Inclusive Running: Latinos Run and Latinas Run Break Barriers

In 2016, Maria Solis Belizaire established two impactful running organizations, Latinos Run and Latinas Run, with a vision to bolster Latino representation in running and foster a supportive community within the Latinx running demographic across the United States.

Latinos Run, boasting over 2,000 members in its largest Strava chapter, is a thriving network, uniting Latinos of all fitness levels and goals. This community is a force for positive change across the nation. Whether it's for leisure or serious training, Latinos Run helps individuals find like-minded groups in their local areas.

On the other hand, Latinas Run, while smaller in size, is equally influential. With nearly 400 Strava members in its largest chapter on Strava, this group provides a safe and supportive space specifically for Latina women to connect, inspire, and achieve their fitness aspirations. Through local chapters and national race events like International Women’s Day, they empower Latinas to take charge of their health and fitness journeys, promoting a message of unity: "Lace up and get active—Together We Rise!"

These two running clubs wanted to keep enhancing and growing Latino representation within the running community and leveraged their clubs on Strava to help them achieve that.

With a commitment to enhancing representation, particularly in areas where the Latino community may be underrepresented, the clubs have expanded their reach through Strava, establishing over 60 nationwide chapters. “Our goal is to help people create a base or use our name to create a chapter in their area, so there's more representation,” Maria says. Strava's digital space serves as a vital tool for overcoming barriers such as language and access to races, enabling seamless engagement and communication among members.

But even though Latino representation may account for up to 50% in some US cities, when she started the clubs in 2016, Maria was told the community represented “around 5% of runners in the amateur running space,” she says. Which explains why “you won’t see that many Latinos at races, because there’s not enough representation,” she continues.

“Getting Strava [for the clubs] helped me connect with people who are not on social media because we have a lot of people who don't use Instagram or Facebook, but they'll get access to events that we have via Strava,” explains Maria. She’ll typically create events on Strava and members will receive an email if they’re following them on the app.

For instance, when the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted traditional running activities, these two clubs seamlessly transitioned to virtual runs, attracting thousands of participants and maintaining their sense of community cohesion, in part, thanks to Strava’s strong online presence. “One of our runs had over 6,000 members sign up,” Maria recalls.

All Latinos Run and Latinas Run events are free for members, ensuring inclusivity and connection, exemplified by the provision of free downloadable race bibs for participants. This ensures that every runner feels connected to the community, regardless of physical location. “It’s really important for us that we're still able to provide national events that are free throughout the year,” explains Maria.

Through Strava, members can participate in events, track progress, and share experiences, fostering camaraderie and friendly competition. The platform's features, including challenges, leaderboards, and event notifications, further amplify the clubs' impact in making running accessible and enjoyable for all members.“It's about being able to see each other’s posts, who’s posting pictures from events and stuff, and communicating. It's another tool for us to be able to use to create challenges, to post events, and to see who’s on the leaderboard,” says Maria.