING FOR THADDEUS.

YOU WERE INSPIRED TO RUN BY YOUR SISTER, ADRIENNE.

TELL US ABOUT THAT.

>> YES, WELL MY SISTER HAPPENED TO RUN A 5K AND AT THAT TIME I COULDN'T EVEN RUN A MILE.

I HAVE HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE, AND SOME OTHER THINGS.

AND I'VE ALWAYS EXERCISED AND TRIED TO EAT HEALTHY.

BUT HAD NEVER REALLY RUN.

SO I STARTED WITH THE COUCH TO 5K PROGRAM, YOU KNOW, IT SAYS WALK AND NOW RUN AND WALK AND I USED TO DO THAT IN MY SUITS AND THEN AFTER A WHILE THAT WAS NOT PRACTICAL.

SO KIND OF ADVANCED FROM THERE.

BUT I'VE ONLY BEEN DOING THIS SINCE 2014.

I DIDN'T START RUNNING UNTIL I WAS IN MY 50s.

>> Crossley: THAT MEANS ANYONE ASK START WHERE YOU ARE AND BEGIN.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

WHAT I ALWAYS SAY IS IF YOU CAN GET OUT FOR 15 MINUTES A DAY AND JUST WALK IN ONE DIRECTION FOR 15 MINUTES AND COME BACK THE OTHER 15 MINUTES YOU WILL MAKE AN ENORMOUS DIFFERENCE IN YOUR LIFE.

AND USUALLY YOU REALLY CAN'T SEE A LOT OF DIFFERENCE UNTIL AFTER MAYBE 30 DAYS.

SO YOU HAVE TO BE VERY PATIENT WITH YOURSELF.

ALSO MEN TEND TO SEE RESULTS QUICKER THAN WOMEN.

SO US WOMEN WE HAVE TO BE A LITTLE BIT MORE PATIENT WITH OURSELVES AND A LITTLE KINDER TO OURSELVES.

BUT ABSOLUTELY, IF YOU GET OUT THERE AND JUST MOVE A LITTLE BIT MORE THAN YOU NORMALLY DO YOU CAN MAKE A REAL DIFFERENCE IN YOUR LIFE.

>> Crossley: OKAY.

RUBBEN, YOU GOT INSPIRED -- RUB OWNER YOU GOT INSPIRED BY SOME YOUTH PROGRAMS, RUNNING RUNNING WAS NOT ON THE TOP OF USE LIST BUT YOUTH PROGRAMS GOT YOU INTERESTED ALL THE WAY TO THE OLYMPICS, MY GOODNESS.

>> ACTUALLY I HAD COME TO THE U.S.

IN 1999 FROM CAPE VERDE.

I WAS IN ONE OF MY ENGLISH CLASSES AND MY TEACHER CAME IN AND SAID WHO WANTS TO RUN CROSS COUNTRY.

I THOUGHT IT WAS RUNNING ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

LATER I FOUND IT WAS A CROSS COUNTRY PROGRAM.

I FINISHED SIXTH IN MY MIDDLE SCHOOL.

I WAS QUESTIONING MYSELF, HOW COME SOME OF MY FRIENDS WHO RAN WITH ME IN MIDDLE SCHOOL, THEY'RE NOT RUNNING IN HIGH SCHOOL WILLIAM WHAT I STARTED TO FIND OUT REALLY AS WE GOT OLDER WE STOP DOING A LOT OF THE THINGS THAT WE DID WHEN WE WERE YOUNGER.

SO I STARTED TO, HAVING THOSE CONVERSATIONS WITH THE BOSTON ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION AND STARTING TO REALLY UNDERSTAND HOW WE CAN INCREASE THE PARTICIPATION, RETENTIONS AND GROWTH OF RUNNING AND WALKING, FOR BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOL STUDENTS AND FOR ME LUCKILY I WENT TO THE O'BRIEN HIGH SCHOOL WHICH TRADITIONALLY HAS HAD A GREAT TRACK AND FIELD PROGRAM AND I CONTINUED RUNNING THROUGH COLLEGE AND POST-COLLEGIATE AND SOMEHOW I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY AND TOOK ADVANTAGE OF IT, COMPETED BOTH LOCALLY AND REGIONAL LI IN THE U.S. AND I FOUND MYSELF HEADED TO THE OLYMPIC GAMES.

