Editor’s note: The 2025 Emerging Leaders program is currently accepting applications. You can apply here.

At the 2024 Running USA Industry Conference in Orlando, one of the most compelling newcomer stories came from Chef Yaku Moton-Spruill of Northern California. Chef Yaku found himself right in the heart of the running community, amidst like-minded industry professionals in a way he had never encountered before. As a member of the 2024 Emerging Leaders program, Chef Yaku’s presence and insights offered a fresh perspective on the intersection of food and running. Hear him talk about his experience in a recent interview.

A Culinary Journey into Running

Chef Yaku’s journey into the running industry began with an unusual request. Originally a professional chef with a degree from culinary school in San Francisco and experiences on cooking reality TV shows to his credit, Yaku’s entry into the running scene was serendipitous. His business partner was seeking a caterer for a grueling 24-hour trail event. Despite the daunting nature of the event, Yaku agreed to take on the challenge.

“I remember thinking, ‘What am I getting into?’ but I wanted to carve out a new niche for myself,” Chef Yaku recalled. The experience was eye-opening. He was astounded by the passion of the runners who, despite enduring extreme physical challenges, returned from the trails covered in mud and smiles.

As Yaku observed and engaged with the running community, he found himself drawn to the camaraderie and spirit of the sport, especially its ability to bond complete strangers as newfound friends. Although he was initially skeptical about running itself, the community’s warmth and the shared experiences left a lasting impression on him.

The Impact of the 2024 Conference

Though he initially wasn’t sure what to expect, attending the 2024 Industry Conference influenced Chef Yaku in many ways. The conference provided him with a platform to share his unique perspective on how culinary expertise can improve and elevate events. His breakout session was a hit, drawing a standing room only crowd who were eager to learn how to elevate food offerings at running events.

“The conference was incredible,” Yaku said. “Being surrounded by like-minded individuals who share a passion for running, regardless of their background, was deeply inspiring. We were all runners first, and that common ground made it easy to connect.”

For Chef Yaku, the most valuable aspect of the conference was the sense of community and the exchange of ideas. He appreciated how the race directors and other industry professionals in attendance, regardless of their experience level, supported each other and shared insights openly.

Advice for Future Emerging Leaders

When asked if he would recommend the Emerging Leaders program to others, Chef Yaku’s response was enthusiastic. “Absolutely, do it without hesitation. The program offers incredible opportunities to learn and grow, whether you’re a novice or experienced in the field.”

He emphasized the importance of approaching the conference with an open mind and a willingness to absorb new information. For him, the experience was transformative, helping him to expand his horizons beyond the culinary world.

The conference not only offered Chef Yaku professional growth but also fostered lasting connections. He has continued to engage with many of the people he met, collaborating on events and projects across the country.

“I’m excited about the opportunities that have come from this conference,” Chef Yaku shared. “From catering for trail series in Utah to helping out with marathons, it’s been a fantastic journey. The connections I’ve made have opened new doors for me.”

Chef Yaku Moton-Spruill’s experience at the 2024 Running USA Industry Conference is a testament to the power of interdisciplinary engagement. His journey from the kitchen to the running world illustrates how passion and expertise can intersect to create meaningful impact.

For anyone attending future conferences, Chef Yaku’s advice is clear: be a sponge, absorb everything, and embrace the sense of community. The Running USA conference is not just an event but a vibrant ecosystem where runners and professionals alike can come together, share knowledge, and inspire each other.

 

Staff and participants of the iconic race in Flint, Michigan share their personal stories in our four video, article series

FLINT, MICHIGAN – After 46 years of its existence, the HAP Crim Festival of Races weekend has not only become a local holiday in Flint, Michigan, but it is a celebration of Flint’s perseverance. “The Crim,” as it’s known, is one of the biggest events of the summer in Flint, Michigan. Ten thousand runners, walkers, wheelchair racers and other athletes come out for the 10-mile, 5 mile, 5K, one mile and kids’ races during this weekend in late August.

Flint, Michigan is known internationally for its contaminated water crisis. They’ve had a boil filtered water advisory that started in 2014 and was not lifted until February of this year.

One of the positive side effects of the water crisis was new health and wellness programs – initiatives that had not been a focus in Flint previously.  The Crim was an obvious partner. In addition to producing the August race weekend, The HAP Crim Fitness Foundation works year-round to provide programs for adults, seniors and children that include access to nutrition, mindfulness training and exercise.

