Black Woman Runner

"Black Woman Runner is an important and engaging book about Tiffany Chenault's journey to redefine Black womanhood. She demythologizes the Strong Black Woman caricature that has served as a coping mechanism for Black women over generations but also presents a threat to Black women's physical and mental well being." -Lori L. Martin, author of White Sports/Black Sports: Racial Disparities in Athletic Programs In the wake of profound grief at the loss of her mother, this is one Black woman's haunting and inspiring journey of becoming a runner and, to her own surprise, realizing her audacious goal of running a half-marathon in all fifty states. After the loss of her mother, Tiffany Gayle Chenault decided, at age 40, to run a half-marathon in all 50 states. Black, Woman, Runner explores running as a space of survival, healing, joy, and connecting to the history and legacy of Black Americans and Women in the US. Shedding insight on the experiences of Black women who participate in the largely white-dominated world of recreational running, Chenault unpacks her own experience to think about the racial space of running: not just the physical neighborhoods where casual runners might run, but also where races are held, what the market for products for runners looks like, and how and to whom running is marketed. She also investigates the meaning of identity and the embodiment of being a runner, particularly a black woman runner. The differences in locale, customs, and the varied racial legacies of various states, allow Chenault to offer compelling and vivid insights into current-day racial realities. Ultimately, this is a story about movement - through space, emotion, and identity. It's about the culture of running, but more urgently, about who runs and why it matters.