Mar 7, 2025
Black Girls RUN! Launches Two New Groups in 2025
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
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Black Girls RUN! Launches New Groups in Daytona Beach, Florida and Cedar Rapids, Iowa
~ The Official Launch Events will roll out as part of their Sweet 16 Celebration Year ~
March 7, 2023 — Black Girls RUN! is excited to announce the launch of two new markets bringing their run groups to 77 in the United States located in 35 states. Black Girls RUN! (BGR!) hosted a new group interest meeting earlier this year where hundreds of women met showing interest in bringing Black Girls RUN! to their communities. From that call, Daytona Beach, Florida and Cedar Rapids, Iowa were selected.
“It is exciting to expand our footprint and impact more lives,” says Jay Ell Alexander, Owner and CEO of BGR!. “We have almost 260K members nationwide, and we are still growing.”
The launch of these groups will be part of the 2025 Sweet 16 celebration where BGR! has selected events across the country to participate. The launch events will feature a run/walk route and meet n’ greet for women to come together to begin planning for future events and the roll out of runs in their community.
BGR! Daytona Beach, Florida will launch on Saturday, April 12 at The Running Elements store and Cedar Rapids, IA will launch on Saturday, June 14 at Iowa Running Company. Registration for Daytona Beach is open now to sign up to attend! More details to come to sign up for Cedar Rapids.
Daytona Beach will be the seventh city in Florida with a Black Girls RUN! group and Cedar Rapids will be our first group in Iowa.
Click here to join Black Girls RUN! Daytona Beach, FL!
Daytona Beach, FL Ambassadors
Tasha McDaniel-Thompson is a senior trainer with a Wisconsin-based nonprofit organization. Working from her remote office, she develops and delivers web-based training to support physical, mental, and financial health. She has a Master of Public Administration degree and she’s a certified Health Coach and Group Fitness Instructor with the American Council on Exercise (ACE). Her running journey began in 2011 when she ran her first 5K. Since then, she’s completed over 50 half marathons and 2 full marathons.
LaToya Gregory
I am a fitness coach that enjoys helping others look and feel their best! My journey started during the year of 2010. I started attending a boot camp about 3- 4 times a week attempting to get in better shape. I was active, but my diet sucked! About 2 months later is when I took a step further by actually eating better. I began to run 5Ks and gradually moved on to 10Ks and 15Ks. The furthest distance I have ran is a half marathon (You go girl!). This became the norm for about 2-3 Saturdays out of the month. Whew! Talk about dedication.
My passion for helping others achieve their lifestyle goals continued to grow. I say lifestyle, because fitness goals take lifestyle changes to become achievable. I eventually opened my own nutrition club, MVP Nutrition, where I taught boot camp classes 4 days a week. I started educating others on health and nutrition as a wellness coach. Personal training then came about. I also began a fitness program at my church allowing members and others from the community to come out and be active. Summer of 2019 is when I took it up a notch by entering my first fitness competition. I trained for what seemed like forever, and it was tough. But in the end, it was a truly rewarding experience that taught me discipline and resilience!
I am also the Founder/President of Purple Princess, Inc. I graduated from Bethune Cookman College in 2005, with a BS degree in Criminal Justice. I went on to obtain my MBA with a concentration in Healthcare Management in 2008 from the University of Phoenix. I’m also a Certified Addiction Professional with the State of Florida.
Cedar Rapids, IA Ambassador
Nicole Rowland
I am currently in my 20th year in public education. I work in the Linn-Mar Community School district as a high school dean of students and the head volleyball coach. I am the first and only black high school administrator and the first and only black head coach of any sport in the district. Prior to being at Linn-Mar I was a HS Biology teacher and coach and then a middle school Associate principal in the Cedar Rapids School District for 14 years. I have coached multiple sports, both boys and girls, for the last 25 years.
In 2017, I took a three-year break from education and worked in the business world managing two group fitness facilities and nutrition coaching. As a person who has spent a lifetime of struggles with my weight, I have become passionate about building healthy community around fitness. I have run small bootcamps and organized wellness challenges for family and friends. I began teaching kickboxing and resistance training classes in 2009 and continue to teach them now.
I tried many times, early in my life, to become a consistent runner but struggled to keep it up, due to injuries and frustration. I was a college athlete and felt a huge frustration in not being good enough at running. I was then introduced to the run/walk/run method and found a love of the pavement. I found that running can be for just about anyone. No pace is too slow! I love every minute of the time I get to spend running and in community with others through running. In 2023, I completed the New York City Marathon, and I have a goal to complete all the majors in my lifetime.
In addition, I am an active member of Veritas Church and am unapologetically in love with my Lord and Savior. I have one 24-year-old son, who is the most important person in my life. Being a mom is the most important job I have ever and will ever have.
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About Black Girls RUN!
Through the power of running, community and empowerment, we bring awareness to the health disparities in the Black community. We dispel the myths that black women are unhealthy and not physically active. Black girls run brings women together all over the country to increase representation on the pavement. We are moving and motivating women to change the narrative of what running and health and health looks like for black women. We provide inspiration and serve as a resource for women to become the best version of themselves. Black girls run wants to create healthier communities to change the health statistics for black women and make us healthier for generations to come. Join the movement at www.blackgirlsrun.com.