When Rosalie Fish was running as in 2019, she drew attention for competing with red paint in the shape of a handprint over her mouth and 鈥淢MIW鈥� on her leg as she ran for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and People (MMIW/MMIWP). She had seen Jordan Marie Whetstone run with the same red handprint and MMIW and asked if she could follow her lead.

The has affected Fish personally. She is a survivor of violence and has run for specific women in her community who were murdered or missing.

Indigenous people face disproportionately high rates of murder, rape, and violent crime. A reports that 27 percent of U.S. women have been raped in their lifetimes. Among American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) women, that number is 43 percent. In 2019, was the seventh leading cause of death for AI/AN girls and women (ages 1鈥�54) and the fifth leading cause of death for boys and men.

Running for Justice

Fish is a member of the Cowlitz tribe and attended the Muckleshoot Tribal High School on the Muckleshoot Reservation. Running with paint was 鈥渕y first big leap into athletic activism,鈥� says Fish, a 22-year-old senior on the University of Washington cross-country team. 鈥淥ver time, I鈥檝e been able to develop and adjust the way that I advocate for Indigenous people through my platform as an athlete.鈥�

After dealing with a few injuries, Fish was happy to be healthy enough to compete for the Huskies this fall. She concluded her cross-country season as part of the Pac-12 Conference championship team and placed 48th out of 106 runners in the conference meet, covering the 6K course at Chambers Creek Regional Park near Tacoma in 20:45.7. She will continue to compete for the Huskies during the upcoming indoor and outdoor track seasons.

国产吃瓜黑料 of running, Fish has been recognized for the impact she鈥檚 made as an advocate. This fall, she accepted the Women鈥檚 Sports Foundation鈥檚 Wilma Rudolph Courage Award.

From Athlete to Advocate

After transferring to the University of Washington from Iowa Central Community College, Fish says, 鈥淚 put a lot of pressure on myself, like if I wasn鈥檛 able to run competitively, it would mean that I was letting my community down as far as advocacy goes.鈥� But then, she adds, 鈥淓xperiencing injuries when I did pushed me in a way that I was actually able to explore: How can I continue to advocate for my community in the ways that I鈥檓 physically not allowed to right now?鈥�

Fish steered her advocacy into direct service. She is finishing up her bachelor鈥檚 degree in social work and, as her practicum, is working as a MMIWP family advocate intern with , a social services nonprofit for Native women. She plans to return after she graduates. Her goal is to 鈥渃reate connections with the people that I鈥檓 hoping to represent and to get them the mics and the platforms to share their stories.鈥�

RELATED: Meet the Man Who Created a 200-Mile Race to Reconnect with His Ancestors

She also worked as an intern at the Washington State Coalition Against Domestic Violence. Fish supported the creation of Washington State Patrol鈥檚 , which launched last year. People can sign up for alerts, similar to AMBER alerts.

Fish has been speaking publicly, including leading and visiting high schools and middle schools, particularly in areas with significant Native populations. 鈥淣ormally, I go there just to connect with youth in general, especially those who might relate to any mental health issues that they鈥檝e faced, being young students of color,鈥� she says. She also talks about the complexities of gender-based violence for students of color. 鈥淚 understand just how debilitating these societal issues are on youth self-image, and I try to connect with that shared experience in a way that can be empowering for them,鈥� she says.

Like many survivors of violence, Fish has post-traumatic stress disorder. 鈥淭rying to navigate that as an athlete, as a student, and especially as an activist and advocate has a huge impact on my life,鈥� she says.

Fish continues to run with paint on her face and body, but not every time she competes, because she wants to make sure it鈥檚 meaningful when she does. When she ran 12 miles as part of at the Downtown Yakima Mile, she ran with paint, and raised about $36,000 for the YWCA Yakima and survivors of domestic violence.

Access and Inclusion

As a Brooks Run Happy Advocate, Fish visits high schools across the state of Washington, especially tribal schools, spending time with track teams and giving each runner a free pair of running shoes.

鈥淩unning shoes are very inaccessible, especially in low-income communities of color, who are not able to spend $200 on a pair of high-quality shoes,鈥� Fish says. 鈥淏eing able to engage with Native youth in that way and give them the opportunity or the tools they need to give running a shot鈥攊t鈥檚 really rewarding.鈥�

Fish wants to make running more accessible and inclusive, particularly for Indigenous and LGBTQ people. 鈥淯nfortunately, I always felt like I was alone as a Native runner, let alone a queer native runner,鈥� she says. She hopes that 鈥渂eing unapologetically Indigenous and queer in everything that I do can send the message that not only do queer women of color belong in these spaces, but we deserve to be there, and we鈥檙e needed there because we bring so much to the table.鈥�

Courage and Leadership

The news that she鈥檇 been chosen for the Wilma Rudolph Courage Award came as a surprise to Fish.

鈥淚 was very humbled and very flattered,鈥� she says, adding that she has admired the Women鈥檚 Sports Foundation鈥檚 community service.

The award recognizes 鈥渟omeone who exhibits extraordinary courage in their athletic performance, demonstrates the ability to overcome adversity, makes significant contributions to sports, and serves as a role model.鈥� Fish plans to pursue a master鈥檚 degree in social work.

RELATED: Callie Vinson Believes in Herself

鈥淲hat makes听Rosalie听deserving of one of WSF鈥檚 highest honors is her persistence, resilience and bold determination to get society to pay attention to a crisis often cast to the shadows鈥攖he Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women epidemic鈥攁s well as her desire to be a face of change for a safer, more just world,鈥� says Women鈥檚 Sports Foundation CEO Danette Leighton. 鈥淩osalie听is an inspiration on the track, the classroom and beyond, and WSF is proud to support her and the remarkable work she is doing.鈥�

In 2022, Fish was one of 58 college students nationwide named a听 for her leadership, public service, and academic achievement. She was the first UW student-athlete to receive that scholarship.

Fish also gets recognized on a smaller scale. When she originally signed with Iowa Central Community College, she became the first student from her high school to sign a letter of intent for college athletics. Recently, while attending her brother鈥檚 high school football game, she says, 鈥淥ne of the middle schoolers came up to me and asked me if I was Rosalie Fish. And I said, 鈥榊es I am.鈥� And she said, 鈥榊ou鈥檙e my idol.鈥� It was just that moment where I realized I could be doing something as simple as cheering on my brother at a football game鈥攚hich is not a moment where I feel like I鈥檓 being a leader鈥攂ut girls like her remind me that every single step and every action that I take matters, because whether I can see it or not, I am leading.鈥�

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For endurance athlete Dillon Quitugua, ultramarathons are a way to empower fellow Pacific Islanders and also work through the pain of the abuse he鈥檇 suffered as a child. Growing up in Hawaii and Guam, he鈥檇 been regularly beaten by his father and was diagnosed with PTSD as a teenager. When he began running after college, it enabled him to process what he was feeling. But as he pushed himself to take on longer distances, the physical and emotional toll of the effort caused him to relive the trauma of his past. And yet, for Dillon, the only choice was to keep going鈥攗ntil he reached a place of love and forgiveness.

If you鈥檙e suffering from abuse or you know someone who is, help is available. Call or text the at 800-422-4453. Or reach the the by calling 1-800-799-SAFE or texting START to 88788.

The post 鈥淚 Needed to Keep Running to Heal Myself鈥� appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

At a young age, Phillip Kwa鈥檋an Espinoza witnessed the destructive forces of drugs, alcohol, and imprisonment, a fate he was determined to avoid for himself.

