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Nikkia Young
Episode 17 • 26th April 2024 • Run Build Grow • Andrew Ware
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Welcome to Run Build Grow hosted by Andrew Ware. Thank you for joining as we explore the communal spirit of running.

In this episode we welcomeNikkia Young. Nikkia brings her knowledge and leadership to this conversation. We talk about her role in the Richmond running community and beyond. This is not your regular community runner. Nikkia sees her role as helping rebuild communities from the inside to help make them more equitable for all persons.

Learn more about the guest or fun things from the episode:

Help Support the RunninRev and Run Build Grow Podcast go to: RunninRev or Run Build Grow website

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Support this Podcaston Buy Me A Coffee : Leave a tip if you enjoyed this episode or become a monthly supporter of the RunninRev Run Club.

(C)Andrew Ware 2024

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I’m Nazar Rybak, as the author of 'Keep Running' www.melodyloops.com/tracks/keep-running/, grants Melody Loops and it's licensees, including Andrew Ware, permission to use this Music.

This Music may be used in commercial and personal projects and in monetized videos (such as Youtube or Vimeo) without paying additional fees or royalties to author. The Music must be used in accordance with the Melody Loops End User License Agreement https://www.melodyloops.com/support/full-license/

License #: 8126583717

Transcripts

Andrew:

Welcome to run, build, grow the podcast that laces up its running

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shoes and dives deep into the heartbeat

of the communal spirit of running.

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I'm your host, Andrew Ware.

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And I am thrilled to take you on an

exhilarating journey where we are

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exploring stories that go beyond

the pavement here at the top of the

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podcast, I would love to encourage

you to support this podcast.

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Support the run and rev network helped

me continue to grow as we share.

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Share these stories of community here

in Hampton roads in Virginia, and

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even all across the country and world.

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I'd love you to begin by

supporting by heading on over

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to your favorite podcasting app.

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Whatever you're listening to this on.

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Make sure you follow or

subscribe to this podcast.

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You can also go and find it on run.

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Build, grow.com.

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And so please help out and leave

a rating and review over there,

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help this podcast to grow and

see how much you are loving it.

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And on that note, I do have to review.

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So one comes from Spotify

and we got dat Frenchy coming

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back in with another review.

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For the last episode with James

Moore, he's had another solid.

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Solid ad from the run rev.

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Really dig the community of running

that he finds and presents weekly.

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Every finish is an individual record,

but born out of a much larger community.

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Thank you so much, Chris.

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What a great shout.

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Thank you so much.

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And then we also have one.

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From Christian Chavez and that name

might sound familiar to some of those.

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And that is because as he will say, here

in this review, I just want to read it.

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Hi.

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I just listened to the Mike couch episode.

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I'm Christian.

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It was an awesome episode and hearing

Mike's thoughts on the race and his

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experience guiding me for those last

14 miles, Virginia Beach and his

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community are amazing best marathon trip.

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I've been on that race.

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Wasn't a PR attempt, but it was a race

I needed for my 55 mile race in may.

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The race is a big part of that goal and

everyone who helped me at Virginia Beach.

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Thank you.

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So thank you, Mike.

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Thank you, Christian.

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For tuning in and letting us know.

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Those are our reviews, but also you

can support by leaving your own review

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and then even you can support by

sharing this podcast with your run

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community, to help this community grow,

to help other people hear the podcast.

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And lastly I'd love it.

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If you had it within yourself to help,

to support me financially, I do have

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over on buy me a coffee.com/running rev.

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You can drop a tip if you really

love a, an episode, or you really

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love this episode, drop a tip

over there, or you can become a

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member with a monthly donation and.

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If you do either one of those things, you

will get a shout out in the next episode.

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And so I would be so eternally grateful

for you to help me just, you know, keep

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the lights on, keep things going, help

me to continue to tell these stories.

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And so without any further

ado, all that out of the way.

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And this episode, we welcome it.

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Nikia Yon Nikia is the president of

the Richmond road runners club in

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Richmond, Virginia, and what a great

and an awesome opportunity for me to

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sit down with her and really gain some

knowledge and understanding, not just

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about Richmond, but about her personal

endeavors in the running community

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and the way that her community and

the community that she has built up,

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surrounded herself, gotten involved

in the way that they are doing things.

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To help bring awareness

to different areas.

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And so you will hear her.

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She has just a laundry list of things that

she does and ways that she is involved.

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And so I'm so excited

for this conversation.

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So let's jump in and hear from Nikia.

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All right.

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Welcome in everybody listeners.

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Today I am joined by Nakia Young.

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Now this is great because

I met Nakia at the Shamrock

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Expo back on Shamrock Weekend.

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It was the first time we met and

immediately I was like, I have got

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to get her on the podcast ASAP.

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And so I was glad that she was

able to get in really quickly.

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So Nakia, how are you doing?

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Nikkia: I'm doing pretty good.

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I'm coming off of cherry blossom

weekend, which is a lot of fun.

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Had a fun meet up there with the game

changers, which I'm excited to talk about.

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But yeah, I'm doing pretty good.

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We're recording this on

the day of the eclipse.

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I'm hoping that that's

some good turnover energy.

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So yeah,

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Andrew: Oh, man.

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And so, yeah, this is great because you

know, my first introduction to Nakia

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at the Shamrock Expo, you know, we

were just talking and chatting and I

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guess a mutual friend of ours, Candace,

was there and we started talking

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about the Richmond running scene.

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Of course, listeners, you

know, that I moved down here

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to Hampton Roads from Richmond.

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And so I just love to be able

to get back to my roots and

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talk to some folks up there.

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Yeah.

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And so Nakia and I connected, but Nakia,

before we get started where are we,

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where are we love to start this podcast

is to hear a little bit more about you.

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So what is your community?

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And again, we just define

it as broadly as you want.

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What is your community

and what makes it awesome?

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Nikkia: there are so many different

communities that I'm actually a part of.

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And when I reflected on that question,

I was like, Oh my gosh, you know,

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like when you think about it, Okay.

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I'm kind of lucky where I started

running in that time and frame where

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like ambassadors started to come across

and like, so like, I have a blended

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community of not only where I currently

live, which is the Richmond Road Runners

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Club scene, but, you know, City Stadium

Runners is a team I love to run with.

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I run with the sports backers half

marathon training team actually.

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Coach the walking team that we just

built out in the last year or so.

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And then I have a virtual community of

runners that not only I run with, but I

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coach so I'm an RCA certified run coach

on top of everything else that I do.

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And so that virtual community is so neat

because, you know, as you start to travel

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and go to different places, you, you

finally get to meet people in person.

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And so like I've got a group of

folks that I'm going to go see out in

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California for the Orange County Marathon.

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I'm gonna, I just this past weekend

at Cherry Blossom got to meet people

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that I've known for four years now

and finally got to meet in person.

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So it's a nice blend.

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I'm very lucky to have like that

virtual piece and that in person piece.

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And then also just being able to support,

be supported and support in that way too.

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Andrew: And so you kind of talk

about the broadness of community.

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And so before we kind of dive into

a lot of these different sort of

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iterations of community that you're

involved in, I want to hear a

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little bit about Nakia, the runner.

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So can we back us up to maybe

the beginning of your running

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journey and what that looked like?

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And even so, because I can't imagine

that your involvement in community

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does not stem from the impact that

community bringing you in had.

