A searing exposé on the whiteness of running. Running saved Alison Désir's life. At rock bottom and searching for meaning and structure, Désir started marathon training, finding that it vastly improved both her physical and mental health. Yet as she became involved in the community and learned its history, she realized that the sport was largely built with white people in mind. Drawing on her experience as an endurance athlete, activist, and mental health advocate, she explores why the seemingly simple, human act of long distance running for exercise and health has never been truly open to Black people. Weaving historical context - from the first recreational running boom to the horrific murder of Ahmaud Arbery - together with her own story of growth in the sport, Désir unpacks how we got here and advocates for a world where everyone is free to safely experience the life-changing power of movement.

See the Jones Library Antiracism Book List for recommended titles for all ages.

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