At the conclusion of each run, the group often gathers in a circle and several people will speak. Most Friday runs are dedicated: One morning, they ran for a group member whose son had been killed in a motorcycle accident. Another Friday, the run was dedicated to a member whose aunt had died of cancer the day before. They have honored veterans, underdogs and safety for women through themed runs.
On Aug. 12, ProlyFyck adjusted its route, stopping at the corner of Fourth Street and Water Street, where Heather Heyer was killed by a white supremacist who drove his car through a crowd three years earlier. The group stood together, listening to Bellamy speak before they shared a moment of silence.
“I think the social unrest and this awakening to racism for a lot of white people has been a big push of, ‘What are tangible things I can do?’ ” said Emily Keenan, who is white and a regular runner with ProlyFyck. “This is an important place for people to run through new spaces, learn and come together. Especially in a time when it’s hard to do that.”
Sarah Messer, 32, learned about ProlyFyck from her sister-in-law. She decided to show up one morning in late July — and has yet to miss a single run since.
“The energy was so infectious,” Messer said. “They say, no person left behind, and it’s true. It’s so encouraging because everyone cheers loudly along the way. They remind us, ‘it’s about your story and what you’re here to do.’”
Earlier this year, Messer’s father, Rick, was diagnosed with prostate cancer. In November, she asked if a run could be dedicated to him. The group held a Run for Rick, taking pictures and sending him messages of hope and support three days before he had surgery. The outpouring of love, she said, moved him to tears — only the third time she had seen her father cry.
“We hear how people are feeling — they express themselves here,” Jones said. “We have always approached this as a cultural shift: How can we change the culture of Run in this community? We are impacting people’s lives through running. Even people not in the run crew, who are just watching us.”
The Link LonkDecember 27, 2020 at 03:00PM
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With Each Run, a City Shaken by Racism Is ‘Finding the Greater Good’ - The New York Times
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