“It’s been nine years since the water crisis began, and there’s still that fear,” said Liz Jones, HAP Crim Associate Director of Races and Training.

As an example, she recently had a sixth grader in one of her programs ask her what would happen to him if he were to take 20 showers.

“I was confused by that at first. Then I realized the problem: he’s scared about being in the water and what damage the water could do to him. That’s still a very relevant fear for a lot of people here in Flint,” Jones explained. “This is an already underserved population and now they are recovering from a pandemic on top of the lingering water crisis issues.” (Watch Liz Jones’ video.)

“Overcoming barriers to participation has been a focus of the Crim staff for some time, but it has become a heightened priority in the last few years,” says Lauren Holaly-Zembo, HAP Crim Fitness Foundation CEO.

“As a race, we’re telling people to run or walk or be active, but we know if they don’t have the place or the means to do that, they’re not going to. So we have to really look at addressing all of that in what we do,” Holaly-Zembo said.

(Watch a video with Lauren Holaly-Zembo.)

“The reality that the founding of this race that was based on inclusion and it started to raise money for Special Olympics and athletes with special needs. And we’ve continued to do that throughout our history,” Holaly-Zembo said.

The Crim was founded by longtime Michigan politician Bobby D. Crim, who served in the Michigan House of Representatives in the 1970’s and 80’s. He ran his last 10-mile race, his 45th straight, at the 2021 event.

“The community is the Crim, the Crim is the community,” Crim said in a 2016 interview. “Almost everything from education to fitness ..goes through the Crim. We were a race, but now we’re much more than a race.” Today, that vision has expanded to include runners and walkers who may never have been able to participate in the past.

Running USA recently had the chance to speak with several runners who have been trailblazers in the Crim’s inclusivity efforts. Here are their stories.

Father Time: A wrestler and a walker

Father Time is his wrestling name. Yes, you heard that right. His birth certificate, however, says Leo Napier. Due to his vision impairment, he does not have a driver’s license, but that doesn’t hold him back from much else.

“The Father Time character has inspired a lot of people. When I was 60, that’s when I started professional wrestling, I’ll be 71 years old this year.” Napier told us.

The story of Father Time’s wrestling career is documented in a powerful long form story from BELT Magazine by writer Scott Atkinson. An especially moving paragraph is this one:

“He’d spent his whole life trying to wrestle, but things continually got in the way. Things like cancer in his digestive system when he was still in his twenties and was trying to make contacts with wrestling organizations. About ten years later he tried again but was rear-ended while driving and hurt his back and neck. He was a father then, and life was simply busier. Around age 50, he started thinking about it again, and he had a stroke. And then another. And a third. He’d been a power lifter his entire life and was still bench-pressing more than 350 pounds at the time, but after each stroke he felt weaker and weaker. After his third stroke he heard the doctor say to his wife, ‘I can see that he was once a strong man.’”

Father Time recalls his daughter running the Crim a few years ago, and feeling like it was “a little bit of a strange thing to do.” Stranger than beginning a pro wrestling career at 60? Probably not.

Now vice president of the Flint/Genesee chapter of the National Federation of the Blind, he was recruited by his friend Sheila Fulmore to join the walking team this year.

“We look at it as we can overcome any obstacle that’s put in our way. All we have to do is just have the fortitude and the grit to do it. When (sighted people) see that we can do this, too, it changes a lot of minds and a lot of hearts,” Napier said.

(Watch the video to hear more of Father Time’s story.)

Access for Deaf Runners and Walkers

Kid Black Fedio is a Deaf advocate, lifelong teacher of American Sign Language and for the past six years, a run/walk group leader for the Crim. She was looking for a winter activity to keep active and ended up expanding the deaf community’s access to Flint’s largest running event.

“We ended up having more than 30 participants our very first year. This summer, we already have more than we had last year. It’s a huge thing. People love it. I love it. It’s great to all be included,” she said.

Feedback she received from last year’s Deaf participants was this:

“They felt that they were not brushed aside. They told me that if you provide the access for us, we will show up.”

The most important part of true accessibility, Fedio explained, is authentic inclusion. It’s also vital to for events to consider expanding their signage pre-event, on course and post-event, so that those with hearing loss are able to successfully navigate the course and venue. If possible, consider bringing in an ASL interpreter for any main stage announcements or speeches made at the event.

For training inclusivity, Fedio recommends being proactive in bringing on group leaders who can relate to the runners and walkers.