>> Crossley: DR. ANDERSON, YOU HAVE MANY DEGREES, ONE OF THEM IS IN PUBLIC HEALTH, AS WELL AS THE PHYSICAL DOCTORING HEALTH THAT YOU DO AS WELL.

WHAT REALLY INSPIRED YOU TO RUN?

BECAUSE THERE ARE MANY OTHER WAYS THAT YOU COULD BE EXERCISING BUT RUNNING SPECIFICALLY CONNECTED WITH YOU?

>> WELL, LIKE MANY OF THE OTHERS I WAS INVOLVED WITH SPORTS GROWING UP.

AND THROUGH COLLEGE NEVER AT A SIGNIFICANT LEVEL BUT JUST REALLY ENJOYED THE COMPETITIVE SPIRIT THAT SPORTS ALLOWED.

ALL ALONG THE WAY NEVER REALLY KNEW ANYONE WHO RAN.

THAT JUST WASN'T SOMETHING THAT WE DID.

AS I WENT THROUGH MEDICAL SCHOOL AND I LEARNED MORE ABOUT THE BENEFITS OF THINGS LIKE RUNNING, THE SPECIFIC IMPACT THAT IT HAS ON OUR HEART AND OUR ABILITY TO DEVELOP THESE REFERENCE AND LEARNED A LOT MORE ABOUT THESE NATURAL ENDORPHINS AND THINGS ABOUT ONE'S STRESS IT ALWAYS LINGERED WITH ME.

WHEN I STARTED MY FELLOWSHIP THE NEWBORN AND INTENSIVE CARE,AL BRIGHAM AND WOMEN'S, I STARTED RUNNING AROUND THE MUDDY RIVER AND BEFORE I KNEW IT I WAS LOOKED.

>> Crossley: ALL RIGHT.

LET'S TALK ABOUT THE ABSENCE OF COLOR IN WHAT'S PERCEIVED AS A WHITE RUNNING SPACE AND ALL OF YOUR EFFORTS COLLECTIVELY TO BREAK DOWN THAT BARRIER AND TO OPEN UP THESE SPACES.

SO THADDEUS, YOU ARE WORKING WITH DR. CHARLES ANDERSON AND THE DIMOCK, TELL US WHY IT'S NECESSARY FOR OTHER BLACK PHONES TO SORT OF GET INTERESTED IN RUNNING.

>> AS AN ATHLETE I'VE'S THOUGHT ABOUT RUNNING NO MORE THAN 100 YARDS ON THE FOOTBALL FIELD OR 94 YARDS ON THE BASKETBALL COURT.

AND I REALLY DIDN'T THINK ABOUT RUNNING THROUGH COMMUNITY.

BUT AS I THOUGHT ABOUT JUST JOINING, LOOKING AT THAT MENTAL HEALTH ISSUE, I STARTED TO LOOK AT RACES, 5K RACES, I ALWAYS KNEW THE GOAL RIGHT TO COMPLETE SOMETHING FOR MYSELF.

AND I SAW THAT THERE WERE NONE HAPPENING IN ROXBURY.

SO I STARTED THIS ORGANIZATION CALLED HOODFOOT, AND STARTED -- HOOD70th AND STARTED TO DO THE 5K IN ROXBURY.

IT WASN'T OFFICIAL, WE JUST TOOK OVER THE STREETS, TO SHOW THE COMMUNITY THAT IT'S YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD AND YOU CAN RUN THROUGH YOUR COMMUNITY.

WE THEN PARTNERED WITH THE DIMOCK ORGANIZATION AND THE BAA AND CREATED AN ATMOSPHERE THAT WE COULD RUN.

WE WENT FROM 126 PEOPLE RUNNING THE FIRST RACE TO OVER A THOUSAND THAT RUN NOW, WE HAVE A HEALTH PAVILION TO CHECK UP ON THEIR HEALTH DURING THE RACE.