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And so can we go back to Nakia the

first time show up at something,

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or what was the beginning roots

of your journey as a runner?

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Nikkia: Yeah, so it's

actually a really fun story.

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I went to college out in Salem, Virginia,

Roanoke College and I am part of a

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sorority and I'm still very much involved

with the sorority and my sorority sisters

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are super active, just, like, like, some

of us are super active and some of us

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were not and we were just so lucky to,

like, have each other in that space.

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But they, a couple of them were

running the Blue Ridge Marathon,

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which is infamous and famous.

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And you know, we're standing at the

finish line waiting for our girlfriends

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to come back through and we're cheering.

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And I'm like, you know what?

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I'm going to do this one day.

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Now, mind you, at this time, I

probably couldn't walk a mile

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well and I was in college.

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And so, you know, I roll into like

the summer before my senior year, I'm

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staying on campus because I'm working

and I'm like, you know what, I'm going

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to just start like running on the track.

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We're just going to start doing the thing.

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I, I've always been.

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but I'd never been like runner focus.

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And we found like a color run that was

happening in Henrico didn't realize at

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the time Henrico basically is Richmond.

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And so ended up training for

five K a couple sorority sisters

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came with me and we did the

color run and it was so much fun.

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And then I started to pick up a couple

of other five Ks done by like the rent,

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the mountain junkies out in Roanoke

when I was finished on my senior year.

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And then when I moved to Richmond,

and people were talking about this

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10k thing, and I'm thinking like,

well, like, a 5k, like, a 10k is like

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double a 5k, like, mm, that sounds a

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Andrew: Mm hmm.

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Nikkia: little much.

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And then, you know, as you fold into

the Richmond running scene, you find out

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that, like, oh, like, this is everybody's,

like, gateway drug into distance running.

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And I trained with a really

neat YMCA training team.

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They were so supportive.

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I was never left alone, even

though I was in the back.

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But you know, consistently it was like,

Oh, you were putting forth the effort.

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You are here every week.

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Like we're going to be here too.

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And so, you know, even then looking

back, I'm like, Oh my God, the impact

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the coach had and several years

later I was running a 10 K I was

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working at running a Turkey trot.

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And I saw one of the coaches that

was like, Oh, you'll be fine.

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And he was like, I'm so ready.

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And he's like, Oh my God, it's so great.

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And then, you know, just one of those,

like, kind of throwback stories.

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But yeah, it was, I'm, I got in kind

of on a whim and, and stuck with

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it is really what it looks like.

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Andrew: And so you had a lot of folks

who were kind of bringing you along

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and I love this sort of connection

to college, you know greek life so

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to say because While I was not in

greek life when I was in college.

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I was not in a fraternity I think we can

definitely look at greek life in colleges

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and see sort of the connection that that

builds and and everything that happens

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in there and so to kind of hear that

that's where it began And that's where

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it really started to to kind of kick off.

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So what other sort of

support have you gotten from?

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From those original, you know sorority

sisters as you've grown in this journey.

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Nikkia: Yeah.

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So, I mean, I, I get sheered along.

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Regularly people reach out.

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One of my favorite things that happens

is like if people hear that I'm coming

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to a place cause I, you know, I'm trying

to do the 50 states like everybody else.

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They're all over, right?

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Sisters live everywhere.

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And so I've had a couple of reach

out and be like, Hey, like let

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me know when you're in New York.

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Like we're gonna, like I'll be on

the course or like I even have stayed

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with sisters and outside of like

even folks I went to college with.

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Because I am involved more

in that like national space.

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So even, you know, Oh,

I'm going to be there.

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I'm going to be in this part of town.

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Like, please come stay with me.

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You know, so definitely like has saved

me a little bit in, in traveling about.

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And I mean, even one friend had me

cracking up cause I was like, Oh,

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like I'm going to Cincinnati and, and

I'm pretty sure Sophie lives there.

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And like, I ended up running the queen

bee out in Cincinnati and the flying pig.

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And both times, you know, I caught

like when I get everything booked,

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I'm like, Hey, Sophie, I'm coming out.

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I'd love to block off at least like

half a day to see you before the

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race or after like, let's hang out.

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And so it kind of has been like not

only traveling, but also kind of

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reconnecting with folks that maybe you

haven't seen in a couple of years either.

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Andrew: So when you're going around and

you're receiving this this support I

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think there's a lot to be said that when

A running journey begins or when a running

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journey is fostered from that kind of

support it really then kind of works its

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way back to the support that you offer and

I and I mean It's it might not be the same

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for all different types of personalities.

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From You seem like a very outgoing

personality, but I can imagine

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that support that you receive.

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How much about your current journey,

and we'll get to that in a minute, but

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how much about your current journey?

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Of being supportive, of being there for

athletes that you coach or being there

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for fellow members of your run club?

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I mean, I'm, I'm guessing you're

attributing that a lot to what

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you experienced in the early part.

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How are you trying to emulate sort

of those experiences that you got

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early on as you're now fostering this

love for this sport in other people?

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Mm-Hmm.

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Nikkia: Yeah, so I will say a lot, like

some of my experiences were not positive.

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And so I wanted to flip that

energy back and provide that

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space that maybe I did not have.

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You know, not everybody is welcoming

to a slower runner in general.

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And I've obviously, I've

gotten slower over the years.

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It's funny because people assume like,

Oh, you'll, you'll keep getting faster.

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You keep getting faster.

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That's not always necessarily the case,

regardless of injury, what have you.

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But I will say like being able

to flip those experiences and be

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like, Oh, or seeing where there's

a gap, not necessarily being like,

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Oh, this wasn't there for me.

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So I'm mad about it.

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But more of a like, Hey, I just

noticed that we are missing a sweeper

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at the end of our race events.

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Let's start having that.

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Like, you know, like what is the impact

of someone that's traveling to an event?

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Not, you know, they

might not know the area.

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They just signed up for

something on a whim.

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We want to make sure

we're supporting that.

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So.

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I'm trying to not only like, you know,

collect and hold on and then push back

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out all the positive, but also see how we

can continue to enhance that experience.

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Specifically what a lot of my focus right

now is the novice or back of the pack

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runner or the runner that's coming back

from maybe an injury or some time off.

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Those are my key core folks right now.

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Because, you know, even with the

half marathon walking team, what's

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funny about the walking team is

there are people on the walking

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team that walk faster than I run.

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And I mean, like they're speedy.

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They run, they walk a 13 minute pace.

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They look like they're

like out on the beach.

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They're having a good time.

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And I'm like, you do realize

that you are very fast.

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And just by changing the word,

Oh, we're half marathon team.

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And by saying, Oh, we're

half marathon walking team.

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Now they feel comfortable

enough to be there.

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Whereas they, they could have

beat the time limit before, right.

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They, But it is that the

intentionality of the word walking

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that made them feel welcome enough

to then sign up and then show up.

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Andrew: Well, and I mean, it's a,

it's a, it is just a huge thing

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in the running community that we

be able to create a space where

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a lot of folks can feel welcome.

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And, you know, it's one of the things

that I often talk about down here with

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like a lot of the j and a races is, you

know, be the person who goes and drops

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a a 16 minute 5K, but also recognize

that there are people out there who

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are doing a 5K in 60, 70 minutes.