Espinoza transformed his life鈥檚 trajectory by embracing running to sever the cycle of family trauma. Now, as an ultrarunner and race director, he is committed to shaping connections between the trail running and Native communities in Southern California. In this process, he founded 鈥攁n organization that seamlessly joins athleticism with cultural restoration.

The 鈥淩ed Road鈥� represents a symbolic path from , an Oglala Lakota Medicine Man (1863-1950) that guides individuals toward living harmoniously with their community and the natural world. A few notable red road guardrails include connection with nature, respect for all life forms, balance, humility, gratitude, and a commitment to non-violence and peace. Conversely, the 鈥淏lack Road鈥� is a path of addiction, greed, insatiable desires, arrogance, dishonesty, and revenge.

A Trail of Rediscovery

Espinoza, 35, was raised on the Mesa Grande Indian Reservation, a pocket of the country where poverty, drug abuse, and alcoholism are common. Early on, Espinoza knew he wanted a different path. Espinoza focused on a sobriety journey after having family members incarcerated and watching cousins die in their 30s from liver cirrhosis. Living the generational trauma of his tribal community, he consciously broke the harmful cycle of those before him.

As a member of the Kumeyaay tribe, he is part of a community with a rich history that covers a vast area in Riverside and San Diego counties, including the San Jacinto and Santa Rosa Mountains.

Espinoza, who lives in Anza, about an hour southeast of Riverside, later discovered an ancestral connection with running through his great uncle Alfonso Soto鈥檚 escape from a boarding school in the early 1900s.

鈥淚 wasn鈥檛 always a runner,鈥� Espinoza says. 鈥淚 have a story about my great uncle Alfonso Soto, who was forcibly taken to a boarding school in Riverside. It was about 90 miles away from his home, and he ran away from that school鈥攈e ran back home.鈥�

鈥淎nd that story was circulated in my family for a long time,鈥� he adds. 鈥淲hen thinking about it, 鈥楧o I have any runners in my family?鈥� I couldn鈥檛 really find any in the current generation. So, I look back a little bit further. And that鈥檚 when I remembered my great uncle, Alfonso Soto鈥檚 story about him running away, and I recreated that run in 2013.鈥�

Motivated by his family history, Espinoza committed a year to training in preparation to recreate his uncle鈥檚 journey back home.

Espinoza embarked on a three-day spirit run, tracing his great uncle鈥檚 path from the historic Sherman Indian School in Riverside to the serene landscapes of Mesa Grande. It was an homage to his family鈥檚 struggles and a guide towards a future where running would keep him on a healing path.

Creating the San Diego 200

For years, Espinoza had been mulling the idea of running a 200-mile loop around San Diego, the Kumeyaay Indigenous land. He wanted the route to showcase the natural beauty of San Diego, from the stunning coastline to the peaks of Cuyamaca.

鈥淚 created this route entirely from memory with no watch or GPS assistance,鈥� Espinoza says. 鈥淭his event showcases what special beauty we have here and provides a life-changing experience for the select few brave enough to accept the challenge.鈥�

In November 2020, Espinoza completed the run around San Diego, finishing in 61.5 hours. Beyond the physical feat, this run held a profound cultural significance.

鈥淭hat was the first time anybody鈥檚 done a 200-miler around San Diego,鈥� Kwa鈥檋an Espinoza says. 鈥淚 know 200-mile races are kind of popular these days. But my thing has always been that Indigenous people have a long history of long-distance running. My purpose with running became a personal mission to revive it as part of our culture in Southern California.鈥�

After the experience, he opened it up to a limited number of individuals who could participate in the 鈥攆rom Escondido to Torrey Pines, Torrey Pines to downtown Chula Vista. From there, runners trek east to Alpine and Descanso before ascending the peaks of Cuyamaca. The route continues to the historic town of Julian, looping through San Isabel and Mesa Grande until returning to the start point.

Indigenous Diversity and Bridging Communities

Kwa鈥檋an Espinoza’s running journey is deeply rooted in his desire to reconnect Native communities with running and diversify the sport.

鈥淭here are these efforts to highlight and include more Indigenous runners,鈥� Kwa鈥檋an Espinoza explains. 鈥淭here are talks about, 鈥榃ell, how do you diversify ultrarunning?鈥� It鈥檚 a really long conversation to be had, not something where you can just allow some Native runners to get in (to big events like the Western States).鈥�

It鈥檚 a long-term process, exposing the sport to younger Indigenous generations.

鈥淪howing these communities on a regular basis, like having these events be traditional gatherings and having tribal families involved in it,鈥� he says. 鈥淭hat kind of exposure will get them interested in running, and they鈥檒l start running at a younger age, and then you鈥檒l have the Native American Courtney Dauwalters.鈥�

One focus of his mission is to connect ultrarunning and tribal communities. He believes that both spaces can benefit from each other in different ways.

鈥淚t鈥檚 an opportunity to bridge the two to benefit from each other,鈥� he emphasizes. 鈥淭he tribal communities benefit by having exposure to these races that they had no idea existed, and the ultra-running community benefits by learning about these tribal communities that are in the area immediately around where they live.鈥�

Kwa鈥檋an Espinoza hopes to create lasting connections through events like in October. Participants get the unique opportunity to run on the Cahuilla Indian Reservation, and race entry benefits the tribe鈥檚 youth and family programming.

鈥淚 have this vision that (Native) youth see these things, and they鈥檙e out there at the race or watching these people run,鈥� he says. 鈥淚t becomes part of the culture like it once was.鈥�

He envisions a future where tribal communities embrace running as a regular part of the culture. 鈥淣ow, if I go to these tribes and tell them I do 100-mile races, 50-mile races, they鈥檙e like, 鈥榃ell, I鈥檝e never heard of such a thing.鈥� I want it to become normalized, part of our culture again, because that鈥檚 what we used to do. We used to run and deliver messages from the ocean to the desert. But now鈥攍ike many parts of our culture鈥攊t鈥檚 dying.鈥�

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Before Flagstaff was a haven for professional running teams, it was home to the Navajo, Hopi, Havasupai, Kaibab-Paiute, and Hualapai peoples. Before Boulder was the home of a number of elites, it was primarily the home of the Southern Arapaho tribe. Before Eugene was TrackTown, USA, it was Kalapuya Ilihi, the traditional indigenous homeland of the Kalapuya people.

This is to say, before white colonists came to what is now North America, the places we treasure as premier training and racing grounds belonged to the Indigenous people (many of whom are still here today) who first strode over these cherished landscapes, forming an intimate ancestral relationship with the land by way of running. Today, these environments are trampled over with little thought or respect given to the original occupants, sacred lands are desecrated by human pollution, and the Native people who originally called these places home continue to be and 鈥� the running world included.听

It is long past time for all American runners to learn the deep and historic relationship many Native people have had with running, and consider what lessons we can learn from welcoming in, listening to, and supporting Indigenous runners.