I THINK WHAT WAS MOST IMPORTANT FOR ME IS EVERY RACE THAT WE'VE HAD IN THE LAST SEVEN, EIGHT YEARS, SOMEBODY HAS TOLD ME THAT THIS RACE, THIS RUN HAS SAVED THEIR LIFE.

IN MANY DIFFERENT WAYS.

AND SO AND IT ACTUALLY SAVED MINE, TOO.

SO WHEN I LOOK AT WE HAVE A WALKER, WE HAVE A YOUNG LADY, I'M GOING TO SAY A YOUNG LADY, SHE'S PROBABLY IN HER 70S THAT'S BEEN THERE EVERYONE YEAR WITH A WALKER AND WALKS THE 3K, HAS BEEN A MAJOR INFLUENCE FOR ME TO CONTINUE MOVING THAT FORWARD.

WE'VE HAD PEOPLE THAT ARE STARTING THEIR CHEMOTHE NEXT WEEK THAT CAME FOR ENCOURAGEMENT, AND BEING ABLE TO CONNECT AND HAVING THAT SOCIAL INTERACTION AND ALSO HAVE THOSE AFFIRMATIONS, THAT YOU CAN STILL BE RESISTANT AND CONTINUE TO FIGHT ALL OF THOSE CHALLENGES WE DEAL WITH EVERY DAY BEING BLACK PEOPLE.

>> Crossley: ADRIENNE, I THINK WHAT PEOPLE DON'T KNOW LISTENING TO THIS CONVERSATION, PEOPLE SAY OKAY SO IT'S A WHITE SPACE, WHAT'S DIFFERENT ABOUT THAT?

MOST BLACK PEOPLE ARE IN A SPACE THAT IS OVERWHELMINGLY WHITE.

BUT THERE ARE ALSO SOME ISSUES THAT PEOPLE -- HAD A CONCERN BLACK FOLK AROUND RUNNING, SAFETY ISSUES AND CAN CONCERN ABOUT STIGMA AND ALL OF THAT.

YOU ARE ARE ON THE FIRST AFRICAN AMERICAN WOMAN BY THE WAY ON THE BOSTON ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION BOARD, THE GROUP THAT ORGANIZATION ORCA AND RUNS THE BOSTON MARATHON.

YOU ARE ON AN ASSOCIATION TRYING TO BREAK DUNE THE BARRIERS.

TALK ABOUT THE CONCERNS THAT FOLKS MAY NOT KNOW ABOUT THAT IMPACT FOLKS OF COLOR.

>> YES, WELL, ONE THING I ALWAYS LIKE TO MAKE A DISTINCTION ABOUT IS THERE IS SAFETY IN RUNNING BUT THEN THERE'S BLACK PEOPLE SAFETY IN RUNNING.

AND WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT GENERAL SAFETY IN RUNNING YOU TALK ABOUT THINGS LIKE, YOU KNOW, WEARING A REFLECTIVE VEST OR MAKING SURE THAT YOU RUN DURING MORE DAYLIGHT HOURS AND THINGS OF THAT SORT THAT YOU RUN GOING TOWARDS TRAFFIC INSTEAD OF WITH TRAFFIC.

FOR BLACK PEOPLE IT REALITY BOILS DOWN TO THE SYSTEMIC RACISM IN OUR SOCIETY.

AND REALLY, WHERE BLACK PEOPLE CAN AND CAN'T GO BECAUSE OF WHO THEY ARE.

AND THAT'S A DIFFERENT TYPE OF SAFETY ISSUE.

YOU KNOW, I LOOK AT IT AS, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO REALLY BEGIN TO ADDRESS THE SYSTEMIC RACISM IN OUR SOCIETY.

NOW HOW DOES SOME OF THAT HAPPEN?

SOME OF THAT HAPPENS BECAUSE WE HAVE TO GET ALLIES AND PEOPLE WHO KNOW THAT THEY NEED TO CHANGE.