“If you let a Deaf person lead, it is going to be more successful. I would try to recruit a Deaf adult that is familiar with this, or a pair, a Deaf adult and a hearing person, and have them lead the group. And then it will fly.”

(Watch the video to hear more of Kid Fedio’s story.)

There’s No Stopping Sheila Fulmore

Sheila Fulmore is the President of the Flint/Genesee chapter of the National Federation of the Blind (NAFB). When she first participated in the Crim 5K last year, she surprised even herself.

“When we got to the middle, I was like, ‘Oh, I can’t do this.’ And I just wanted to stop.” She’d been told to just put one foot in front of the other until she reached the finish, but her body was tired.

Encouragement from a stranger on the course helped.

“This gentleman came up behind me and said, we are almost there. Let’s go. I just wanted to him to get me a ride to the finish line. But he walked with me a bit and got me going. It was going through my head that I really don’t give up.” So she didn’t.

“I finished it. And that inspired me to go, you know what, they have a training program, we should get in that program.”

She is now a leader of the Crim’s visually impaired runner/walker group, with 12 members of the NAFB chapter participating this August and the hope that many more will join. Her advice to this year’s first-time participants?

“Just remember that you want to finish. Don’t get hung up on your time. I don’t want that to be a factor. I want you to have fun. I want you to socialize, I want you to get out and I want you to just walk.”

(Watch the video to hear more of Sheila’s story.)

The 46th HAP Crim Festival of Races will take place Friday and Saturday, August 25 and 26. Learn more at https://crim.org/.

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Share your event stories with us: Running USA encourages event and vendor members to share their stories of success with us. Email Leah Etling, director of marketing and communications, to learn more.

 

On June 16, 2022, Running USA hosted a webinar on Inclusion Best Practices for Events with the Equality Institute.

Thanks to Bernadette Smith, Patti Flynn and Brooks Sports for making this presentation possible.  (If you missed the session, you can view it here.)

The Equality Institute surveyed Running USA members in early 2022 to direct the development of resources and guidelines for improving inclusiveness at events of all kinds.

Takeaways from the session include a comprehensive Event Inclusion Guide with best practices to put into action and a Transgender and Nonbinary Inclusion Policy Template that events can easily adopt. Both documents are available for download here:

• Event Inclusion Guide
• Transgender and Nonbinary Inclusion Policy Template
• Equality Institute training resources

 

As the running industry continues to implement inclusive change, Race Director Magazine recently had the chance to speak with Jordan Marie Brings Three White Horses Daniel, a fourth-generation Lakota runner who has used her running talent and platform to bring Indigenous runners and causes to mainstream attention.

Daniel is involved in vital change-making efforts to make Indigenous runners seen, recognize land origins where running events take place, create awareness for missing and murdered Indigenous women, and much more.

As she describes in her own words: “I am an organizer. I am a voice. I am a connector—working to uplift and center Indigenous, Black, and Brown voices within our communities and spaces to demand justice, visibility, and respect as it intersects across all climate—racial,  social, and economic justice movements.”

Daniel was kind enough to give us some of her valuable time to talk about running, advocacy and much more. Read on to hear how her nonprofit’s mission could directly benefit your next event.

Running USA: What prompted you to see the act of running or the experience of bodily movement as a place where you could also be a voice for change?

Daniel: I began attending marches and rallies in 2013 to stop the Keystone XL pipeline—a pipeline that would harm and impact my Tribe in South Dakota. I began organizing in August 2016, where I organized the Run For Water Rally for the Indigenous youth who were running to oppose the pipeline. They inspired me to see that running is not just about fitness, not just about a fast time, not just about trying to get a sponsor. It is not even about trying to focus on your health and wellness. It is about really believing in something that you want to stand for.

Those youth running over 2,000 miles (from North Dakota to Washington D.C.) inspired me to see how running can carry a message. Sport is so celebrated in the U.S., and so are stories that pull at the heartstrings and capture our emotions. Being able to intersect the two, having a purpose or a cause that you are fighting for, and weaving it with something that you truly love, like running and movement, is a beautiful way to build community that will help raise awareness and hopefully impact change.

You have run multiple races in honor of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women. Tell us about why you did that?

Daniel: Initially I had not brought causes into my races because I was still up-and-coming (as an athlete) and trying to qualify for the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials. And running was also my stress outlet, so I wanted to keep that separate. But because the epidemic of missing and murdered Indigenous women and relatives is so important to me, it just came down to the lack of visibility, support for, and awareness about this issue.