The Importance of Running in Native Communities

While it鈥檚 ignorant, at worst dangerous, to make blanket statements about Native people at large 鈥� there are, in fact, in the United States 鈥� Dustin Martin, Executive Director of , points out that running often has had a special, even spiritual, role in many of those Native cultures.听

鈥淲ith running I think it鈥檚 safe to say that it was and is a tool, not only to cover your landscape and know your surroundings, but also to better know yourself and cultivate a relationship with the Holy People, whatever tribal affiliation you may be,鈥� says Martin, who is himself Dine, or Navajo. 鈥淔or me, running has become a pathway to communing with a higher power or higher calling, especially when it is in places my People have had ties to for time immemorial.鈥澨�

Martin points out that many Native runners in the Southwest are sent to either run prayers or run certain ceremonial instruments or items between places of significance. This is also done to retrieve and fetch items for religious or ceremonial purposes.听

Running also played a major role in what has been referred to as 鈥� the Pueblo Revolt of 1680. Runners, who were able to transmit messages in the form of knotted cords quickly over land, helped stage a carefully orchestrated revolt of Pueblo people who succeeded in dislodging Spanish colonizers from a large part of North America and winning Pueblo sovereignty in what is today New Mexico.听

鈥淩unning culturally has been in our communities forever, since pre-contact, since settlers came to our lands,鈥� says , a fourth-generation runner, social activist, and a citizen of the Lower Brule Sioux Tribe, Kul Wicasa Oyate. 鈥淓specially with our Pueblo relatives down in the Southwest, running has been so integral and ingrained culturally, ceremonially, and we look to running as medicine and as healing, and running as messengers because that鈥檚 what our relatives did long, long ago.鈥澨�

The relationship between Native people and running isn鈥檛 just encapsulated in the past, but part of a living present in Indigenous traditions today. Those in the Navajo culture, for example, have a tradition of waking up early in the morning to run east toward the sun.

鈥�As Din茅 we are taught to wake up and let the Holy People know that we are ready to take advantage of the day, that we are appreciative for our next breath, our next step, and that we won鈥檛 waste it,鈥� explains Martin. 鈥�The deeper I go into that and the more I speak with stewards of cultural knowledge, I find there are very particular reasons and prayers that one might say to show that appreciation.鈥� This is to say that there is a long tradition of using running as a vehicle for prayer.听

Running also plays an integral role in Navajo women鈥檚 coming of age ceremonies, known as the Kinaald谩. , initiates run two to three times a day for the four days of the ceremony. The running ritual is said to make the women strong and prepare them for the adversities of life. The initiate鈥檚 running or racing abilities represent strength and fortitude, with the length of her run believed to predict the quality and longevity of her life.听

鈥淔or Navajos, many of them have run all their lives, since they were young,鈥� says , a Navajo runner and founder of . 鈥淭here鈥檚 always this connection, their dad ran or grandpa, and so it鈥檚 just been like generations of generations of running.鈥澨�

鈥淚t鈥檚 always been there, Native people have always been running for a very long time,鈥� says Volker, who is originally from the Dzilth-Na-O-Dith-Hle area of New Mexico. Beyond competition, stories of running within Native traditions center on the health benefits of running. As for Volker, who herself has lost three siblings and a father says, it’s something like medicine. 鈥淲e want to run because we might be healing from trauma, we might be healing from something that happened because we all faced this historical trauma but also trauma individually.鈥澨�

What follows are five lessons from Native runner鈥檚 relationship with running. These are not Native traditions themselves as they relate to running, but perspectives and lessons that the running community could do well to learn from.听

Four Lessons from Indigenous Relationships with Running

1. Be grateful for and recognize the land you run on

One of the more prominent aspects of Native people鈥檚 relationship with running, as Martin notes, is viewing it as a way of connecting and communing with the land and other-than-human. This is a way of approaching the landscape on a day-to-day basis, which can鈥檛 quite be experienced in the same way for people who don鈥檛 have ancestral connection to the land base that they run on.听

鈥淲ho wouldn鈥檛 want to commune with the landscape or with the higher powers that animate the landscape?鈥� says Martin. 鈥淏ut speaking or running with a Native runner is not going to give anyone a secret to be able to do that,鈥� he continues, noting that while he doesn鈥檛 mean to sound exclusive, it is part of what makes running so special for Indigenous peoples. 鈥淭he type of strength or insight that one gains running on the land of their ancestors is a privilege and it鈥檚 very unique to Native people that can connect their identity and their personhood to those places that they鈥檙e running.鈥�

Though non-Native runners don鈥檛 have that same deep, ancestral connection with the land in the way Indigenous runners do, Martin says that it shouldn鈥檛 discourage them from approaching a landscape with respect, learning the history of the land, and feeling gratitude for the opportunity to be there on any given day.听

One way that non-Native runner鈥檚 can do this is through something called a land acknowledgement. This is a formal statement that recognizes and honors Indigenous people as traditional stewards of the land and the perpetual, enduring relationships that exist between Native people and their homelands or territories. ()听

鈥淢any times people just run,鈥� says Volker. 鈥淚 feel like people are just starting to realize [land acknowledgements are] important to Native people. It is! Just realizing the mountain that you鈥檙e running on or the trail that you鈥檙e running on is Native land and understanding whose land you are running on, studying that and realizing, 鈥業 really need to be thankful to the [Indigenous] people, this is their land.鈥澨�

While there has been a greater push toward giving land acknowledgements over the last few years, it鈥檚 still not a mainstream practice in running and racing circles. This is a problem that Daniel is working on addressing through her , which launched earlier this January. It鈥檚 a new initiative that will help introduce and implement acknowledgements at races and events that are happening on Indigenous lands.听

鈥淚t鈥檚 going to be part of this dismantling and unlearning of the true history and to start talking about and acknowledging that these lands were stolen from Indigenous peoples… Indigenous peoples are still here, they are still the caretakers of these lands and have deep rooted connections,鈥� says Daniel. 鈥淭heir communities often are still there, some have been pushed away from their original homelands in forced relocations. This is all part of a big effort to reframe how we connect with the lands, how we view them, to see the true histories of what has happened on these lands, and to help have us a better connection when we go out the door for a walk or a run or hike or whatever it is…Sometimes I see a lot of lack of care and disrespect when they come into those spaces, especially on trails, and I want to help repair that relationship and have better connection to our surroundings.鈥澨�

2. Running beyond competition

The mainstream American running culture today was born from and is often continuously defined by competition 鈥� runners race. But what can at times be a cut-throat, win-at-all-costs mindset in the running world has costs, not least of which depression and anxiety among athletes, eating disorders, and a disenchanted view on running. The running world is increasingly recognizing the need for and community 鈥� perspectives reflected in some Indigenous cultures.听

The ancestral connection and longstanding history that Indigenous peoples have with the land they run on, says Martin, is part of what makes it possible to take both a competitive mindset towards running while also realizing that some days running is not about becoming faster than others: 鈥淪ome days, when you go out and run, even if it does serve a purpose for a goal or a race that you have coming up, you really should be listening to something other than the beep of your watch.鈥澨�

A common theme among the Native runners interviewed was a strong perspective of running that was not based solely on competing, but connecting with community, ancestry, and representation of something much larger than themselves. Martin鈥檚 organization, Wings of America, is an example of a shifting mindset from a purely competitive to more communal. The Albuquerque-based group has been around since 1988, founded on the knowledge that there are many young, talented Native runners who aren鈥檛 being given well-deserved opportunities to pursue higher levels of competition (and education) because of their backgrounds.听

Today, however, Wings has expanded its program offerings so that more than just the fastest runners feel deserving of the opportunities running has to offer. The organization believes that even those that never wish to compete should be equipped with the knowledge and confidence needed to test their stride safely. This includes teaching participants about the rich history 鈥� competitive and non-competitive 鈥� of Native running.听听

Daniel, who was introduced to running by her grandfather 鈥� famed runner 鈥� when she was 10 years old, has used running as a way to raise awareness about the and uplift Indigenous voices through her organization . Later this year she will be launching a film series called 鈥淩unning with Purpose,鈥� which centers on amplifying Indigenous, Black, , and LGBTQ voices about how they have used running as a means of advocacy and impacting social change, and are motivated by something larger than themselves. Her interviews with Indigenous people, she says, have highlighted for her how ingrained running has been within Native cultures.听