WHO KNOW THAT THEY NEED TO SPEAK UP.

WHO KNOW THAT THEY NEED TO SORT OF OPEN THEIR DOORS UP A LOT MORE.

FOR EXAMPLE, MY INVITATION TO COME ON THE BOARD OF GOVERNORS FOR THE BOSTON ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION, FOLKS HAD TO BE WILLING TO GIVE UP SOME POWER TO DO THAT.

YOU KNOW?

BECAUSE IT CHANGED THE DYNAMIC ONCE I CAME ON BOARD.

PEOPLE I MIGHT HAVE KNOWN AND WORKED WITH WITH THESE EXTERNAL INITIATIVES, BUT WHEN I COME INSIDE, ALL OF A SUDDEN I HAVE A SAY-SO IN TERMS OF WHAT THEY DO AND HOW THEY MOVE FORWARD.

SO -- SO BASICALLY, WE HAVE TO CREATE SOME BRIDGES.

SO WE HAVE TO DO THINGS LIKE THE BOSTON RUNNING COLLABORATIVE THAT WILL ENABLE FOLKS WHO ARE SORT OF ON THE FRONT LINE, THE RUN GROUPS WHO ARE RUNNING EVERY DAY WHO LIVE IN OUR CITY TO BE ABLE TO SAY HEY, HERE'S SOME OF THE THINGS WE WANT TO DO MANY CAN HERE'S SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE KNOW WILL WORK, ORGANIZATIONS LIKE THE BOSTON ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION TO HELP FINANCE THINGS AND CONNECT THEM TOGETHER.

AS A MATTER OF FACT, ORGANIZATIONS THAT RUN GROUPS THAT RUN TO THE BOSTON RUNNING COLLABORATIVE THEY HAVE NOW STARTED GETTING TOGETHER BECAUSE THEY NOW SEE EACH OTHER.

AND THEY'RE ABLE TO COLLABORATE ON THINGS LIKE TALKING ABOUT HOW DO WE CREATE ADDITIONAL RACES WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY?

HOW DO WE FIND PATHWAYS FOR JOBS AND CAREERS IN TRACK AND FIELD, FOR EXAMPLE, HOW DO WE -- HOW DOES SOMEBODY BECOME AN ELITE RUNNER?

HOW DO YOU DO ALL THESE THINGS?

AND I THINK THAT WE HAVE AN AMAZING OPPORTUNITY RIGHT NOW TO SUPPORT THIS.

AND ORGANIZATIONS LIKE THE BAA ARE VERY WILLING NOW, TO REALLY SUPPORT THE COMMUNITY, AND ONE THING I ALWAYS LIKE TO SAY IS THAT THE BOSTON ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION, ONE OF OUR MAJOR EVENTS IS THE BOSTON MARATHON.

BUT THE MISSION OF THE BOSTON ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION IS TO REALLY PROMOTE THE HEALTH AND WELLNESS OF OUR COMMUNITY.

AND SO WE'RE STARTING TO REALLY DIG MORE IN THE TRENCHES OF THAT, YOU KNOW?

AND EVENTS LIKE THE BOSTON MARATHON AND OTHER EVENTS THAT WE HAVE HELP TO FUND THAT WORK.

>> Crossley: ALL RIGHT SO RUB MANYRUBEN YOU ARE RIGHT IN THE MIDST OF DOING THE COLLABORATIVE WORK.

I WANT TO REMIND EVERYONE AS ADRIENNE HAS DONE SO WELL, ABOUT WHAT FOLKS OF COLOR HAD SEEN IN THE PAST THAT DIDN'T LOOK VERY INVITING.

I KNOW THE BOSTON MARATHON IS THEIR SIGNATURE EVENT, NO FOLKS OF COLOR EXCEPT MAYBE FOREIGN PEOPLE, FOLKS FROM AFRICA, WE HAVE SEEN THOSE, WE SEE A LOT OF WHITE PEOPLE THERE BUT WE DO NOT SEE JUST YOUR AVERAGE BLACK AMERICANS AS A PART OF THE SCENE, EVEN THOUGH WE KNOW THAT ALL OF YOU HAVE RUN, WELL NOT DR. ANDERSON BUT EVERYONE HAVE RUN THE MARATHON AND CERTAINLY FOLKS LIKE YOURSELF RUBEN HAVE DONE SO.

