Richmond-based Black Girls RUN! receives $10K IFundWomen and Neutrogena grant | Richmond Local News

Because of the leadership role Black women typically play in their households, Alexander said, it’s important for them to be healthy and active and to break those trends.

“We make a lot of the decisions,” she said. “So, if we’re out running, being active, making a priority that we’re eating healthy, then very often our family will follow those footsteps as well.”

Alexander said the organization started gaining national attention and “grew like grass fire” between 2011 and 2012 when people started seeing Black women running together in an activity typically dominated by white men.

“It literally just became a grassroots movement because people started seeing Black women running,” she said. “You know, not in the traditional sense of track and field, but your 5ks, your 10ks, half marathons and so forth.”

Alexander grew up in an active family and played basketball when she was younger. But, in her 20s she stopped working out. She not only felt uncomfortable with the weight she gained but also started experiencing high blood pressure and headaches.

So, she started running, “fell in love with the pavement” and was introduced to BGR! within a year of getting back into the activity.

Around two years ago, Alexander weighed the most she ever had when she was pregnant with her son, at more than 300 pounds, but throughout the past two years she’s been able to lose around 130 pounds by running.