Running into History – The 26.2 Foundation – Hopkinton, Massachusetts

First proposed by black educators and students at Kent State University in 1969 and officially recognized by President Gerald Ford in 1976, Black History Month celebrates vital achievements in the face of adversity.

The annual tribute has taken exceptional men and women ‘…from mortal to hero to idol’, as The New York Times said in ‘Everyday Excellence’, but then asked, what of the many exceptional others whose stories are less well known?

Here are several who we feel deserve our appreciation and recognition.

It’s not just the 130+ marathons he’s run, or the fact he’s finished them in all 50 states – including 50 in Texas alone. Or that he’s run marathons on all seven continents, one of only a handful of people to do so.

Tony Reed inspires us because, as the co-founder of the National Black Marathoners Association (NBMA), he encourages black Americans and others to pursue a healthy lifestyle through running and walking, recognizes the accomplishments of black American distance runners, and provides scholarships to deserving high schoolers. The NBMA has worked on the forefront of fighting discrimination and racism in distance running for over 15 years.

Read more about Tony here in Runner’s World (p.25).

As the historian for the NBMA and curator of the Ted Corbitt Archives, Gary Corbitt is developing a library of running history milestones in a manner that will help inspire future generations of runners to realize their goals.

Gary has already completed the Black Running History Timeline, which documents African-American achievements in middle and long distance running, including those of his famous father, Ted, of whom it’s been said, “For distance running, he was like Jackie Robinson, Lou Gehrig and Bill Russell.“ Gary himself has been inducted into the NBMA Hall of Fame for his work.

Avid runner, journalist, historian, author and veteran of 83 marathons – 26 of which are Marine Corps Marathons – George Banker is the expert on the ‘People’s Marathon.’ Banker has devoted countless hours organizing road races throughout the Washington D.C. area, amassing a collection of archives, race results and published articles that have established him as the region’s preeminent running historian.

His book, The Marine Corps Marathon: A Running Tradition, showcases the race’s history, perfectly capturing the heart and soul of the event and those who take part. Read Runner’s Gazette’s profile on George here; find his book here.

The 26.2 Foundation is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization with a mission to promote and support the sport of marathoning, as well as health, wellness and economic-development initiatives through investments in innovative programs on local, regional, national and global levels.