WHEN WE TALK ABOUT HAVING INITIATIVES THAT WOULD FOSTER ALL OF THIS ONE OF THEM IS STRANGE FACILITIES.

I KNOW YOU ARE INVOLVED IN THE OPENING UP THESE SPACES.

>> I THINK YOU KNOW AS A RUNNER, I WAS ALWAYS CONCERNED ABOUT WHERE I WAS TRAINING AT ALL TIMES.

WHERE COULD I ACTUALLY GET IN MY RUN?

BECAUSE NOT JUST FACILITIES BUT ALSO, SPACES THAT I FEEL SAFE.

MY PARENTS WHEN I WAS YOUNG THEY WERE ALWAYS CONCERNED ABOUT MY RUNNING SAFETY.

BECAUSE YOU KNOW A COUPLE TIMES I'VE BEEN STOPPED BY PEOPLE JUST ASKING ME WHAT AM I DOING?

I'VE BEEN ATTACKED ON RUNS BEFORE.

AND WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT BOSTON, WE USUALLY, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE A LOT OF FACILITIES THAT EXIST, THAT WE DON'T ACTUALLY HAVE ENOUGH SPACE WHERE WE CAN BRING IN OUR PEOPLE OF COLOR, YOU KNOW, THE BLACK COMMUNITY.

THERE'S NO SPACE IN DORCHESTER WHERE WE CAN SAY HEY, HERE IS A CLOSE FACILITY WHERE YOU CAN TRAIN YEAR-ROUND.

AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO TRY TO PROMOTE HEALTH AND WELLNESS FROM A ASPECT OF PROVIDING ACCESS WHERE INDIVIDUALS CAN, THEY DON'T HAVE TO TRAVEL FAR.

THEY CAN ACTUALLY GO AND BE ABLE TO TRAIN.

AND I THINK NOW, I'M STARTING TO SEE A LOT MORE THAN BEFORE, GROUPS OF RUNNERS WHO ARE NORMALIZING RUNNING DOWN THE STREETS OF ROXBURY, MATTAPAN AND ROXBURY -- AND DORCHESTER.

AND I THINK THAT IT CHANGES, SORT OF LIKE CHANGES THE CULTURE A LITTLE BIT THAT IT'S OKAY YOU CAN GO OUTSIDE AND RETURN.

WE'VE GOT MORE GROUPS DOING ORGANIZED GROUP RUNS AND THERE ARE LOTS OF ORGANIZATIONS, I CAN NAME A FEW, PIONEER RUN GROUP, BLACK GIRLS RUN, BOSTON UNITED, THAT CAN PROVIDE ACCESS TO RUNNING WITHIN THESE NEIGHBORHOODS.

>> Crossley: AND AS YOU SAID YOU DON'T HAVE TO RUN JUST TO BECOME A MARATHONER, THAT'S NOT THE POINT RIGHT RUBEN?

>> RIGHT.

WE ASSOCIATE RUNNING WITH OH YOU'RE DOING THE BOSTON MARATHON.

PEOPLE ASK ME ALL THE TIME WHEN I'M TRAINING.

YES, LET'S RUN BUT YOU DON'T HAVE TO DO A MARATHON.

IF YOU ARE ON THE COUCH YOU CAN GET UP AND GO FOR A JOG.

IF YOU ARE JOGGING A 5K MAYBE YOU MAKE IT A GOAL TO DO A HALF MARATHON.

YOU DON'T HAVE TO DO A FULL MARATHON TO CONSIDER YOURSELF HEALTH AND ACTIVE PARTICIPANTS.

>> Crossley: DR. ANDERSON I HAVE TEASED YOU, YOU ARE NOT RUNNING A MARATHON BUT YOU RUN A MARATHON TWO OR THREE TIMES A WEEK.

THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE.

I WISH IN YOUR ANSWER YOU WOULD TALK ABOUT JUST THE PRIDE THAT HAS GROWN OUT OF THESE GROUPS, REALLY, BRINGING A SPORT AND AN ACTIVITY AND EXERCISE ACTIVITY THAT HAD LONG FELT OFF LIMITS, BACK INTO OUR COMMUNITIES.

>> SURE.

WELL, WE SEE THAT.

I MEAN THAT'S THE BIG -- I MEAN IT'S A MAZING THAT, YOU KNOW, IT TOOK THADDEUS MILES SAYING LOOK WE NEED TO GET OUT AND DO THIS WITH ALL THE DATA THAT HELPS US UNDERSTAND THE VALUE OF RUNNING AND EXERCISING AND WE CAN DO A WHOLE SEGMENT AND MAYBE WE SHOULD AT SOME POINT SO PEOPLE REALLY, REALLY UNDERSTAND WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU EXERCISE AND HOW YOU IMPROVE YOUR HEART'S ABILITY TO FURNISHINGS AND YOUR LUNGS ABILITY TO FUNCTION FUNCTION WHICH NOW CASCADES YOUR ABILITY TO FIGHT OFF INFECTION AND EVERYTHING ELSE.

WHEN YOU GET OUT THERE AND I PARTICIPATED AND I RAN LAST YEAR AND I PARTICIPATED IN ALL THE TRAINING AS WELL.

AND YOU SEE THE PRIDE THAT WE TAKE AS WE SET GOALS AND ACHIEVE THOSE GOALS.

BUT ALSO YOU SEE AS WE RUN THROUGH NEIGHBORHOOD AND PEOPLE ARE LOOKING, AND THEY'RE SEEING MAYBE FOR THE FIRST TIME GROUPS OF PEOPLE WHO LOOK LIKE THEM, RUNNING, IT ALLOWS YOU TO UNDERSTAND THAT CONNECTION BETWEEN IF I CAN SEE IT, AND I CAN PICTURE MYSELF DOING IT, I'M MUCH MORE LIKELY TO DO IT.

AND WITH THAT, EVERYONE WHO PARTICIPATES IN THIS ROAD TO WELLNESS RACE THROUGH, THE ONLY RACE THAT GOES THROUGH THE CITY OF ROXBURY, THE ONLY ROAD RACE THAT GOES THROUGH TOWN OF ROXBURY AND WHEN PEOPLE WERE PARTICIPATING IN THAT RUN THEY HAD THAT REAL FEELING THAT THEY ARE SENDING A MESSAGE TO THEIR NEIGHBORS AND THAT THEY ARE MAKING A DIFFERENCE AND THEY'RE PART OF THIS WHOLE HEALTH AND WELLNESS PROMOTION THAT WE DO AT THE DIMOCK CENTER.

IT'S ABOUT HOW THEY ENGAGE PEOPLE IN THEIR HEALTH AND WELLNESS.

HOUSE WE HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS THAT INFLUENCE THE WAY WE'RE TREATED WHEN WE SHOW UP FOR CARE.

THIS IS REALLY WHAT IT'S ABOUT.

WE'RE INFORMING OURSELVES, WE'RE INFORMING EACH OTHER AND WE'RE DOING THIS IN COMMUNITY.

IT DOESN'T GET ANY BETTER THAN THAT, AS CAN YOU SEE THERE THESE AMAZING PICTURES.

>> Crossley: I WANT TO SITE A STATISTIC THAT WILL WARM YOUR HEART.

JOURNAL OF CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE, FIND THAT RUNNERS HAVE A 30% LOWER CAUSE OF DISEASE THAN NONRUNNERS AND HERE IS ANOTHER ONE, 45% RISK OF DEATH FROM CARDIOVASCULAR OR HEART DISEASE.

THOSE ARE HUGE NUMBERS AND OBVIOUSLY SPEAK TO THAT CONNECT CONNECTION, THAT HEALTH CONNECTION.

YOU'VE SPOKEN ABOUT THE PRIDE CONNECTION.