These murders and disappearances are happening not just on reservations and rural communities, but everywhere. Being a survivor of violence myself, it truly was heartbreaking. These women were not getting the visibility they needed or deserved. So that led me to running the 2019 Boston marathon for 26 Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and children.

Can you share why you decided to make a major race into a highly visible plea for action?

Daniel: It was really the lack of support for Indigenous communities around this issue. This is an epidemic that is happening. I got to the point where I gave up on trying to organize panels to talk about it, or post about it on social media or create content or organize events.

I started to feel that if people do not care that another Indigenous person has gone missing or has been murdered, then I do not know what else to do. It felt like we meant nothing to other communities, that we are constantly forgotten or disposable.

The only thing I knew what to do about it, on an essential level, was run. Having learned about all the prayer run customs and best practices, I created my own prayer run. That brought me to the Boston Marathon.

Do you feel like you have seen any change since that 2019 Boston Marathon?

Daniel: The only change was to bring out more athletes to do the same thing. It inspired Rosalie Fish, who contacted me a week later, asking for my blessing to do the same thing at her state high school track meet in Washington. We are also seeing other athletes—volleyball players, football players, basketball players—that are putting the red handprint on and raising awareness for the stolen loved ones and their families. So things are changing, but very, very slowly.

Tell us about the events you are organizing in support of this cause.

Daniel: My non-profit organization, Rising Hearts, continues to fundraise for this cause through our virtual runs. Our fifth annual Running for Justice event was held on May 5, the National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women. We held a virtual 5K run and two in-person events in Los Angeles and Washington, DC. In 2021, we raised $77,000. This year, our goal was $250,000.

Now that those events have passed, how can the running community support you?

Daniel: Learn how you can become an ally to Indigenous communities and the people that are in this fight. Raising awareness, sharing and supporting the message, and taking the initiative to learn about this issue are all positive ways to take action. This is not a new issue. This has been going on, realistically, since colonialism arrived on these lands.

Speaking directly about land, what do race directors need to know about the spaces where their events take place and how they can appropriately recognize their provenance?

Daniel: I think race directors have an amazing opportunity to be more invested in creating a safe and inclusive space. And oftentimes, sadly, that process has not included Indigenous peoples in planning efforts. It has continued to perpetuate the narrative of Indigenous peoples are not here anymore.  We are constantly erased from the conversation.

How has Rising Hearts worked to change that?

Daniel: We have an initiative called the Running on Native Lands Initiative. We work with race directors, running organizations and groups to implement land acknowledgments at their events and races. Our biggest success for land acknowledgement and working with race directors thus far has been the Boston Marathon, which happened on Indigenous Peoples Day in 2021.

How does this work for race directors or event organizations?

Daniel: You reach out to us if you want to become a partner, and we help connect you with the local Indigenous communities. We help facilitate those conversations and we serve as the protective buffer for the Indigenous communities.

But it is important that the end goal is to not just do a land acknowledgement and have it check a box. It is to go the extra mile in donating towards those local Indigenous communities or organizations and working with them to find out what more you can be doing. Maybe it’s offering comped entries, it’s donating a portion of entry fees towards community programs, or even donating the leftover race day food and snacks back into the community.

What is the message you want event participants to take from this effort?

Daniel: We want every participant that is there on race day to see the land acknowledgement practice and for it to become normalized. We want them to learn about whose lands that they are running on and recreating on and who the caretakers were, and still are.

Can you estimate how many races are currently engaged in this work?

Daniel: We have over a dozen partners right now. It has been great working with them. We’re trying to get them to also not just focus on the Indigenous components, but also how can we make the whole event more inclusive, how can we make sure that anyone can come and sign up for this race and feel like they’re being seen and being supported.

Any examples of what that looks like?

Daniel: One of the things that we do with our virtual races is have an inclusive registration process. When you are asked to select gender, in addition to female or male, we put in an option for non-binary and an option for two-spirit. We have had so many messages coming in from people who identify as non-binary or two-spirit, saying that they have never seen this before, even though they have signed up for many different events. They tell us that this is the first event where they felt seen, felt respected, and felt supported.

What closing message would you like to leave race directors with?