鈥淚t鈥檚 been so neat to learn this history of running, that it鈥檚 not just about trying to run fast or hit these goals 鈥� that鈥檚 all part of it 鈥� but we have running built into our DNA into our blood and so seeing that representation and being part of that representation to help bring us to these platforms to help pave a road forward so that Native people can see themselves in these spaces and hopefully help bring in the next generation of Native athletes is all part of this work that I get to do,鈥� says Daniel.听

While non-Native runners don鈥檛 have this history, it does offer an important lesson about the social impact a person can make through the sport beyond running fast times, and how running has significance beyond major events by helping a person to connect more deeply with and support one鈥檚 community.听

3. Running can鈥檛, and shouldn鈥檛, always be quantified

In conjunction with the tendency to view running primarily through a competitive lens comes the tendency to break our running and our bodies down into quantifiable, tweakable parts in order to optimize performance.听

Because of Native runner鈥檚 tradition with the sport, some view it as something far deeper than what can be dissected and measured.听

鈥淭here are people that believe that certain ways of 鈥楴ative running鈥�, whether they be ceremonial or simply in prayer, are incompatible with 鈥榤odern ways鈥�, fixated on quantifying everything about our runs and cataloguing them,鈥� says Martin. 鈥淚 haven鈥檛 drawn a hardline on the subject, but I can appreciate the argument that if you are distracted by the device logging your run, then the prayer and the sentiment that you鈥檙e putting into the activity is in some way tarnished.鈥澨�

While non-Native runners don鈥檛 have the same spiritual traditions that connect some tribes to running in the specific way that Martin describes, a view on running that reaches beyond what can be snipped apart, analyzed by a Garmin, and posted on Strava could benefit all runners psychologically and physically. Whether that鈥檚 feeling deep gratitude for the body鈥檚 ability to powerfully rip around oval tracks, being mindful of the air we breathe in giving it life, acknowledging the histories and stories in the landscapes we run on, or being aware and appreciative of the multispecies narratives we encounter on our runs.听

4. Welcome in, listen to, and support Native runners

One of the biggest lessons that can be learned from Native runners, according to Daniel, is that they are here now as active members of the running community and much more than the harmful stereotypes and storylines that have characterized indigenous people as 鈥渞omanticized figures that don鈥檛 exist after 1900 or rely on鈥yper-sexualized or racist movies created that are not accurate.鈥澨�

鈥淲e鈥檙e more than those stereotypes,鈥� says Daniel. 鈥淲e鈥檙e runners, we鈥檙e advocates, we鈥檙e lawyers, we鈥檙e teachers, we鈥檙e volunteers, we鈥檙e so many of these things.鈥�

Volker鈥檚 organization, , is an online community that aims to enhance the visibility and positive representation of Native women runners online and on social media. She emphasizes the importance of giving Native runners a seat at the table, inviting them to be part of running spaces and communities, and forming genuine friendships and alliances with them.听

鈥淚 think oftentimes people want us to do the work, and we can鈥檛 do all the work,鈥� explains Volker.听 鈥淛ust simply inviting us to a running group and becoming our friends is really key…Get to know us, partner with us, invite Native Women Running as part of something.鈥澨�

These are invaluable perspectives non-Native runners can better learn and appreciate by running alongside Indigenous runners, supporting their communities, and welcoming them into an increasingly diverse running community united through passion for the sport.

How to Support Native Running Communities听

Here are a few ways that you can support Native runners and communities.

Learn More and Donate

• and visit to learn more.听
• and visit to learn more.
• Visit to learn more about NWR and how to partner with the group.
• .听
• working to bring attention to the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women Crisis.听

Participate in Events

• Participate in , which are open to everyone.
• Participate in , also open to anyone.

Follow on Social Media

• Follow Native Women Running on Twitter () and Instagram ().
• Follow Rising Hearts on Twitter () and Instagram ().
• Follow Wings of America on Twitter () and Instagram ().

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The Western States 100 Mile Endurance Run has been a canvas for inspiration, competition, and perseverance for five decades. Runners from varied backgrounds come together each year to celebrate the simple yet powerful act of movement.

For , this year鈥檚 Western States will serve as a celebration of her ten-year journey of personal transformation. In 2013, the for brunch tripped alarms for Vinson.

鈥淥ne day, one of my friends wanted to go to brunch, and they were like, 鈥業t鈥檚 just down the street. We can walk there,鈥欌�� Vinson recalled. 鈥淚n my head, I was like, 鈥楾here鈥檚 no way I can walk to brunch. It鈥檚 too painful. It was a mile away.鈥� And that was where I said, 鈥榊ou know what? I really need to make some sort of change.鈥欌��

Ten years and thousands of miles later, Vinson is showing everyone that change is possible if you believe in yourself.

This year, Vinson, 36, a body-positive runner from Scottsdale, Arizona, will be racing with a and sponsorship. Rising Hearts is an Indigenous-led grassroots organization dedicated to uplifting Indigenous voices and fostering intersectional collaborations to pursue racial, social, climate, and economic justice.

鈥淚 couldn鈥檛 be more honored and grateful for the opportunity to run this,鈥� said Vinson. 鈥淲hen I first learned about Western States at the beginning of my health journey, I immediately thought, 鈥楾his race sounds insane, one hundred miles on trails. People aren鈥檛 sleeping. It just sounds impossible.鈥� And it鈥檚 funny because now we are so close to standing at the start line. I鈥檓 so excited and want to savor every step.鈥�

From Olympic Valley to Auburn, California, Vinson will traverse the Western States Trail, passing through the traditional lands of the Nisenan, Washoe, and other neighboring Indigenous Peoples. This iconic race encompasses over 18,000 feet of climbing and nearly 23,000 feet of descent.

Building Kinship and Fostering Change

鈥淓verywhere you go, you will always be on someone鈥檚 ancient and ancestral homelands,鈥� said Celia Camargo, Director of Community and Purpose of GU Energy Labs. 鈥淲e did not learn the truth of Indigenous histories, presence, or worldviews in school. Through partnering with Rising Hearts and supporting Callie on her journey to the Western States Endurance run start line this Saturday, I鈥檓 learning these histories of the Washoe and Nisenan communities, and am changing and expanding my perspective of the world.鈥�

Awareness of Indigenous histories and worldviews underscores the importance of cultivating a respectful connection to the land.

 

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鈥淚f we see ourselves as relatives to the land and each other, we naturally have more care and compassion and act as if the land is a part of us,鈥� said Camargo. 鈥淏eing a good relative means acknowledging a respectful connection to the land you work, live, and play on. We鈥檙e so proud to support Rising Hearts and their Running on Native Lands initiative鈥攁 commitment to fostering inclusive and accessible outdoor experiences while acknowledging that the land we鈥檙e privileged to enjoy is stolen.鈥�

The collaboration between Rising Hearts and GU Energy Labs represents a commitment to building kinship, understanding, and inclusivity. Rising Hearts spoke about the partnership and the importance of continuously improving and learning from one another.

鈥淐allie is such a shining example of someone who exudes positivity,鈥� said Rising Hearts founder and executive director Jordan Marie Whetstone. 鈥淪he has an inspiring story to share about what motivated her to begin running, and a moment that changed her perspective and way of living to lead a healthier life.鈥�

Vinson鈥檚 journey showcases her unwavering positivity and highlights her transformation, motivating others to lead healthier lives, physically and mentally.

鈥淪he鈥檚 an advocate for self-love and body positivity, something we need to see and hear more of in the running industry and in general,鈥� said Whetstone. 鈥淪he鈥檚 the athlete advocate we look for, want to support, and learn from. This is a continuation of what kinship-building looks like,鈥� said Whetstone. 鈥淲e are always learning from each other and looking for ways to improve for next time. We are just grateful for the kindness, patience, and support from those we have collaborated with in 2022 and now, 2023.鈥�

Vinson鈥檚 experience at Western States is poised to create a ripple effect, inspiring runners and fostering positive change within the running community.

