DPH employee LaTonja Perry, left, with her sister, Tiffany Ivy, after completing a BGR 5k in September.

LaTonja Perry, 39, operations coordinator in the immunization program at the Georgia Department of Public Health (DPH), had an exercise routine at her gym, but it had become just that -- routine.

 

By the summer of 2012, she was seeking something new. When a friend told her about the running group Black Girls RUN! (BGR), she decided to give it a try and join the group for a three-mile jog in Stockbridge. Perry said that first run in the August heat was challenging.

 

"I was exhausted," she said. "But that made me determined to go back the next week. I was determined to get better."

 

But Perry's exercise routine is far from the norm for many black women. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that 80 percent of black women are overweight or obese, more than any other segment of the population. Heart disease is the leading cause of death for black women, many of whom suffer from a host of associated chronic diseases. In a 2007-2010 CDC survey, 44.3 percent of black women over age 20 had high blood pressure; 25.6 percent had high cholesterol.

 

Physical activity helps control these conditions, but fewer black women report exercising regularly than any other demographic group. A 2009 CDC survey found that 31.6 percent of black women reported no leisure time physical activity in the previous month, compared with 30.9 percent of Hispanic women and 28.5 percent of black men.

 

BGR's mission is to reverse those trends by getting more black women to take up running. Since BGR formed in 2009, 68 BGR running groups now meet in cities across the U.S. The Atlanta BGR chapter began in April 2011 with about a dozen runners. Now, the Atlanta BGR Facebook group has surpassed 10,000 members, offering programs for beginners, women training for marathons and all runners in between.

 

Adrienne White, Atlanta's BGR ambassador, said the group's approach is to reach out not just to avid athletes, but to women who don't have an exercise routine at all.

 

"I want the target audience to be the woman sitting on the couch," White said. "Our group is not about being skinny. It's about encouraging women to focus on their health and fitness."

 

Getting people to adopt regular, vigorous exercise is difficult, but White said some cultural attitudes make it even more difficult for black women.

 

"Culturally, there just hasn't been a coolness factor attached to exercise for African-American women or an outlet for them. Instead there have been messages that, hey, you're overweight or you're thick and that's cool," White said. "That leads us to have shorter life spans and all the diseases that come along with being overweight."

 

Black Girls RUN! founders Ashley Hicks (in yellow) and Toni Carey (to her right) joined Adrienne White (to Carey's right) for a group run in Atlanta in October 2011.

In 2013, BGR is taking aim at those cultural messages. On Jan. 5, the organization kicked off a national tour, "Preserve the Sexy," which will visit cities with high rates of obesity to spread the word about running. The tour will stop in Atlanta on April 20. At each stop, BGR will offer activities encouraging women to adopt vigorous exercise into their lifestyles, such as beginner training clinics and information on nutrition, running gear and hair care.

 

White said hair care is one cultural barrier that can be a strong exercise deterrent for many African-American women, but one that she hopes will change.

 

"I hear women say to me all the time [about running], 'Oh, I would do that, but I don't want to mess up my hair,'" White said. "I tell them, 'Well, I'm sure you'll have nice hair on your deathbed. But if you want to make your life better now, focus on health and fitness.'"

 

Women who don't exercise may have trouble envisioning themselves turning into regular runners. But Susanne Koch, DPH worksite wellness coordinator, said when done properly, running is an ideal way to begin improving health.

 

"Running packs the most bang for the buck when it comes to cardiovascular fitness and weight loss," she said. "Even starting with a simple interval program (walk to run) is a great way to build your fitness level."

 

Before jumping into a vigorous running routine, Koch suggests starting slowly to prevent injury; try running for five to 10 minutes at a time, with walking intervals in between. Once a woman establishes a routine, she can gradually add to her running time and distance. Running shoes should be replaced after 300 to 500 miles, and any health concerns should be discussed with a doctor before hitting the pavement.

 

Koch said the support and encouragement fostered in groups like BGR can be essential for success as well.

 

"Social support is huge for women, she said. "Having others around you to push you to go harder and farther causes your body to have to work harder and to make more fitness gains."

 

Perry said it's the social support that kept her coming back to BGR runs and to encourage her sister and friends to try it too. Since she started BGR runs in August, she said her stamina has improved steadily. She went from a maximum of two miles to a personal best of nine miles. She ran her first half marathon on Jan. 5. She said the support of her fellow BGR runners was the key to sticking with running.

 

"It's allowed me to push myself, and let me realize that I'm a little faster than I thought I was," she said.

 

The encouragement her fellow runners dole out during their weekly jogs has even spread into other parts of their lives.

 

"We motivate each other to eat healthier, to keep running and exercising," she said. "I really enjoy being able to have that group to encourage me to do better, to have a better lifestyle."

 

BGR groups meet weekly across Georgia and are open to women of all races and ethnicities. Perry said she encourages anyone to give it a try, no matter how in or out of shape they are.

 

"I know several women who never thought they'd be able to run a 5k, and now they're running marathons," she said. "Don't get discouraged because of your size or your age. You can do it."

 

For more information on BGR, visit  http://www.blackgirlsrun.com.

 

-Story by Carrie Gann, DPH Communications