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And we recognize that like both

accomplishments are really great in their

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own right and you know to see a lot of

the folks like being there You know, I

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I know even for me when I did my when

I did my half marathon pr at shamrock

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Not this not this past one But the

one before that, you know I still made

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sure and I wanted to be out there like

cheering folks on As they were finishing

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because I mean I did my marriage.

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I did my half marathon I still had to

wait for the first marathon to finishers

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to finish You Let alone like some of

the folks, you know, who are, who are,

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you know, coming in and it's, it might

be the first time they've done 13

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miles, might be their first marathon.

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And, and I mean, those are just such

awesome accomplishments to be able to

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celebrate alongside people, because that's

kind of the space that we want to create.

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You know, it can be so easy to gatekeep.

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An activity.

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Nikkia: simple.

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It's so, and it, and not

intentionally, right.

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Cause that's the thing.

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I think a lot of times, you know,

I, because we work like Richmond

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Roadrunners Club also works with

a lot of other running clubs.

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And then I'm also involved in the RCA,

which is the Roadrunners Club of America.

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And, you know, some of those conversations

that you, they have at the board meetings.

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It's just, oh, wait a minute, like,

are we potentially cutting off a

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population without realizing it?

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And that's why you bring, you know, those

different perspectives to the table.

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And, you know, ask your community,

like, what they want, or trying to,

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like, figure that out, whether it's

through, like, surveys, or, like,

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focus groups, like, trying to figure

out, like, what do people want?

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And even just kind of having an

open ear to the community, right?

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Because, sometimes you get

feedback and you're like, Ooh,

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that's done, but you're not wrong.

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So then you have to, be like, okay,

well, like what can we logistically do?

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That's not gonna, you know,

flame out volunteers as well.

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Cause that's the hard part of

the balance is, what can we do?

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And then what is realistic given

You know, whether it's, you know,

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a race location or time limits,

are we bound by what the, the, the

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files and all that stuff, you know,

permits, are we, what are we bound to?

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And then what can we negotiate?

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Andrew: Yeah.

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And, and to be able to create that space

for folks to be able to experience it,

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I think it enhances even the experience

for everybody throughout the field.

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Whether you're front, middle,

back whether you are, like,

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sprinting jogging, or even walking.

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I mean, I can't tell you how many How

much like appreciation we get from a lot

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of folks in our run club because you know

We have this one guy who started showing

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up early on and he is he is our walker.

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And he's just like hey who's walking

like anybody who's walking and now we

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got like a group of like five or six who

walk, and we even have people ask like,

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Oh, do you have anybody who like, just

wants to walk like one or two miles?

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I'm like, yes, we do.

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And you know, unintentionally you create

things and you're just like, there

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are things you don't even think about.

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And so let's start with

Richmond roadrunners.

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Cause I think a lot of listeners will be

familiar because I have had Chris on and

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I've had a couple of other folks from

Richmond who have come on and, and you're

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one of and you're one of the Richmond

roadrunners or the current president.

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What led to this involvement

in Richmond Roadrunners?

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Was it completely and totally

because you wanted to break through

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and make sure there are space

created for people who are like you?

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Was it more of a, I felt

like, they needed somebody.

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And so I just stepped in.

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So what kind of went into beginning,

because being from Richmond,

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that's probably where a lot of this

more like national stuff begins.

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And so what kind of led to your

involvement with the Richmond Roadrunners?

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Nikkia: So you know, it's

always, it's always fun.

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Cause I am a serial volunteer.

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I am a professional volunteer,

you know, like I have a, I have a

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job job, but I love to volunteer.

345

:

So I still get back to my sorority.

346

:

I still get back to the rec club.

347

:

I still get, there's all these

different places in my life where I'm

348

:

like, you know, while I have like the

freedom, I currently don't have any

349

:

children or a husband or anything.

350

:

So like while I have those things,

that time, that freedom, I want to

351

:

kind of put that energy back into.

352

:

These pieces and parts of the world.

353

:

Right.

354

:

So I had been showing up to a couple

of different races, you know, and you

355

:

don't really realize, especially like

early in your running journey you know,

356

:

you just kind of like, Oh, I looked

up online and it said there was this

357

:

race in this event and you don't really

understand all the organizational pieces.

358

:

Like you don't know the difference

between sports backers and RFC.

359

:

And so I signed up for a couple races.

360

:

I kind of kept showing up and then

they're like, you know, if you

361

:

sign up as a member, you can save

some money and I'm like, Oh, great.

362

:

You know, and at that time, like

I was fresh out of college and

363

:

definitely needed to save money, but

love this whole like writing idea.

364

:

The races were cheap and you know,

you keep showing up and people

365

:

are like, Hey, would you like

to, you know, be a race director?

366

:

And it's like, well, how hard could it be?

367

:

What, you know, what?

368

:

Yeah.

369

:

You know, similar to the

start of my running journey.

370

:

Like, oh, you know, I guess I

could double it and run further.

371

:

It's like, oh, okay, I can put on, I

can, I know how to put on an event.

372

:

I've done that before.

373

:

And so, you know, started as

a race director, was a race

374

:

director for a couple events.

375

:

Even actually did some girls

on the run 5Ks that I put on.

376

:

And I'm now a board member

on that board as well.

377

:

And then you know, just They started

there and then it was like, oh we need

378

:

a treasurer and of course like I was

at the time I was a financial analyst.

379

:

There's a very big difference between

a financial analyst and a like cpa

380

:

bookkeeper type But we got through it.

381

:

Because you know, there's

a lot going on at the time.

382

:

We had over 22 races you know, four

different training teams, just, you

383

:

know, money coming, money going,

we're, you know, moving things around.

384

:

So there's a lot of work there.

385

:

And then when I was treasurer,

the entire executive board,

386

:

except for me, was rolling off.

387

:

And I figured.

388

:

You know, I've been involved, I know

most of the aspects of the club you

389

:

know, not like I can go out there

and do every single one of them, but

390

:

I, I have a general knowledge about

everything that's going on, so I was

391

:

like, I'll run for president and then

we pulled in a full new executive board.

392

:

And that was December, 2019.

393

:

And I'm thinking like, we're going to

do, we're going to change the game.

394

:

We're going to do all these cool things.

395

:

That's going to be so great.

396

:

And March hits and

397

:

Andrew: Oh,

398

:

Nikkia: having to cancel.

399

:

I mean, cause I mean,

spring used to be our big.

400

:

You know, like it's almost every

other weekend we would have an event.

401

:

We've got a winter marathon theme going.

402

:

We, there's so much happening.

403

:

And I mean, we had to cancel and at

the time the guidance had been like,

404

:

don't have virtual events and, you know,

Virginia being as locked down as we were.

405

:

We really couldn't even tell people

to gather together to run together

406

:

because it was like groups of five

or less points of the lockdown.

407

:

So, you know, you're thinking

like, what do we even do?

408

:

Like, are we paralyzed by fear?

409

:

So, once we got the clearance and like,

May, June, we were able to flip a lot

410

:

of our races to be virtual, but of

course that's not what people wanted.

411

:

Right.

412

:

And being president through

that transition was a lot.

413

:

And so I kind of took a big step back

afterward because I was just so flamed

414

:

out from that, like 2020 to 2021.

415

:

I was like, you know what, it's

time I need to take a step back.