鈥淐allie鈥檚 a true inspiration and exudes joy,鈥� said Camargo, echoing Whetstone. 鈥淪he speaks of the journey to find her confidence and the importance of advocating body diversity and inclusivity within outdoor spaces. We must love and appreciate ourselves and celebrate what our bodies can do.鈥�

Most recently, Rising Hearts and GU Energy Labs have joined forces to capture and share Vinson鈥檚 inspiring journey in the Know To Run series. This is being made through . They have documented Vinson鈥檚 training to compete in a 100-mile trail race, championing body positivity, representation, accessibility, diversity, and inclusivity. The film also embodies the essence of acquiring knowledge, implementing what we learn, and practicing respect as good stewards of ourselves, each other, and the land.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rD9Mz7PMRZI

Vinson鈥檚 Road to the Big Dance

鈥淭his is the first 100-mile race I have trained for with a proper plan and a coach,鈥� said Vinson. Coach and partner was a top-ten finisher in last year鈥檚 Western States.

鈥淲hile I鈥檓 training to just finish Western States with the back-of-pack runners, he鈥檚 training to compete with the leaders,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 been exciting to share the journey with someone else, even if our training looks very different. In the past, I would just do whatever felt right. But having a structured plan and a coach for this training cycle has made me feel really positive about the entire process.鈥�

Vinson鈥檚 training focus for this cycle has been twofold: First, honing in on finding a sustainable pace for the uphills while, second, dedicating substantial time to running form for the downhill sections.

鈥淔or this training cycle, we really focused on finding that smooth and slow pace for the uphills, and then lots of practice was just running form for the downhills because if you don鈥檛 have a great form on the downhill, that鈥檚 going to tear your quads up, and it鈥檚 not going to be a good time,鈥� said Vinson.

Reflecting on last month鈥檚 training camp, Vinson fondly remembered the experience of running on the Western States course alongside a community of fellow runners, immersing themselves in the energy and camaraderie of the trail running community.

鈥淪he鈥檚 an advocate for self-love and body positivity, something we need to see and hear more of in the running industry and in general.鈥�

鈥淚t was so magical,鈥� Vinson recalled of the training camp. 鈥淛ust being out on the Western States course with all these other runners feeling the energy of the whole trail community, and just exploring the lands. I loved how it wasn鈥檛 just people in the race at the camp, but all types of runners who may have been training for a different race or planning to pace a friend for the race.鈥�

Vinson highlighted the significant efforts made by Rising Hearts and GU Energy Labs to advance the sport while fostering awareness and understanding of Indigenous cultures and history.

鈥淲hat Rising Hearts and GU are doing to progress the sport and educate runners on Indigenous cultures and history, I think it鈥檚 so important to build a more inclusive and diverse running industry,鈥� explained Vinson. 鈥淭he fact that I get to play a part in this movement, teaming up to continue to build a more inclusive and diverse community, and also putting my spin on it with body positivity, I think it will be so incredibly powerful for us three to come together and share this journey at Western States and continue to raise the voices and the communities.鈥�

In a broader context, this aligns with Vinson鈥檚 message with others, encouraging individuals to pursue their dreams and embrace endeavors that may initially seem unfamiliar.

鈥淵ou just have to believe you鈥檙e capable of whatever you want to get out of life. This isn鈥檛 a rehearsal for another life,鈥� said Vinson. 鈥淭his is it, so if you just believe in something that you really want to go after, if there鈥檚 something that鈥檚 in your heart that you want to try or you鈥檙e thinking, 鈥楾his isn鈥檛 me, but I want to do this,鈥� go after it. Believe in yourself because you have what it takes to get it done. Just like Western States, it might take everything you鈥檝e got, but you definitely have what it takes.鈥�

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This article is part of 国产吃瓜黑料 Run鈥檚 complete听2023 Boston Marathon race coverage.

Jordan Marie Brings Three White Horses Whetstone is a fourth-generation citizen of the Kul Wicasa Oyate (federally known as the Lower Brule Sioux Tribe), an advocate, filmmaker, and runner, and she鈥檒l be returning to toe the line at the 127th Boston Marathon on April 17, running 26 miles to honor 26 Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW), girls, and relatives with 26 prayers.

Since running her first Boston Marathon in 2016, Whetstone鈥檚 life has transformed into full-time advocate, driven largely by her nonprofit , which has collectively raised over $330,000 for MMIW and community-driven initiatives. Rising Hearts is an Indigenous-led organization committed to elevating Native and community voices through movement.

From Heartbreak Hill to Capitol Hill

In 2016, Whetstone received a Boston Marathon charity bib through , an organization founded by Billy Mills, the Oglala Lakota who earned a gold medal at the 1964 Olympics, in the 10,000-meter race. She ran the race in 3:37:24 that year, a solid effort for a debut marathon. 鈥淭hat was the first time I鈥檇 ever run a marathon, and Boston, of all places!鈥� said Whetstone. Mills has since become a grandfather to Whetstone and her family.

The race set the tone for Whetstone to further explore the intersection of being a sponsored athlete while doing advocacy work in Washington D.C. for Indigenous rights. To turn her love for running into something purposeful catalyzed a new way of seeing and taking real action.

Her 2016 Boston Marathon coincided with the Indigenous-led resistance to the Dakota Access Pipeline at Standing Rock, North Dakota. 鈥淚t motivated me to become an actual community organizer, to literally be the one standing on the soapbox, organizing these marches and rallies, bringing the community together for Standing Rock. My life really changed.鈥�

Though Whetstone gained valuable experience working on the policy side of things in D.C.鈥攚ith the National Indian Health Board and interning for congresswoman Chellie Pingree of Maine鈥攕he was disillusioned by how slow and how predominantly white the Hill was. 鈥淚 was literally met with a congressman who said to me, 鈥榶ou guys still live in teepees, right?鈥欌�� she said.

Eventually, Whetstone landed a job at the as a grants manager, to support Indigenous grantees with their projects, which offered an avenue not only to fight injustice, but to support Indigenous peoples’ flourishing. And this confirmed what she鈥檇 always known made her happiest: being in direct relationship with people.

This led to organizing the first Run, Walk, Prayer for the Standing Rock youth, running over 2,000 miles to D.C. The efforts at Standing Rock connected the dots for Whetstone, between climate change and the injustices incurred by Native peoples, particularly women. When fossil fuel extraction projects are permitted on Indigenous lands, many human right violations follow, defining a direct relationship between extraction and exploitation of both land and humans.

Rising Hearts

After establishing in January 2017, Whetstone has partnered with several organizations, including the National Indigenous Women鈥檚 Resource Center, and has helped donate over $70,000. 鈥淚t鈥檚 great that we show up for our own things because we care that it鈥檚 happening to us, but we need other people outside of our community to learn about this, to understand, to protect us, to advocate with us, to advocate for policy and for change,鈥� said Whetstone.

In 2019, Whetstone returned to the Boston Marathon and ran even faster, finishing in 3:02:11 (6:57/mile pace). Her running and advocacy work deepened since her first prayer run at Boston, and yet through the work she鈥檇 lost hope in people caring. 鈥淚f these panels, if all these opportunities, if tagging people online to get them to learn more about this, if downloading and reading the reports is not enough, then I’m just going to do what I know best鈥攁nd that鈥檚 to run.鈥�

Then, hours before the race started, she had an idea. 鈥淢y mom was coming up to visit and cheer me on and I was like, can you please just find me some red paint?鈥� Her mother did, but it wasn鈥檛 until her husband was driving her to the Hopkinton buses that she thought of the idea of writing the letters 鈥淢MIW鈥� on her body, as well as a red handprint on her face, to represent the silent voices taken. One of them was her cousin鈥擝ritney Tiger.

