Whenever I look back to see when I last posted something I feel like, well, that's not so bad. I generally try to post something at least once a week unless something prevents me from meeting that modest goal. Generally, life gets in the way. Kids, crazy schedule, that flipping dog, I got tired, Sam failed to pick up the slack so I had to, crazy as this may sound, do the work of more people (which is what most wives do anyway, but sometimes, that gets to be a bit much for me, and I drop one of the balls that I miraculously seem to keep suspended in air 85-90% of the time).
In all honesty, I don't recall when I last posted something, but my suspicion is it has been over a week, perhaps two? For that I do apologize. Its not that I haven't been thinking about topics to share and discuss. I frequently think that if I could pop a little something-something real quick like from what's in my head, life would be so much easier.
I kind of want to continue where I left off about Alabama because I felt that I didn't really explain myself well with my heading: where are my people at? Since I am a huge fan of clarity, allow me to back track so things are clear so that way we can move forward, together.
It's been a couple of weeks since our trip to Alabama but while we were there I ran with my cousin Thelma. Thelma has been a runner for years and she has entered many races in Alabama. Although there are many more Black people in Alabama, the Black people there don't enter races in large numbers. Thelma said she had entered a race and won for her division and as she was walking to collect her prize people were looking at her puzzled like 'where is she going?' or since its Alabama, 'where's she dun go'n?' Thelma said they did not expect her, a Black woman to walk up there to get that medal. Other races she'd enter, others would ask her what she was doing. I guess that whole one foot in front of the other at a fast pace was not an obvious indicator that she was running??? Now Thelma had resorted to telling people that she entered the race. Thelma did tell me about efforts to get Black people out walking/running, but to appeal to people you can't ask them to wake up at 5:00 a.m. because people still love to sleep and their weekends are their only time to do that. So although 5:00 a.m. in Alabama may be the best time to go for a run/walk in the summer, to be appealing, the time must also be appealing, so you set your clocks for 9:00 a.m. Looks good on a flyer or a poster, but feels like sh*t if you're running because its so frigging humid! Thelma told me about a race she entered that didn't start until 10:00 and had hills: WTF!! No thank you. Just donate to the cause and stay at home. Thelma said she was so sick from the heat, but that's how you appeal to the people. Even when Thelma and I went running on the trail--at 5:30 a.m., I saw two other Black runners, and a handful of Black walkers, a gaggle of White runners. Thelma joined Black Girls Run in Alabama (primarily for the blinged out shirt) so she sees at the very least these runners/walkers when she enters events.
I enter races and I often find myself looking around to see how many other brownies do I see (I am looking for anybody on color wheel spectrum, granted my visual test is not perfect, but its something). Usually I am the only Black person. The last race I was at, I dropped my driver license and I didn't realize I had dropped it. The race had a bunch of people milling around and before the race started, somebody came up to me and said, "is this yours?" and handed me my driver license they found on the ground. I said "Yes, thanks" but found it funny at the same time. (A) You know its mine because you're looking at the picture on the license and you're looking at me, it looks like me. (B) Even if you aren't looking at the picture and looking at me and recognizing the two, do you see another Black woman here? Process of elimination my dear Watson! Effing Genius.
I interviewed to be an ambassador for Black Girls Run in Portland, but they decided to pass on me. I guess having run as much as I have was not enough, but whatevs. I haven't heard anything from the group or if it is formed here or what. I will continue to enter events and continue to look around to see are there other faces on the color spectrum or shall I remain a solo unicorn or will there be a blessing of unicorn at that particular event. That is why I ask: where are my people at? Which also makes me think of that 702 song, Where my girls at from the front to back, well is you feeling that, put one hand up, can you repeat that, trying to take my man, see I don't need that...remember that song. I don't recall the year, but I recall that I was in law school (and boy did that suck) and I was friends with the only two other Black girls in my law school class. Wow, talk about free association. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3lO5eGEnyRA because I care, click the link to watch their video (remember those, videos).
Until next time, keep running. What race do you have coming up?
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