416

:

And that's where Rainy actually

came in and kind of, Really bridge

417

:

the gap in a lot of ways, took

more of that nonprofit viewpoint.

418

:

And then for me she kind of

created it to be more of a

419

:

safe space for me to come back.

420

:

So we've kind of been

passing it back and forth.

421

:

But I'm really, I'm, I'm

happy to be back now.

422

:

Cause I feel like we can take all of the,

all of what we learned from the pandemic.

423

:

What we learned from having Rainey's

like non profit structure and then

424

:

seeing how we can kind of layer in

some more Continuity because that's

425

:

the hardest part I can With volunteer

organizations, regardless of what like

426

:

atmosphere of that organization it is

in we're seeing it across the board.

427

:

You know, whether you're on a nonprofit

board, whether you're on a working board,

428

:

it doesn't matter what the cause is.

429

:

Everybody's kind of struggling to either

find volunteers or keep volunteers.

430

:

Because I think a lot of

folks are just burned out.

431

:

So.

432

:

Wanting to make sure that we not

only create a fun space where we're

433

:

providing fun races and events and

groups, but also making sure that we're

434

:

taking care of our volunteers too.

435

:

Because, until May, we will be

completely volunteer run for the

436

:

last, you know, 40 plus years.

437

:

We are hiring our first executive

director, which I really hope I think

438

:

will help with that continuity and

also further support that volunteer

439

:

structure to do all the other things.

440

:

Andrew: And it becomes such an

important role and task to like

441

:

be able to parse everything out To

make sure all the needs are being

442

:

met I remember that time in 2019.

443

:

I was part of race team rva and we

Definitely had a nice little fun

444

:

time trying to figure everything out.

445

:

That was right before I moved to in 2020.

446

:

And so, you're going through this

process as, race directing as treasurer,

447

:

you've been serving as president.

448

:

And so what then becomes this

catalyst for game changers?

449

:

you talk about it a little bit for

women of color and kind of breaking

450

:

through in the running scene, and so,

You bring this experience of being a

451

:

runner you know, as you said, kind of

being more of a back of the pack runner

452

:

but also being a runner who is not often

well represented folks, remember my

453

:

conversation with James, you know, there's

literally a list of black female runners.

454

:

Who have run a marathon in under

three hours and it's like a

455

:

celebrated achievement for black

women because so few have done it.

456

:

So what becomes the

catalyst for game changers?

457

:

What becomes the catalyst

to become a running coach?

458

:

Nikkia: So I think with Game Changers,

what's cool about Game Changers?

459

:

So in 2020 Vanessa, who is fantastic,

and I should Connect you with her because

460

:

she is just a light in this community.

461

:

She actually by this community, I mean

women of color but she actually is out of

462

:

philly but she created a program called

game changers and the program basically

463

:

provides access And equity so that there's

more representation of women of color

464

:

coaches In specifically the RCA space

what a lot of people might not know about

465

:

RCA coaching is that while it is, you

know, you can get classes there are two

466

:

day sessions, but it does have a cost.

467

:

It's usually around 350.

468

:

so that is sometimes a barrier

to like, front load that.

469

:

And then also getting a spot in

some of those classes is so hard.

470

:

You think you couldn't get

into the New York city lottery.

471

:

Try being a certified coach through RCA.

472

:

And I know that they're

working on building out better

473

:

access for that too, right?

474

:

Like it's, it's hard,

475

:

Andrew: i'm only usatf certified

because it is so hard to get into

476

:

an rrca program and, I definitely

understand that side of it.

477

:

Nikkia: which cause in my mind, you know,

it's like, Oh, I could have eventually

478

:

paid the three 50, but like trying to get

into one of those classes was the fight.

479

:

And so providing that availability and

like blocking off a chunk of, of, of spots

480

:

so that women of color could come and

take the class, it makes a difference.

481

:

Like sometimes it's not always.

482

:

Monetary, right?

483

:

I think when we think about access, we

immediately always go to money and money

484

:

is important and groups need money.

485

:

I'm not going to say that you don't cause

everything needs money, but sometimes

486

:

it's literally just making the space like,

Hey, we need 18 people to go through this.

487

:

Oh, okay.

488

:

Let's block it off.

489

:

Let's work with, you know, RCA, let's

work with Randy and the organization.

490

:

So what's really neat about this program

is that it has multiple pieces, right?

491

:

So not just getting the

certification, but providing a

492

:

way to get first aid certified.

493

:

Cause you do need that as part of

your certification, but you know,

494

:

not everybody lives in a place

like Richmond where, you know, you

495

:

got five or six different options.

496

:

You can roll into a you know, a

red cross and get certified today.

497

:

You know, some folks are.

498

:

Further out some people, you know, so

providing that and then also providing

499

:

mentorship and accountability partners.

500

:

So what was really neat about this

past weekend is that I actually got

501

:

to meet my accountability partner.

502

:

She lives out in Oklahoma.

503

:

She's an indigenous woman named Becky.

504

:

And we have been like back

and forth on, on Instagram and

505

:

having conversations since 2020.

506

:

We are part of the original Game Changers

group, and since then, we have built

507

:

out and provided mentorship and support

to over a hundred and eight people.

508

:

Women of color coaches

in the last four years.

509

:

That's incredible.

510

:

Like that is, and that's a

significant statistic, right?

511

:

Cause I think a lot of people

will say like, Oh, there's

512

:

coaches all over the place.

513

:

Right.

514

:

But there is a difference for when you

are certified, you've gone through the

515

:

process, you likely have insurance.

516

:

You, cause you know, I was, I was coaching

long before I was a certified coach.

517

:

And that's very common in Richmond, right?

518

:

You know, we, we just have folks that

are passionate and ready to support.

519

:

And then sometimes having that

knowledge to back you up can help

520

:

you feel more secure in having those

conversations with folks like, Hey,

521

:

not only have I experienced this,

I've also taken these classes, I've

522

:

experienced this with other clients.

523

:

And so having that to

just support is great.

524

:

And I mean, over 22

states are represented.

525

:

We are, we're, it's, it's really neat.

526

:

So.

527

:

I'm excited to see how it grows.

528

:

I currently mentor two women.

529

:

I've been a mentor in the past as well.

530

:

And I plan to mentor as long as I

have the time and energy for it.

531

:

Because, you know, there's not a lot of

spaces to ask those questions, right.

532

:

And, you can get wrapped up in

the internet and Instagram and

533

:

Tik TOK and like, you know, these.

534

:

Fast bits of like, you know,

Oh, well you never do this.

535

:

You should never do that.

536

:

And it's like, well, actually

it really depends on the

537

:

athlete you're working with.

538

:

Cause that's really

what it's about, right?

539

:

It's not necessarily one size fits all.

540

:

And that's the beauty of running, right?

541

:

Is that what works for me might not

work for you and vice versa, but.

542

:

If we find what works for individuals,

you want to grow old with this sport, or

543

:

at least I know I want to, and I'm sure

you do too, you know, so I think that

544

:

sometimes it's, it's nice to be able

to bounce that question or bounce those

545

:

questions and have them answered and

be like, well, how did you set this up?

546

:

And it's like, actually, I didn't plan

to have those things set up, you know?

547

:

I think a lot of times we look on

social media and think, you know, we

548

:

see people's highlight reel or we see

their finished business and we see

549

:

their finished, you know, race prorate.