2023 and Beyond

After her 2019 running of the Boston Marathon, Whetstone attempted to return to the race, but plans changed. First, a series of injuries and, second, the birth of her child. This year, Whetstone makes it clear that the main focus of her run is to take all the attention and media she鈥檚 received since the initial Boston run and spotlight it onto those who need it most.

鈥淚 will be taking the first run [at Boston] and everything that’s come since and redirecting it back into the movement, making sure that the families, or the advocates, or these organizations, can benefit鈥攊t鈥檚 the least I can do,鈥� she said.

Whetstone and Rising Hearts will continue the work, long after the race is over, most immediately on and the upcoming , for National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and Peoples, on May 5. The intersection of the climate crisis and violence against Indigenous peoples will be a main focus of a new film her team is working on. The production will cover her journey, as well as the tokenization of her advocacy work and challenges she鈥檚 felt working with previous sponsorships.

(Watch: , produced by Rising Hearts, on Indigenous artist and ultrarunner, Yatika Fields)

鈥淚f you’re going to sponsor me, you’re not just sponsoring someone who鈥檚 an Olympian,鈥� said Whetstone. 鈥淚 am a community organizer. I am different from the rest of these athletes that you’re used to sponsoring. If you’re going to sponsor me, you have to recognize that you’re sponsoring my community, too. You’re bringing in a whole new community that you haven’t previously done any of the work for, in terms of making it an inclusive space for them to feel part of it. They’re going to trust you because they trust me.鈥�

Whetstone said she has experienced lateral oppression and alienation when calling truth to power. Often, when she鈥檇 address inequities within companies or campaigns that disrespected Black or Brown people, she鈥檇 be shut out of the conversation. Her experience isn鈥檛 the only one, though, and all of this will be incorporated into the film.

But the main purpose of all this work, she says, is to support the Indigenous families and people who need the most help. This year, Rising Hearts was given two entries to the Boston Marathon. Kelsey Long will be running alongside Whetstone, and they are fundraising with a goal of $10,000, .

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The voice and drum of Larry Spotted Crow Mann rang clear as the sun came up in Hopkington, MA on October 11, 2021鈥擨ndigenous Peoples鈥� Day. A member of the Nipmuc Nation, the local elder was invited by the Boston Athletic Association to offer words before the start of their prized Marathon, being run in the fall for the first, and likely only, time in history. His song was offered as a prayer for the safety of runners, spectators, and race officials traversing lands that he and his ancestors have called home for time immemorial. Patti Dillon, the first American (and Native American) woman to break 2:30 in the marathon and three-time Boston runner-up, fired the starter鈥檚 pistol for the elite field a few hours later.

Though dozens of media outlets highlighted the culture, history, and color added to race festivities by Indigenous runners, artists and activists eager to represent on their holiday, the subtitle of one New York Times鈥� lamented a collective loss of innocence and pined for the return of the traditional spring 鈥淧atriot鈥檚 Day.鈥� 鈥淭he focus on Indigenous peoples,鈥� stated the Times, 鈥渁dded an unusual, somber note to marathon weekend, in the heart of a region that has long unreservedly celebrated its colonial history.鈥�

Despite the harsh truths drummed up by 鈥溾�� more and more race directors across North America are choosing to recognize the original stewards of the Lands that host their events. Mega-popular races like the have added acknowledgments to their opening ceremonies. And even the New York City Marathon invited Indigenous Peoples from various Native Nations to honor the Lenape at their opening ceremony last month. Although I wasn鈥檛 there to hear the words offered by Ramapough Munsee (Lenape) elder, Chief Perry, I have absolute confidence that like Spotted Crow Mann鈥檚, they focused on wishing race participants fleet feet and safety鈥攏ot pangs of guilt鈥攁s they crisscrossed the five boroughs.

Blessings and Prayers

It may come as a surprise to some that 鈥渓and acknowledgments鈥� were commonplace at many Native-led running events long before the advent of 鈥淛ustice, Equity, Diversity & Inclusion鈥� (JEDI) in mainstream American culture. And no matter how local, regional and national politics play out, they will continue to be protocol across 鈥淚ndian Country.鈥� Typically offered by a local elder, these words are received by participants before the start of a run as 鈥渂lessings,鈥� 鈥渋nvocations,鈥� or simply 鈥減rayers.鈥� In many cases, visitors from neighboring Tribes do not fully comprehend what is being said because they do not speak the same language as the person praying. But they remove their caps and bow their heads in thanks for the opportunity to glide over the course set before them.

As non-Indigenous race directors grapple with the question of whether or not to include a land acknowledgment as part of their events, I encourage them to engage with Rising Hearts鈥� 鈥溾�� for further perspective and practical strategies for researching and organizing substantive recognition of the First Peoples of the Land. You will also find suggestions on how to be more inclusive of Indigenous Peoples in the future, ways that go beyond checking the box. Spoiler alert: to conduct a 鈥渓and acknowledgment鈥� that doesn鈥檛 come across as performative, you鈥檒l need to engage with and be prepared to compensate Indigenous Peoples. And take note, if local Indigenous community members want to honor the Land in a manner different from what you imagined, listen, and try not to project 鈥淭ribal鈥� identities from other Landscapes onto your collaborators.

The Simple Act of Feeling Thankful

Beyond formal 鈥渓and acknowledgments鈥� organized by race directors, however, I would like to encourage fellow runners (and walkers) to develop their own rituals to give thanks to the Earth each time they lace up. Though I am uniquely privileged to maintain a connection with my Indigenous Land, language, and kin, my capacity to appreciate those gifts is something I have had to cultivate. Running has been my primary tool throughout this lifelong process鈥攁 tool those from any cultural heritage can employ.

Without a sense of responsibility to monitor, safeguard and educate myself about the history of my running paths, I suspect my relationship with the sport would feel rather empty by now. Thinking back to what many might consider the peak of my running career鈥攃ompeting at the Division I college level鈥擨 shudder to remember how many workouts my teammates and I hammered through, fixated on our watches. During these runs, the Land was nothing more to me than an obstacle challenging my performance, simply something to be conquered.

Even during those uber-competitive days, however, I found healing from the Earth through running. Quiet, lonely runs out from my dorm room into Central Park helped me shake off worries about exams and nagging injuries. And although I was crisscrossing one of the most-manipulated Landscapes in human history鈥擬anhattan鈥擨 was able to smell the flowers and feel a renewed gratefulness to be alive. I now understand that this feeling of gratitude was a gift from the Land, and the simple act of feeling thankful was a 鈥渓and acknowledgment.鈥�

Running also offered me an opportunity to reacquaint myself with the Land and culture I grew up with. Working as a summer camp facilitator for , a not-for-profit that has encouraged running amongst Native youth since 1988, I was able to revisit places of my childhood with a new sense of purpose. Instead of getting off the reservation, I focused on relaying my experiences and celebrating the many achievements of Indigenous runners. If there is one thing my affiliation with the organization has taught me, it is that no matter how fast, far, or fiercely you intend to move on any given day, you should always take a moment to think of others and give thanks for your surroundings and abilities.

Today, as I traverse many of the same trails I grew up using, I also take pride in remembering the intermittent streams that have not run for years and the soft dirt trails that once weaved through lots now covered in houses. But I am not special. It鈥檚 safe to say that most religious runners and walkers can recount details about their environment that others never stepped out to observe. These memories are valuable testimonies of changes that affect us all. As a child of the desert, my own 鈥渓and acknowledgments鈥� have become focused on water, with hope that there will be enough for us all moving forward.

