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DALLAS – A recent addition to the Running USA Board of Directors, National Black Marathoner’s Association (NBMA) co-founder and executive director Tony Reed has done much over the last decade to advance the visibility of black athletes participating – and excelling- at long distance running events.
They’ve also worked to introduce more African Americans to the benefits of running.
“We’re a charity and the nation’s largest and oldest organization of African American distance runners,” Reed explained. “Since racial minorities are the next big running boom, the ability to tap into this market will be critical for businesses.”
The NBMA has also established itself as the archival source for any information about decorated black distance runners, past and present. This winter, that effort continues with the association’s 11th annual summit, set for the weekend of the Dallas Marathon on Dec. 12-13.
“We’re expecting between 400 and 500 runners from around the US, Asia, Europe, and Africa to participate during the weekend of activities,” Reed said. “And we’ll be honoring our 2015 National Black Distance Runners Hall of Fame.”
The impressive list of honorees, which appears in full below, includes Meb Keflezighi, Ricky Cox, Elizabeth Brown, Lisa Felder, 
Robin Campbell, Jon Rankin, Alphonzo Jackson, Dr. Roscoe Lee Brown, Merhawi Keflezighi, Bridgette Collins and the Avondale Running Club. Cumulatively, the athletes have competed in nine US Olympic trials and in four Olympics, placed in the top two positions in sixteen National US Indoor, Cross Country and NCAA championships, and completed over 500 marathons and ultra-marathons.
"We are pleased to honor the careers and achievements of this year's Hall of Fame inductees at our annual summit held in Dallas this December," Reed said. "Dallas Marathon race weekend will deliver a fun and memorable experience for NBMA members, and we were attracted to the host city by Dallas Marathon race organizers' commitment to promoting health and fitness and giving back to their local community."
"We are excited to host the annual gathering of the NBMA at the 2015 Dallas Marathon," said Dallas Marathon President Patrick Byerly. "The Dallas Marathon shares a common goal with the NBMA and honorees in this Hall of Fame class: furthering the promotion of fitness. We look forward to delivering on that mission with an entertaining Dallas Marathon race weekend this December."
"Cigna is honored to sponsor the Hall of Fame Banquet, which recognizes an impressive group of dedicated and talented individuals," said LaMonte Thomas, Cigna's president and general manager for North Texas and Oklahoma. "We congratulate them all on their accomplishments and wish them the very best as they continue to achieve what matters most in their lives."
Information about the Hall of Fame banquet is available at https://www.BlackMarathoners.org.
Here are the honorees and a few of their many accomplishments.
Marathoners & Ultramarathoners
Mebrahtom "Meb" Keflezighi
– Received silver medal in the 2008 Olympic Marathon.
– Won 2009 NYC and 2014 Boston Marathons.
– Won four NCAA championships competing for the UCLA Bruins track and field team.
– Won the USA Cross Country Championships in 2001, 2002 and 2009.
Ricky Cox
– Won the 1982, 1983, and 1986 Cowtown Marathon in Ft. Worth, TX.
– Was one of 160 runners to qualify for the 1984 US Olympic Trials.
– Ran the 1983 Boston Marathon in 2:17.
Elizabeth Brown
– Began running and placing in triathlons in 1986, after turning 40 years old.
– Completed over twenty marathons, including the Boston Marathon four times; 1993, 1994, 2005 and 2006.
– Has been among the top three rated persons in her age group in the Cincinnati running community by Bob Roncker's Running Spot, twice in the last four years.
Lisa Felder
– Completed over 300 marathons and 111 ultra marathons.
– Coached the East Bay run team for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society's Team in Training program (TNT) from 1998 through 2009.
– Launched the first ever TNT Ultra Team, the largest endurance program in the world in 2009.
Cross Country, 1500m, Milers and Half-Marathoners
Robin Campbell
– Won USA Indoor Track and Field Championships at 400 meters in 1975 and 1500 meters in 1974.
– Was a US Olympian at 800 meters in 1980 and 1984.
– Competed in every Olympic Trials between 1972 and 1984.
Jon Rankin
– 2004 All-American honor for UCLA
– Ran personal bests of 800m 1:47.11 in the 800, 3:35.26 in the 1500M, and 3:54.24 in the mile.
– Was an alternate for the 2008 US Olympic 1500M team.
Alphonzo Jackson
– Ranked third in the world in the 5k (16:28) and ½ marathon (1:15:28) in his age division, in 1996 at 50 years old.
– Finished 3rd in the PAUSTF Track & Field Grand Prix Championship in 1998.
– Served as the Head Coach for Team-in-Training's East Bay Run Team for over 10 years and is also Athletic Director/Coach for Students Run Oakland.
Dr. Roscoe Lee Browne (deceased)
– 1950 and 1951 US Indoor 1,000-Yard Champion
Coach/Agent/Race Director – Merhawi Keflezigh
– Launched HAWI Sports Management in 2005. Negotiated over $7 million in endorsement contracts.
– Clients include Leo Manzano, Meb Keflezigh, Peter Gilmore, Jon Rankin, and Jacques Sallberg.
– Earned a BA in Communication Studies from UCLA (https://www.ucla.edu/) and a JD from the UCLA School of Law.
Community Service
Bridgette Collins
– Served as the race director and coordinator for the KwanzaaFest Beat Obesity Walk/Run Events held annually in Dallas, TX since 2007. This is a free event.
– Coached a large number of beginner walkers and runners for national organizations like the Crohn's and Colitis Foundation.
– Is a Certified Fitness Coach and Certified Distance Running Coach.
Running Club
Avondale Running Club
– Formed by six runners in 1984.
– Organized various 5K races in the Cincinnati area.
– Coordinated aid stations in every Flying Pig Marathon since the inaugural race in 1998.
Also honored with Hall of Fame induction will be nineteen pre-1935 runners and walkers.
Tony Reed kindly answered our Spotlight on the Sport questions:
What general happenings or trends in the running industry are you most excited about, and why?
We’re excited that the industry has recognized the financial impact of the third running boom; ethnic minorities. We have a three-pronged approach for three different target groups (youth, young professionals, and seniors). The first area focuses on educating Blacks about the low-cost, high return benefits of distance running. The second focuses on training individuals to become coaches in their running community. They can train others and help to dispel rumors and myths about the sport. The last area emphasizes sustainability through forming running clubs and local group runs.
What is a current challenge for you that input and insight from other industry leaders might help solve?
We need more industry financial support to expand our educational programs and to reach deeper into the Black community. We also want financial assistance to establish a physical location for our Hall of Fame and to create a travelling exhibit, as well as a digital, interactive platform for our historical information. The exhibit would be available for races to include in their expos and other events, as well as educational institutions.
What role does technology play in your daily life, as a business or as a runner?
Since we’re an international organization, we rely heavily on social media to interact with our members on a daily basis.
Anything else that you would like to share?
We’re seeking locations and sponsors for our 2016 through 2018 USA Annual Summits and 2017 International Summit.
For more information, contact me at tonyreed@blackmarathoners.org