550

:

I mean, you're like, man,

like I could never do that.

551

:

And so for us as mentors, we kind

of get to tell them that, like, Hey,

552

:

it was not all sunshine and roses.

553

:

I actually had no intention

of taking personal clients.

554

:

But then I was like, you know what?

555

:

There is a need, there is a need for

folks that, maybe they want to run

556

:

coach, but they feel like it's, it's

not for them or they want to run coach,

557

:

but maybe they mostly use Peloton.

558

:

Like there's a very interesting, like

subset of people that are entering

559

:

the run space, not via run clubs or

races that they're running, they're

560

:

connecting from other communities.

561

:

That are kind of in their own bubbles,

which is really an interesting place to

562

:

watch and see and see people like, Oh, I

bought a treadmill and now I'm out here

563

:

doing, you know, 10 K's and half marathons

and fools even, you know, cause I think

564

:

a lot of people don't realize that not

everybody has the luxury of stepping

565

:

outside their front door and then running.

566

:

However long the distance is, right?

567

:

There's even some parts of, of

Richmond where I'm like, I would

568

:

have to, if I lived here, I would

have to drive to the nearest park and

569

:

then I'd have to finesse my route.

570

:

You know, and people need childcare,

people, you know, life, different life

571

:

situations call for different things.

572

:

So I think remembering that community

is not just what you see, but

573

:

it's also all these other factors

that are starting to fold in.

574

:

In our more technological

connection world.

575

:

Andrew: and especially in a city like

richmond that has experienced and

576

:

continues to experience the worst of

undergirded racial oppression, right?

577

:

You know, I mean we can talk with

you know, James and hear all the

578

:

stories of everything that's happened

in Charlottesville but I know

579

:

definitely having lived in Richmond,

you know, a lot of the racial kind

580

:

of things are under the surface.

581

:

They're not as visible as, you know,

white nationalists marching through your

582

:

town but it's, it's more of how the city

is built and so I think being able to Be

583

:

present in the community to show that this

can happen and even to the point of being

584

:

able to create safe spaces for folks to

be able to trust that things can happen.

585

:

And so I want to kind of fast forward

to where we are today when we're

586

:

interviewing of just coming off the back

of the Cherry Blossom 10K or 10 miler.

587

:

Because before we hopped on,

you were talking about being

588

:

up there with game changers.

589

:

You talked about, you know, you said

that you participated in the 5k,

590

:

but you had athletes in the 10 mile.

591

:

And so, you know, covering it from

both aspects of, you know, you

592

:

are a part of this race and you're

representing this brand that is.

593

:

Trying to bust in to the running space

to create space for women of color.

594

:

But then also you are a coach for a

lot of these women of color who are

595

:

coming in and running in this space.

596

:

So from both, so what did it

mean for you to participate?

597

:

In the 5k sort of as an ambassador for

this For game changers and then what did

598

:

it mean for you to also be able to coach?

599

:

Some of the women who are accomplishing

the task of both the 5k and the 10 miler.

600

:

Nikkia: So I actually didn't

coach anybody that was in the

601

:

Andrew: Oh, okay.

602

:

I thought you said you had

603

:

Nikkia: So they're also coach,

they're, they're mentor.

604

:

So I'm actually, I'm mentoring other

coaches, which is a very neat spot.

605

:

Cause coaching the coaches,

you know, coaches need coaches.

606

:

I think a lot of people assume like.

607

:

Once you become a coach, you're

like, Oh, I'm good to go.

608

:

No, no, I highly, I coaches probably

need coaches more so than people that

609

:

are just out here living the dream.

610

:

But I will say like being there

and representing and there was

611

:

a really neat moment at the 5k.

612

:

I couldn't make any of the meetups because

I just was struggling to be time bound.

613

:

But I got into the crowd.

614

:

We're talking to people we've, you

know, I had met up with someone else

615

:

from Richmond who is not in the program

and she was like walking in her boot.

616

:

I was like, you know what?

617

:

I will walk with you.

618

:

That is fine.

619

:

I did my long run on Friday.

620

:

So we had a conversation.

621

:

We're standing in there.

622

:

We're talking.

623

:

And I turn and I look behind me

because the corral was a little

624

:

packed on the 5k situation.

625

:

And I looked at, and I'm, I'm looking

in this woman's face and I'm like,

626

:

I know you, you know, and of course,

like you, you gather all these faces

627

:

and people over time and you're

like, Oh, and I did a double take.

628

:

And then the other woman that was standing

with her goes, Hey, you're Nikita, right?

629

:

And I'm like, I am.

630

:

And she's like, you're a game changer.

631

:

I was like, yes, because I could not

place them because, you know, everybody

632

:

looks different when we've been meeting

on zoom screens for the last four years.

633

:

And then you turn, I kept turning.

634

:

And then there's two more people.

635

:

So another one's a game changer.

636

:

She's also an ambassador

for cherry blossom.

637

:

And then you've got pray

love DC or eat, run, pray DC.

638

:

And I'm like, girl, I haven't seen

you since, you know, Richmond.

639

:

And it's so funny because once again, I've

met most of these people virtually, I've

640

:

not met many of these people in person.

641

:

So it's just so funny to have

like that presence of like,

642

:

Oh, people do know who I am.

643

:

Right.

644

:

Like and feeling comfortable in that.

645

:

Cause I think a lot of folks don't,

you know, Either they're trying to

646

:

like, oh, I'm just going to focus on

the race, but then like having that

647

:

like, oh, that's just such a nice

way to like, start an event, right?

648

:

Is, oh, like people, you know, people

around you, you may not have started

649

:

the race with like, maybe like

get past the start line with them.

650

:

But be like, so good seeing you.

651

:

Like, I'll see you at the panel.

652

:

I'll see you at the thing.

653

:

That connection was really kind of a

nice way to like start that and then

654

:

seeing folks on the course being able

to like point out and be like, Hey,

655

:

like I'll see you in a couple minutes.

656

:

Like I'll see you at the finish.

657

:

And, and it was just, it was, it

was a lot of really good energy.

658

:

Andrew: Mm hmm.

659

:

Nikkia: And I love, I love

meeting people in corrals.

660

:

Like I love having like little

conversations with folks.

661

:

But then like, just be like, Oh,

this is a good way to, to reconnect

662

:

with folks and see folks in person,

which is, you know, so different.

663

:

Andrew: And I mean, it's, it's just so

interesting how that connection almost

664

:

happens just organically sometimes

how, you know, they, they shove us

665

:

in these corrals with 5000 people.

666

:

And we're able to kind of, at

some point in time, meet 2 or 3.

667

:

And then even along the course, it's

like, it's not shared trauma, but there's

668

:

something that's shared about the journey.

669

:

And to be able to, to be able to

gather together and to be able to

670

:

do that and to be able to grow along

the process with others around us.

671

:

And so as you're, as you're looking out

and you're kind of reflecting on both kind

672

:

of where you've been and sort of even,

you know, what happened this last weekend

673

:

at Cherry Blossom, you know, what's

happened at, at Richmond and all these

674

:

other races, you look towards mentoring.

675

:

You know, what is the,

what is that difficulty?

676

:

What is that struggle?

677

:

What are those, what are those things

that, that you just, you want to, you want

678

:

so bad for them to, to be there as you

continue in, in working in this space?