NOW I WANT EACH OF YOU TO TELL THE ME WHAT IT FEELS FOR EACH OF YOU FROM A JOY BASIS TO RUN.

THADDEUS, YOU HAVE A SHIRT THAT SAYS RUN JOY.

WHAT DOES THAT MEAN FOR YOU?

>> FOR ME, I HAVE NOT RUN THE BOSTON MARATHON.

I WAS SCHEDULED TO RUN NEXT YEAR.

I WAS SCHEDULED TO RUN WHEN THE PANDEMIC HIT, I'M GLAD I GOT THE TWO YEAR BREAK BUT I'VE RUN THE 5, THE 10 AND THE HALF MARATHON.

IT'S REALLY FREEDOM.

IT IS A SENSE OF FREEDOM.

WHEN I START OFF RUNNING, I SAY AN AFFIRMATION TO MYSELF AND I SAY A PRAYER AND I ASK GOD TO RELIEVE ALL OF THOSE STRESSES AND ALL OF THOSE STRESSES TO FREE MY MIND, TO JUST BREATHE AND KNOW THAT I'M HERE AND BE GRATEFUL AND HAVE GRATITUDE AND BE HUMBLE ENOUGH TO BE ABLE TO BE THANKFUL AROUND IT.

SO ME, WHETHER I RUN A MILE, I'M A RUN-WALK GUY OR WHETHER I'M RUNNING TEN MILES IT IS A THING OF FREEDOM.

IT'S AN ABILITY TO TAP INTO ME.

IT'S ABILITY TO HAVE SOME MINDFULNESS TO LISTEN TO MYSELF BREATHE AND TO BE ABLE TO LIKE TAP INTO, KNOW MY HEARTBEAT THAT I'M HERE THAT I HAVE A PURPOSE AND A TREKS AND SOMETHING I NEED TO ACHIEVE AND IF I DON'T ACHIEVE THAT PURPOSE THAT IT WON'T BE DONE.

>> Crossley: OKAY.

ADRIENNE.

>> WELL, FOR ME, IT JUST PROVIDES ME SPACE.

SOMETIME LIFE KIND OF CLOSES IN ON US BETWEEN WORK AND FAMILY AND JUST ALL OUR RESPONSIBILITIES.

AND THE FACT THAT, YOU KNOW, WE CARE SO DEEPLY ABOUT SO MANY THINGS.

AND I THINK THAT RUNNING GIVES ME THE SPACE TO KIND OF REORGANIZE THINGS IN MY HEAD.

AND ALSO TO GIVE MYSELF A HUG.

SOMETIME I JUST GIVE MYSELF THAT HUG AND GIVE MYSELF THAT SPACE AND RUNNING DEFINITELY DOES THAT.

>> Crossley: RUBEN TELL THE TRUTH, BECAUSE YOU'RE AN OLYMPIAY, TELLOLYMPIAN, TELL THE TRUTH.

>> I SUFFERED FROM ASTHMA WHEN I WAS EIGHT OR NINE YEARS OLD.

I COULDN'T GO OUT AND COME BACK.

I CAME BACK HUFFING AND PUFFING BECAUSE MY ASTHMA WAS SO BAD.

THROUGH RUNNING I WAS ABLE TO OVERCOME MY RUNNING -- OVERCOME MY ASTHMA.

THROUGH RUNNING I WAS ABLE TO GOING THROUGH HIGH SCHOOL SETTING GOALS IN HIGH SCHOOL AND COLLEGE AND I THINK THEATS AN IMPORTANT ASPECT, WHEN YOU ARE GREG YOU ARE ABLE TO SET GOALS SIMILARLY TO YOUR ACADEMICS AND YOUR SPORTS, I THINK THAT THERE'S A FEELING OF ACCOMPLISHMENT THAT RUNNING BROUGHT TO MY LIFE.

AND I THINK THAT HELPED ME WITH MY ACADEMICS WITH MY WORK AND FOR MY OWN MENTAL HEALTH.