Engaging with the Land

On a less anxious note, I would like to remind readers that enjoying the fruit from a tree along your running or walking route is also a form of 鈥渓and acknowledgment.鈥� I鈥檝e rarely felt more thankful to be alive than after methodically dissecting handfuls of apricots with my teeth in the midst of a late summer run. We can all find inspiration in the idea that our knowledge of time-sensitive resources like fruiting trees pales in comparison to that of our ancestors. But those skills are still worth honing today.

Whether or not race directors agree on the importance of formal land acknowledgments, I am hopeful that the larger running community will continue to reflect on our relationship with the Land and further engage with its history. Aside from an appreciation for life itself, this commitment will equip us with the knowledge, conviction, and vocabulary we need to defend our favorite routes for future generations.

Dustin Martin was born on the Navajo Nation in Chinle, AZ. He spent his early years in and around Gallup, NM, and attended high school in Albuquerque. After graduating with a bachelor鈥檚 in anthropology from Columbia University in 2011, he returned home to work for Wings of America. Today, he serves as the organization鈥檚 Executive Director. Apart from continuing to provide access to new levels of competition and education to Native students through running, he is focused on expanding the organization鈥檚 capacity to transmit Indigenous running history and instigate movement amongst youth with no interest in racing.

Please join us in supporting Wings of America so that they can continue to provide Native students with education, inspiration, and access to running opportunities.听

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On Thursday, November 24, tens of thousands will lace up for their local turkey trot. In most cases, these races depict the positive version of the Thanksgiving story while neglecting the tragic Indigenous experience surrounding the holiday. For the last three years, a group of Indigenous runners has sought to change that.

From November 24 through November 27, 鈥攁n Indigenous-led grassroots organization鈥攚ill host the third annual . The run was created to honor Indigenous history, foster allyship, and share the true history of Thanksgiving during Native American Heritage Month.

For the last two years, Rising Hearts has partnered with , a nonprofit dedicated to restoring land to Indigenous communities, to donate race proceeds to the Mashpee Wampanoag tribe鈥攖he group that made first contact with English settlers and has inhabited present day Massachusetts and eastern Rhode Island for more than 12,000 years.

The Truthsgiving 4 Miler originated as a virtual run during the height of the pandemic in 2020 and has since grown with four in-person races. For the first time ever, runs will take place in St. Paul, Minnesota (11/24), Harrisonburg, Virginia (11/24), Washington D.C. (11/26), and Los Angeles, California (11/26) this year.

By hosting the Truthsgiving 4 Miler on Thanksgiving weekend, Rising Hearts founder Jordan Marie Brings Three White Horses Daniel hopes to encourage runners to be open to a new perspective on the holiday. 鈥淲e’re not trying to turn people off or away by saying you can’t do it,鈥� Daniel tells Women’s Running. 鈥淚t’s about reframing your opinion of it and reframing the language around it, which is why we call it Truthsgiving and not Thanksgiving. We want people to understand the true history.鈥�

What Thanksgiving Means to Indigenous People

Generations of children in American schools have been educated on the positive version of the in which Plymouth colonists and the Mashpee Wampanoag tribe shared one of the first autumn harvest feasts, celebrating a 50-year alliance that started in 1621, a year after English settlers arrived in what is now the United States.

However, for many Indigenous people, Thanksgiving is considered a day of mourning and protest. As Indigenous nonprofit shared, the day commemorates the arrival of settlers in North America and the centuries of oppression, land theft, and genocide that followed for Indigenous communities.

鈥淰ery few teachers get a chance to tell students about the massacres of Native tribes like the Pequot that took place in the years that followed. They also do not mention that English settlers robbed Wampanoag graves and stole food from them in order to survive during their first years on this new continent,鈥� Native Hope organizers wrote in a .

While people around the United States celebrate the holiday with turkey and pie, many Indigenous communities lead protests. In 1970, the named the fourth Thursday in November as the National Day of Mourning for Native Americans and their allies. Every year, people gather at Cole鈥檚 Hill in Plymouth, Massachusetts, for an organized rally on Thanksgiving.

How Runners Can Be Better Allies

In the running community, many kick off Thanksgiving with a turkey trot in the morning. As reported in 2021, it鈥檚 the most popular and oldest continuous footrace in America. And the number of participants keeps growing with the exception of pandemic cancellations. According to , more than 961,882 people finished a trot in 2016, up from 684,334 in 2011.

By hosting the Truthsgiving 4 Miler, race organizers hope to encourage runners to be more mindful this holiday season and all year-round. 鈥淲e should be thankful for the food that we’re eating, the roofs over our heads, and the gift of running. But the Thanksgiving holiday carries a heavy weight to it. It’s something we passively accept as just turkey and football, but it’s a lot more than that,鈥� Michael Harralson, founder of ReNew Earth Running, tells Women鈥檚 Running. 鈥淚n my opinion, we should remember the historical context of the holiday, and if we’re going to have a holiday about it, it should be truthful.鈥�

Harralson and the team at ReNew Earth Running will host one of the four in-person races this year at Pike Island, located on the portion of the Mississippi River that runs through St. Paul, Minnesota. 鈥淲herever we are on Native land, there are truths to be told. The race is highlighting the truths about the Thanksgiving holiday, but we’re going to do some truths about the place where we’re holding our event,鈥� Harralson says, explaining that the includes the Dakota peoples’ creation story as well as the tragic 1862 U.S.鈥擠akota War after which more than a thousand Dakota people were forced into fenced confinement.

An Opportunity to Build Community

Those who register for the Truthsgiving 4 Miler are into Indigenous history and support Indigenous communities with year-round , including buying Native, reading books by Native authors, donating to Indigenous organizations, and 鈥渄ecolonizing鈥� the Thanksgiving plate by making Indigenous cuisine, among other recommendations shared by race organizers leading up to the event. They also want to make the race accessible with a reasonable price point (between $25-30) and by providing the option for people to sponsor other runners鈥� participation.

Daniel says the response to the race has been positive with a few exceptions. In its first year, some had negative reactions to the concept of sharing the true story behind the holiday, but they’ve become less vocal in recent years, she says. Many have reached out with their own positive race experiences or shared efforts to start conversations about Truthsgiving at the dinner table. So far, race organizers have raised about $10,000 each year for the Mashpee Wampanoag tribe, in an effort to support a group whose experience needs to be shared.

鈥淭he biggest thing that harms Indigenous people in our communities is the constant erasure, stereotypes, racism, and invisibility that we’re experiencing,鈥� Daniel says. 鈥淭his run is an opportunity to present the true narrative, for people to get a better insight into who we are beyond the racism and stereotypes, and to actually be in community together.鈥�

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The nonprofit organization has been supporting Native youth in running for decades, and now it has launched an elite team. The Wings Elite Program for Native athletes is the first of its kind, and Patti Catalano Dillon has been appointed as the team鈥檚 head coach.

Dillon, a pioneer in women鈥檚 running who is Mi鈥檏maq, has long wanted to see an elite team of Native runners. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a dream come true,” she said. “I鈥檝e been waiting decades for this. Decades!鈥� She has been a member of Wings of America鈥檚 board for the past few years.

In 1980, Dillon became the first American woman to break 2:30 in the marathon. She is a three-time Boston Marathon runner-up and held multiple American and world records. She was one of the first American women to sign a contract with Nike. And she is the first Native woman to do all these things.