679

:

Nikkia: I personally, I will stand

on this soap box all day long.

680

:

I want longer time limits.

681

:

And I mean that in the

nicest way possible.

682

:

Now, also as a race writer, I do

recognize that you are at the limits of

683

:

what the police allow you to do because

the permits and the roads, I get it.

684

:

I don't want people to,

you know, I get that.

685

:

I understand that.

686

:

And I've actually been the guest

to like, help explain that.

687

:

Cause right.

688

:

People are like, you can

leave the roads open all day.

689

:

And I'm like, actually like, here's

the story and here's how much it costs.

690

:

And, and, you know, so I, I, but

I would love for things to be

691

:

more 18 to 20 minute time limit.

692

:

And here's why.

693

:

Not only because even though I've been

running for 10 years now, I still, I, I

694

:

hang out in that 17 to 18 minute pace.

695

:

But also because I think that if

people had more time, they would feel

696

:

more willing to hop into an event.

697

:

And you know, you always need that

gateway event for some folks, right?

698

:

Like, no, granted, it does

not matter what race it is.

699

:

I am going to be passed by a

woman with a stroller and usually

700

:

one to two children in it.

701

:

I am going to be passed by a 75

year old man in a pair of jeans.

702

:

It's going to happen.

703

:

I mean, like, it is impressive.

704

:

It's one of those things where you're

like, I want to be you one day.

705

:

But, you know, I would love

to see longer time limits on,

706

:

on the longer events, right?

707

:

You know, barring that it doesn't

disrupt traffic and things like that.

708

:

But I would love to see longer terms

on some events because I think what

709

:

happens is that When we think of that

time limit, especially as like race

710

:

organizers, people have a tendency

to try to rush the end to remember.

711

:

We want to have the same experience and

the same excitement for the front, right?

712

:

Celebrating running excellence.

713

:

I, I want to celebrate it.

714

:

I love that people are fast and are,

you know, and are out there winning.

715

:

I also want to make sure that

my folks in the back are.

716

:

Also being supported also have fuel also

have water also, you know If you have

717

:

this niche thing on the course, like

for example, like the norfolk harbor

718

:

lights race, you know Oh, we have pie

at this event and they did have pie for

719

:

the back You know it makes a difference

because I think what a lot of folks

720

:

When they look at pamphlets and stuff

and they're like, oh that looks like

721

:

so much of a good fun experience But

when your experience ends up not being

722

:

what the pamphlet says You It hurts.

723

:

You feel like you didn't

get what you paid for.

724

:

And then it also kind of steers you

away from maybe even trying something

725

:

else in your own local community

if you traveled for something.

726

:

So that is my, that is my one

thing that I was like, I would

727

:

love to see us change more.

728

:

So I would also love to see

less fat phobia, like less

729

:

focus on the runner body.

730

:

What if people can't figure out

I'm a plus size black woman.

731

:

I am I am large And in charge, but I I

feel like you know, you know, even if

732

:

it's just like being able to find Fitness

clothing that fits well and fits well

733

:

consistently like I think a lot of folks

like oh, we'll just lose the weight

734

:

It's like well you need something to

wear While you're on your way to losing

735

:

the weight like there's so many pieces

and you know It can get expensive like

736

:

we're very like we're lucky to have some

of those like discount brands But you

737

:

know even just thinking about oh you

you signed up for a race And the largest

738

:

race shirt is like maybe a men's large.

739

:

Andrew: Yeah.

740

:

Nikkia: what does that tell me about

my belonging in this community?

741

:

Right.

742

:

Or, you know, the sizing is terrible,

but I feel like that's also a, I

743

:

feel like everybody feels that way.

744

:

Like, I don't

745

:

Andrew: That's a

746

:

Nikkia: what size you are.

747

:

Andrew: Yeah.

748

:

Nikkia: you know, making sure that like,

Oh, like, you know, maybe it does cost

749

:

a couple extra dollars, but is that,

Folding in more people because what's

750

:

the best way to market an event, right?

751

:

Is that the shirt that you provided

gets worn again, maybe to another event,

752

:

maybe to something else but you know

just remembering those things about

753

:

belonging and remembering like, you know

Just because a body looks a certain way

754

:

doesn't mean that it isn't capable, right?

755

:

I'm so grateful that this body in its

current form Has carried me hundreds

756

:

of miles, maybe over a thousand at

this point, you know, and, and the,

757

:

the things that it does, I can lift,

I can run, I can do all these things.

758

:

And a lot of us are grateful

for where we're at today because

759

:

people don't know, you know, you're

seeing what you're seeing today.

760

:

You're not seeing the whole journey.

761

:

So I think a lot of times people are quick

to be like, Oh, well, you'll get there.

762

:

And it's like, what's there?

763

:

Andrew: Yeah,

764

:

Nikkia: I am here.

765

:

This is me today and I'm going

to love me today and I'm going to

766

:

hope I'm going to continue to build

and work and grow for tomorrow.

767

:

But you know, it's okay to love

today and love where we're at today.

768

:

And not always be

necessarily striving for.

769

:

What else?

770

:

Right?

771

:

Because that can also flame us

out from that runner mindset.

772

:

Andrew: And again, it becomes a barrier.

773

:

And, and I think what I want to see

more than anything in this community

774

:

is that we kind of get away from these

barriers of what we think a runner

775

:

should look like and what we think a

runner should act like, and I mean,

776

:

Walkers like y'all are runners like I

don't care you're participating in the

777

:

same events we're doing you're doing

the distance It's taking you two three

778

:

times the time like I cannot tell you

how much respect I have for people who

779

:

are doing marathons and it's taking them

seven or eight hours Like you are out

780

:

on that course for So long in enduring

everything and and I mean, it's a it's

781

:

a testament to how much Care is given.

782

:

How big of a desire for you

all wanting to be there?

783

:

Whether you want that to to be your PR

forever or you want to better it like

784

:

You're out there doing the thing and you

know, I always I get irritated when people

785

:

are like Oh, you know, you'll get faster.

786

:

You'll get stronger and i'm like, you know

for me I have ways that I push myself and

787

:

yes, like someday i'd love to run, you

know x in a half marathon or 10k but I

788

:

think that also like you said like there's

so much Respect That needs to be put on

789

:

being happy where you are and The progress

that you do eventually make being made

790

:

because it's just it's something that you

want to do Not because it's a pressure

791

:

that someone else is putting on you I

think of how many folks are in that space

792

:

of trying to Make sure that folks feel

welcome in their running spaces And so I

793

:

wonder, you know, I mean, you talk about,

you know, making sure that from front to

794

:

back, you know, we don't have we don't

have, you know, quickest finish times.

795

:

I don't know.

796

:

Like you cannot run this race unless

your 5k is slower than 25 minutes.

797

:

You know, we don't have that.

798

:

And again, like, there are other

logistical things that go into those

799

:

kinds of things, but are we even asking

the questions of how are we making

800

:

this space as inclusive as possible for

anybody who wants to participate because

801

:

we don't want to be we don't want to

be the reason and like, you know When

802

:

I talked to john lamagda at rain, etc.