>> Crossley: WELL, BUT EMOTIONALLY HOW DO YOU FEEL WHEN YOU'RE OUT THERE DOING IT?

>> I MEAN I FEEL GREAT.

JUST THINKING THAT HEY THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I CHOOSE TO DO.

I'M ABLE TO DO IT.

JUST IT'S GREAT FOR MY OAFN MENTAL HEALTH AND BE -- OWN MENTAL HEALTH I'M ABLE TO DO IT, COMPETE IN RACES, I'VE BEEN TO OVER 20 COUNTRIES COMPETING, SO RUNNING HAS BEEN A HUGE PART OF MY LIFE AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT I THINK BRINGING IT TO OTHER PEOPLE PROVIDING ACCESS FOR OTHERS IT'S SOMETHING THAT I QUITE ENJOY DOING.

>> Crossley: OKAY.

DR. ANDERSON WHAT DOES IT FEEL LIKE GIVE US THE DETAILS OF WHAT IT FEELS LIKE WHEN YOU ARE OUT THERE RUNNING.

>> YOU KNOW I THINK WORD THAT SUMS IT UP FOR ME IS BLESSED, RIGHT?

I CAN'T HELP BUT GET OUT AND RUN.

AND I HAVE REALLY THE OPPORTUNITY TO RUN IN SPACES WHERE AGAIN HERE, IN NEWTON, THERE IS A CARRIAGE LANE.

THOUGHT ONLY DO I HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT SIDEWALK AND STREET THERE IS A WHOLE CARRIAGE RUN TO USE, WE'RE NOT FAR FROM HEARTBREAK HILL.

I FEEL INCREDIBLY BLESSED.

HOW CAN I CONVERT THAT INTO ACTION TO MAKE SURE OTHERS HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO DID THAT.

THERE ARE REAL BARRIERS.

TO MAKE SURE YOU SEE OTHER PEOPLE DOING IT WHICH IS WHY THINGS THAT WE DO LIKE ROAD TO WELLNESS ARE SO CRITICAL, BUT HOW TO UNDERSTAND HOW WE WORK TOGETHER AS A COMMUNITY AND A SOCIETY TO MAKE SURE WE MAKE THIS ACCESSIBLE AND APPROACHABLE AND ALWAYS MAKE IT AFFORDABLE FOR THOSE WHO AREN'T HAVING THE BLESSING THAT I HAVE.

I FEEL BLESSED EVERY TIME I'M OUT THERE AND GET BACK SAFELY, I TRY TO RUN ALONGSIDE PEOPLE I SHOULDN'T BE RUNNING ALONGSIDE BUT IT IS, IT IS AN INCREDIBLE BLESSING AND ONE I DON'T TAKE FOR GRANTED AT ALL.

>> Crossley: IS IT SOMEWHAT MEDITATIVE WHEN YOU'RE OUT THERE?

>> INYESTERDAYABLYYESTERDAYABLY MEDITATIVE.

TAKES ME AWAY FROM THOSE THINGS I WAS FOCUSING ON BEFORE, I'M FOCUSING ON MY BREATHING AND MY STRIDE, I HAVE MY HEAD PHONES IN AND THEY AMPLIFY MY HEART RATE.

I'M GLAD I'M ALIVE.

ESPECIALLY WHEN WE'RE APPROACHING THIS MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS THAT WE'RE DEALING WITH, THAT'S WHY WE NEED TO COME TOGETHER AND MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO CREATE REAL ON RAMPS FOR EVERYONE THEY HAVE THE SAME SORT OF MENTAL HEALTH RELEASE AND POSITIVITY PAUSE AS WE CALL IT IN OUR HOUSE TO BE ABLE TO REGROUP.

>> Crossley: THAT'S A GREAT PLACE FOR US TO END.

THAT'S THE END OF OUR BROADCAST AND THE END OF OUR SHOW.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US AND NOW STAY WITH US AS WE CONTINUE OUR CONVERSATION ON OUR DIGITAL PLATFORMS, FACEBOOK AND YOUTUBE.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Captioned by Media Access Group at WGBH access.wgbh.org