The Wings Elite Program鈥檚 first professional runner is Santiago Hardy, a former Wings National Team member who is Din茅. He has moved into the program鈥檚 home base, a building Wings purchased near the mouth of Tijeras Canyon in New Mexico. The program will sponsor more athletes in the future, as it identifies promising runners who meet the program鈥檚 standards.

鈥淔or as long as I can remember, Wings has been talking about the next Billy Mills, or the next Patti Dillon, or the next Louis Tewanima,鈥� says Wings Executive Director Dustin Martin. 鈥淏ut anyone who knows competitive running understands that caliber of athlete, in this day and age, is not really fostered without a very concerted investment and effort not only from that runner, but from their community.”

Martin shares that “in our community, parents and families, first, don鈥檛 necessarily have a full understanding of the commitment it takes to be a professional-level runner, and second, don鈥檛 have the resources that others do.鈥� But the Wings Elite Program aims to help fill that gap.

Running is central to many Native cultures. Although these cultures and practices vary, the elite team offers 鈥渁 training program and a community for elite-level Native runners that really honors their heritage and their history and the communities that they come from and is sensitive to that, in a way that allows them to take part in their culture and traditions and have it be seen as a way to bolster their competitive prowess,鈥� Martin says. 鈥淣on-Native teams and non-Native coaches sometimes see that as a distraction or as a detriment to what an athlete can achieve.鈥�

A Holistic Approach

鈥淚鈥檓 coaching not to just get an Olympian or something like that. I鈥檓 really coaching the whole person,鈥� Dillon says. This includes things like breathing exercises, meditation, and 鈥渆ducating the athlete to be healthy from the inside out.鈥�

Dillon has been coaching Hardy since the summer. Because Dillon lives in Connecticut, most of her coaching will be through Zoom and text. But her coaching is responsive to the athlete鈥檚 needs. 鈥淚 just don鈥檛 write out a program and say, OK, here, do this for the next month,鈥� she says. “It鈥檚 more like a week at a time.” Then, she says, 鈥淚t鈥檚 like, see how you feel. What鈥檚 your pulse? Any aches or pains? This is what we need to do.鈥�

She鈥檚 a believer in building general physical fitness through activities like rock climbing, rope climbing, and trail running. 鈥淚 think what people miss is it鈥檚 more than just running hard or packing in the miles,鈥� she says.

Dillon鈥檚 approach makes her a good fit for this elite team, Martin says. 鈥淥bviously, she understands what it takes and what is necessary, not just physically but mentally and spiritually, to be a world-class runner. But I think her intuition as a runner and as a coach, as I鈥檝e gotten to know her since 2016, just really sticks out to me. And the way that she listens and pays attention to her athletes is just second to none,鈥� he says.

鈥淭his is a fledgling project,鈥� Martin says. 鈥淲ith that in mind, we鈥檙e not trying to hurriedly create a champion in a matter of months. We understand that this is going to take years, so her philosophy of training, when it comes to slow and calculated builds, makes sense.鈥�

The Wings Elite Program is building community around this team. Hardy helps out with a Wings youth program twice a week. 鈥淭he kids love him to death,鈥� Dillon says. 鈥淎nd that鈥檚 really good for his spirits, to be able to mentor the other kids, and have the kids see we have a pro athlete.鈥�

Martin agrees. The elite athletes鈥� involvement in helping 鈥渓ead games and just fun movement for other Native youth twice a week provides an intangible source of inspiration and encouragement that certainly not all elite athletes are concerned with or get the opportunity to engage in,鈥� he says.

Some coaches might see the extra time an athlete spends on their feet leading youth programs as, 鈥溾�榃ell, you鈥檙e skimping on rest, or you鈥檙e not doing what you need to be doing to recover.鈥� But the philosophy of Patti and the philosophy of our training group really would say, no, that provides a spiritual and a moral strength that is more important,鈥� Martin says.

国产吃瓜黑料 of Hardy鈥檚 running, Dillon asked him to watch inspirational movies and attend high school cross-country meets, she explains, 鈥渂ecause you see these kids just run. They try, and it鈥檚 new to them, and they finish, and they look at you like they went to a place they鈥檝e never been before.鈥�

In the long term, Dillon would like to see camps for Native Americans that are similar to those of elite runners in Kenya and Ethiopia. She drew parallels between the ways running fits into these different cultures.

Along with nurturing promising Native athletes鈥� talent, Martin says a long-term goal is 鈥渃oalescing and rebuilding the network of Wings runners and former national team members to provide support for these young talents,鈥� Martin says. This includes 鈥渃onnecting them with former Wings runners and people within our support network all along the way, so that when they are done with competitive running, they feel empowered in a job or a career that they鈥檝e been introduced to through the help of the Wings network.鈥�

A Running Pioneer

As a coach, Dillon wants to cultivate the love of running that she found in an unlikely place when she was 22. It began in a cemetery, where she tried running laps for the first time and made it nearly 7 miles. Although she was in pain, she had never felt anything like it, and she was hooked. She won the first 5-miler she entered. Then, when she signed up for her first marathon, it seemed so daunting that she felt compelled to say goodbye to her family.

Dillon explains that her family was not a hugging family, so she went to her little sister Maureen and asked if she could hug her. Dillon recalls, 鈥淪he said, 鈥榊eah, sure.鈥� And I said, 鈥業鈥檓 gonna do a marathon.鈥� 鈥榃hat鈥檚 a marathon?鈥� 鈥極h, it鈥檚 a race, and it鈥檚 26 miles.鈥� 鈥榃hy are you doing that?鈥櫶� 鈥業 have to.鈥� And she said 鈥極K.鈥� I looked right at her and said, 鈥楯ust to let you know, I may die.鈥欌��

Dillon laughs while remembering it now, but she was serious at the time鈥攕he thought she might die of a heart attack, but she had to do it. 鈥淚t was like a quest or something,鈥� she says.

鈥淏ut I didn鈥檛 die. I won,鈥� she says. She won her first-ever marathon, the 1976 Ocean State Marathon in Rhode Island.

In recent years, Dillon has been coaching individuals privately. She once coached high school runners, and about 15 years ago, she formed a team for homeschoolers, including her daughter and son. It grew to 65 kids and was the first homeschool running club in the country.

She would tell the kids: 鈥淵ou earn it, you own it. And what you get, nobody can take this away from you,鈥� she says. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 what I got out of it the first time I ran.鈥� And ever since, running has been her lifeline.

Dillon鈥檚 mother was Mi鈥檏maq and raised her not to identify as Native, so she didn鈥檛 until later in life. She also realized later, after talking with her daughter, the generational trauma she carried, including seeing her mother beaten regularly.

A movie about Dillon鈥檚 life is in the works, with filming starting next year. 鈥淚鈥檓 hoping that when I share my story, when the movie comes out, that they will see I鈥檓 no special talent, but I did it. And it was out of sheer will and then determination. And then I broke through to something, and it was wondrous,鈥� she says.

Dillon wants people to see that breakthrough and be able to 鈥減arlay it into other things鈥攊t doesn鈥檛 have to just be sports,鈥� she says. 鈥淚f I can help with Native American women, because a lot of us are traumatized, and we carry it on from generation to generation, then so be it. That would be great.鈥�

Last year, Dillon tried to offer coaching to Native Americans who wanted to make it to the Olympic Trials. She received some interest from potential athletes and sponsors, but it didn鈥檛 pan out. So she kept coaching her private clients. And when she was chosen to coach the Wings Elite Program, it felt like what she had been waiting for.

鈥淚 feel that her contributions to the sport, and especially Native country鈥檚 awareness of her contributions to the sport, are still very unsung,鈥� Martin says. 鈥淎nd I hope that with her serving as coach, all of us will be able to appreciate those a little bit more.鈥�

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