803

:

And i've talked to to jeff at lucky

road as well It's you know When we

804

:

think about the places where there can

be gatekeeping like those are the most

805

:

important places to make sure that things

are inclusive It's like, you know We

806

:

need to make sure that we're creating

space for people to feel like they can

807

:

participate in this activity because,

whether they, I mean, and then even

808

:

whether they lose weight or not, like,

I, I cannot tell you, I mean, I'm not,

809

:

I'm not skinny by any means, I'm also

not like fat by any means, if you look

810

:

at my BMI, I'm obese, but like, you know,

I carry a good bit of dad weight, and,

811

:

and I've just gotten comfortable with it.

812

:

I mean, I had someone ask me

like, what's your racing weight?

813

:

I'm like, well, I don't really know.

814

:

Like, that's a malarkey thing.

815

:

But it's like, I feel comfortable here.

816

:

If I'm going for a big PR, yeah, I'll

slim down, but only really because

817

:

I'm running so much mileage and speed

work, but also, I think the better

818

:

question is like, are you having fun?

819

:

And what that looks like?

820

:

Nikkia: Like joyful movement is

literally, I mean, 'cause you know,

821

:

maybe running, walking, whatever

is like not for somebody, right?

822

:

But I, I'm always like, look, find

what, make what gives you joy.

823

:

And then do that and then, you

know, and, and enjoy that movement.

824

:

It doesn't have to be

for anything, you know.

825

:

Because we all know, like, oh, we've

gone out for a walk and been like, wow,

826

:

I do feel better, you know, like, or you

go out and you, you take a Zumba class

827

:

and you're like, you know what, I almost

didn't do that, but that was a good time.

828

:

And so I, I want people to really just

fall into this, like, movement that feels

829

:

good just for the sake of feeling good

and having a good time and like, you know.

830

:

That helps with all those health

outcomes that people are so, so worried

831

:

about on the internet about people

and strangers that they don't know.

832

:

But you know, like, it's just, I feel like

we have to bring the joy back to running.

833

:

I think it's made a resurgence.

834

:

I think race cations, I think run crews,

I think run groups are helping with that.

835

:

But really just remembering like,

Oh, This is supposed to be a hobby.

836

:

This isn't supposed to like, I'm not

supposed to tie my morality to this.

837

:

You know, I'm supposed

to be having a good time.

838

:

Like I, I, I'm not getting my,

usually you're not getting your

839

:

health insurance from this situation.

840

:

Or you're not, you don't need the

prize money to, to feed your family.

841

:

This is a hobby.

842

:

And so I think we have to

remember that piece of it too.

843

:

Right.

844

:

It's like we're, we're supposed

to have an enjoy ourselves.

845

:

And also you want it to be a

longterm or at least I know I want

846

:

it to be a longterm thing, right?

847

:

I want to be able to do this.

848

:

Until I literally qualify for Boston

by age alone just living long enough,

849

:

Andrew: say.

850

:

understand.

851

:

I don't understand why I have to do all

the work to meet a boston qualifier.

852

:

I feel like the boston qualifier

needs to do a little work as well

853

:

Like I don't mind getting to a certain

point but at some point in time we're

854

:

going to need to meet in the middle

855

:

Nikkia: we're going to

have to meet in the middle.

856

:

Like, and it's not having

it with that fundraiser.

857

:

Cause I know somebody in Richmond.

858

:

Who has raised over 16, 000.

859

:

And I'm impressed.

860

:

I am.

861

:

I'm very impressed.

862

:

But that is literally someone's full time.

863

:

That's a full time job.

864

:

If you're, you're running a

marathon and fundraising full time

865

:

job, I, you are better than me.

866

:

Andrew: no, I think this is a, I

mean, this is just a, this is a

867

:

whole conversation that kind of

leads us down the path of, what does

868

:

the future of running look like?

869

:

You know, I think when we look at the

resurgence of the running boom in the 60s

870

:

and 70s, you know, we see this hopeful

optimism of just, you know, running being

871

:

a pathway to quote unquote, healthiness.

872

:

But we don't see it as a way of living.

873

:

And I think we're starting to see

that kind of shift and transform.

874

:

And as much grief as

they get for doing it.

875

:

When I interviewed Jay and Amy, they

talked about getting rid of prize money

876

:

at Shamrock and they talk about it being

one of the best decisions because they

877

:

could invest more money in the fun parts

of the race, they could, they could

878

:

put money in the fun parts of the race,

making sure that there was a lot of

879

:

course support that people are on the

course with water stops or cheering,

880

:

like right, creating the run club alley.

881

:

And then even putting a lot of money

into their after parties where people

882

:

can celebrate the fact that they did

the thing and they crushed the thing.

883

:

It doesn't matter where they finished.

884

:

And so I, and so I wonder as we, as

we move forward, and as we look at the

885

:

landscape of what running looks like.

886

:

We talk about what it means to be more

inclusive and creating, wider finishing,

887

:

not standards, but wider finishing

openings for people to be able to take

888

:

longer in races, if that's their ability.

889

:

We talk about, the access to things,

just the things that we need to run.

890

:

Running is a simple sport.

891

:

It does only need a good pair of

running shoes, but at some point in

892

:

time, The good pair of running shoes

is only going to take you so far.

893

:

And so you do need some of the other

stuff to kind of continue the journey.

894

:

And so how do we make

that stuff accessible?

895

:

So as you look at this, as you look

at this landscape, and as you think

896

:

about maybe, where you're going in the

future, not just with game changers,

897

:

not just with Richmond Roadrunners,

but as you think about going into

898

:

the future, and you think about these

accessibility things, you talk about

899

:

your hopes, you talk about dreams.

900

:

What is the dream for Nikia?

901

:

Who is nikia?

902

:

Who do you want nikia to be?

903

:

On the run and not necessarily

like you're running races, but

904

:

just like in the running space.

905

:

Who do you see yourself

being in this space?

906

:

Yeah,

907

:

Nikkia: I would love for people to

see me, not only as a like wealth

908

:

of knowledge in, in the sport and,

and recognize that that doesn't

909

:

necessarily mean like, oh, like Yeah.

910

:

Oh, it's because she won X, Y, Z.

911

:

Right.

912

:

My, I would hope my accolades

are more tangible than that.

913

:

Right.

914

:

My accolades would be that I left the

running scene, whether it's Richmond,

915

:

whether it's a national scene better

than I found it, that, you know, you

916

:

know, you think about like, what are

they going to say in your eulogy?

917

:

And maybe that's a very morbid thing

to say, but like, you know, I want that

918

:

to be like, Hey, she, she, she wanted

and fought for and tried to, you know,

919

:

Build out the process and the policies

and all those things to try and better

920

:

support that next generation of runners.

921

:

And it doesn't necessarily need to

be runners that look like me, right?

922

:

Because if some, for example, I

feel like a lot of people have

923

:

seen me and been like, okay, if

she can do it, then I can do it.

924

:

Like, and it, and I'm not barred,

like, getting into, like, the

925

:

inspiration, like, you know, that, cause

sometimes that can get a little icky.

926

:

But I think that sometimes you

don't realize what people need

927

:

to see until they've seen it.

928

:

So, if by seeing me out there and

being like, hey, I, I've done this.

929

:

This is where I was at being

honest and open about my journey.

930

:

And then that impacts someone else to

either just give it a shot just to try.

931

:

I just want to leave this running

space better than I found it.

932

:

And not even saying that is bad, right?

933

:

Cause who would stick

around if it was that bad?

934

:

So, you know, leaving things better than

I found them is really kind of the goal.

935

:

And it's a running theme

through my entire life, right?

936

:

Is that I want to make sure.

937

:

Not only are we making space for that

next generation, but making it more

938

:

enjoyable for that next generation, making

it a space where people feel like, oh,

939

:

they walk in and it's not a question.

940

:

It's not, where did you come from?

941

:

It's not, who did you support?

942

:

It's, oh, they're here.

943

:

And that's what I hope

for, for the future.

944

:

Andrew: yeah, and I mean, you even

talked like early on, like you're, you're

945

:

beginning to run journey was not the

best, like you, you, you had some ups and

946

:

downs and I think that, you know, there's

places for all of us to learn in that,

947

:

like, okay, it doesn't need to be perfect,

but I think we can always be striving

948

:

to make it better than what it is.

949

:

And so what that means for us as

we move forward, I mean, I love

950

:

just the visibility of everything,

like, We need to be out there.

951

:

We need to be living.

952

:

We need to be existing.

953

:

We need to, like James said,

we need to take up space and

954

:

not be afraid to take up space.

955

:

So I mean, it's, I mean, it sounds simple.

956

:

I mean, it kind of is, but it's

also like incredibly difficult.

957

:

So, all right, well, let's, let's hit

these end of podcast questions here.

958

:

So Nikita, what is your

favorite race distance?

959

:

Nikkia: Ooh, you know, the half

marathon, absolutely, because you can

960

:

still, you can, you can run your race

and still party through the afternoon.

961

:

Get that early bedtime.

962

:

Andrew: What is your favorite

thing to eat post run?

963

:

Nikkia: Ooh.

964

:

Okay.

965

:

So there's my bougie meal is steak frites.

966

:

I love, it just feels like it nourishes

you, it gets everything back to you.

967

:

But yeah, steak frites is the,

the post like long run meal.

968

:

Andrew: What is, what is

something interesting that

969

:

has happened to you on a run?

970

:

Nikkia: there was one time when I was

training for one of my marathons and I

971

:

had left my neighborhood and I live in

South Side of Richmond, Forest Hill.

972

:

And I saw some guys that were

doing like the sanitation work.

973

:

They aren't normally out on Saturday,

but they were out this day and they

974

:

saw me and they waved and they were

like, yeah, good job, good job.

975

:

And that day was one of those long days.

976

:

And so I was out on like,

I ended up on Grove Avenue.

977

:

Cause it was, it was a long day.

978

:

So I had gone like across the

river a little bit and into some

979

:

neighborhoods and they were there too.

980

:

And they were like, were you

the person we saw earlier today?

981

:

I was like, yeah, it was me.

982

:

And they were like, you okay?

983

:

But it was just really nice.

984

:

I would say we're very lucky.

985

:

Our, our sanitation workers in

Richmond are very, very friendly.

986

:

So

987

:

Andrew: all right.

988

:

And then last question, why

should someone find and join

989

:

their local run group for a run?

990

:

Nikkia: it will open up

an entire world to you.

991

:

Let me tell you, I, if someone had

told me that most of my friends would

992

:

end up being my parents age that, you

know, that these people not only will

993

:

run with you, they will cry with you.

994

:

They will laugh with you.

995

:

They will take you to the

hospital when you need it.

996

:

They will use their run stores

trailer to move you from your

997

:

first apartment to your first home.

998

:

Thanks Jeff and Desiree.

999

:

The Lucky Road trailer has moved

furniture to my house more than once.

:

00:53:19,716 --> 00:53:22,156

So, you know, it's that

kind of stuff, right?

:

00:53:22,156 --> 00:53:25,136

It's more than just a, oh,

I run with these people.

:

00:53:25,136 --> 00:53:28,756

Like, they are, they are weaved

into the fabric of my life.

:

00:53:28,796 --> 00:53:31,836

And, you know, it's so funny

because my mom's like, You know, I

:

00:53:31,836 --> 00:53:34,126

always, she prays over her children.

:

00:53:34,126 --> 00:53:35,086

She prays over all of us.

:

00:53:35,086 --> 00:53:37,556

And she was like, you know, one

of the things I prayed for sending

:

00:53:37,556 --> 00:53:41,766

you to Richmond was that you

would have a, you'd have support

:

00:53:41,786 --> 00:53:42,876

and you'd have a support system.

:

00:53:42,876 --> 00:53:45,236

And I'm like, I probably couldn't

have paid for a better one.

:

00:53:45,236 --> 00:53:48,386

So clearly the prayers worked

cause they have been there.

:

00:53:48,576 --> 00:53:51,066

And it doesn't matter how

long between you see people.

:

00:53:51,516 --> 00:53:54,566

They you know, when you do catch them

at that event or you see them again

:

00:53:54,566 --> 00:53:56,316

and like, Hey, what you doing next?

:

00:53:56,316 --> 00:53:56,736

I don't know.

:

00:53:56,736 --> 00:53:58,986

You know, it's just, it's so different.

:

00:53:58,996 --> 00:54:01,536

And I know that, you know, everybody's

like my run comes the best, but I

:

00:54:01,536 --> 00:54:06,366

will say Richmond's running community

is, has come a long way, even in

:

00:54:06,366 --> 00:54:10,966

the last 10 years and I'm excited to

see where it heads for the next 10.

:

00:54:12,211 --> 00:54:17,581

Andrew: And I mean, I think that that is a

wish that just about any community has is,

:

00:54:17,582 --> 00:54:22,576

you know, It's, it's interesting having

moved from, you know, Richmond to Hampton

:

00:54:22,576 --> 00:54:26,816

roads and having left Hampton roads, you

know, I grew up in Hampton roads, a group

:

00:54:26,816 --> 00:54:30,236

of GB since I often talk like the Hampton

roads I left is not the Hampton roads

:

00:54:30,236 --> 00:54:34,316

that came back to and the Hampton roads

that came back to had such a great space.

:

00:54:34,316 --> 00:54:39,686

But then you also have Richmond who like

really just re fostered this whole love

:

00:54:39,706 --> 00:54:43,906

of running just because of the people

around there who created the space.

:

00:54:43,906 --> 00:54:48,226

And so, you know, I love that

sentiment because you never know.

:

00:54:48,691 --> 00:54:50,171

Where this journey is going to lead.

:

00:54:50,181 --> 00:54:54,061

But I think when we start to look at it

now, like we hope that the answer is,

:

00:54:54,061 --> 00:54:58,281

is that when they come and they join

us, they will see a place that they know

:

00:54:58,281 --> 00:54:59,551

it's going to lead to something great.

:

00:54:59,571 --> 00:55:02,481

So well, Nikia, thank

you so much for joining.

:

00:55:02,721 --> 00:55:06,731

I mean, this is probably not going

to be the last conversation we have.

:

00:55:06,741 --> 00:55:07,871

I do not think so.

:

00:55:07,911 --> 00:55:10,491

I think we're going to have to get

you back probably after Richmond

:

00:55:10,501 --> 00:55:12,111

and have a lot more conversation.

:

00:55:12,561 --> 00:55:13,981

But Nikki, it's been great having you on.

:

00:55:13,991 --> 00:55:14,911

Thank you so much.

:

00:55:15,526 --> 00:55:16,346

Nikkia: Thank you.

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