Daniel: It’s an ongoing conversation with race directors that we continually try to push for. We wanted to educate them as to how the lands they are on have a long history of continuously erasing Indigenous peoples. Even though they might not physically be present there anymore, you must think about all the impacts and situations that came before.

You are more than likely going to have Indigenous peoples in the local community, town or city where your event is taking place. So how can you host it in a way that is honoring and uplifting the Indigenous peoples that are on those lands? All these conversations that we have with race directors are very informative and educational. And in the end, we are hoping Rising Hearts can bow out, because now you are communicating and working together. We are about bringing people together, getting them introduced and making sure that this is a long-lasting relationship and kinship.

Learn More:

Jordan Marie Brings Three White Horses Daniel website: https://www.jordanmariedaniel.com/

Rising Hearts website: https://www.risinghearts.org

Running on Native Lands initiative: https://www.risinghearts.org/nativelands

When Jordan Hamm reaches out to a high school track or cross country coach to let them know that their program is the recipient of a Brooks Booster Club grant from Seattle-based running brand Brooks Sports, he can hear the emotion at the other end of the phone line.

“It’s always amazing to hear the coach’s response,” said Hamm, sports marketing specialist for Brooks and the lead staff member for the Booster Club program. “Some of these coaches are in tears knowing that their kids are going to have their lives changed in a meaningful way,” said Hamm. “Others are silent and just kind of in awe.”

Founded in 2015, the Brooks Booster Club has helped 150 schools and 6,100 young runners across the country. Each team selected receives $12,400 MSRP in Brooks gear, including shoes and uniforms, as well as a $2,000 grant for the athletic department to be used at the coach’s discretion. In the last six years, Brooks has invested more than $2.1 million in cash and gear, and it will increase the number of schools it funds in 2021 to 32 across the U.S.

Here are two of their stories.

Expanding horizons in Oakland Park, Fl.

Duchane Thomas Cole, head women’s track and field coach at Northeast High School in Overland Park, Florida, has a team of talented athletes. Overland Park track alumni represent their alma mater at over 100 colleges and universities on full scholarships and have earned accolades on the world, national and state levels. But bringing home medals on the track doesn’t guarantee immunity from budget cuts.

“Unfortunately, due to budget cuts to athletics, resources are insufficient at times. This leads to athletic programs fundraising to help offset the cost of traveling and equipment. As a coach, how can I support this group of young ladies get the necessary equipment, shoes, clothing, and funds needed to travel?,” Cole asked.

“As an African American woman from the inner-city, I understand some of the social and economic issues our young ladies face today. Most of these young women don’t have the resources to purchase the proper training shoes, equipment, and nutrition to excel to the best of their ability in sports.”

Cole discovered and applied for the Brooks Booster Club grant after noticing that Brooks had sponsored a major national track meet where her athletes competed.

In February of 2020, I received a phone call from Jordan informing me that the women’s team was selected to receive the Brooks Booster Club sponsorship. This was a very emotional day for me. Unbeknownst to Jordan, we had concluded a team meeting the week prior. I informed the ladies that due to budget cuts; we would not purchase uniforms or travel outside of the county for athletic exposure. I was in disbelief, emotional, excited, and most importantly, thankful. Brooks Booster club support has allowed these young ladies the opportunity to dream big and focus on excelling in the sport of track and field,” Cole said.

She also applied for and was awarded $10,000 in travel assistance from Dick’s Sporting Goods to help the team make it to major meets.

She explained why she had looked for outside help for the team. “Before the sponsorship, we would have to ask individuals in the community for funds to purchase shoes. Often athletes could go without the proper running shoes due to a lack of financial resources. Most of the young women on the team are from single-parent households, where parents work two to three jobs to survive. Hence, purchasing shoes and apparel is nonexistent at times. Having a company such as Brooks step in and help financially has allowed the team to compete without worrying about expenses.”

Bringing team pride to Norte Vista, Ca.

Rafael Perez, head cross country coach, assistant track coach and a social sciences teacher at Norte Vista High School in Riverside, Calif., knew that his team would benefit greatly from the gear and donation.

“My first reaction was this could not be real. I had never won anything like this before and I was just in shock and I went to my assistant coach at the time and had her read it as well to make sure it was legitimate,” said Perez. He knew the gear and fund would make a huge difference for his athletes.

“They were in disbelief and could not believe the extent of the grant,” Perez recalled. “They were incredibly appreciative and could not wait to wear the new shoes, jackets, and jerseys for our meets. They also were excited that we can look more uniform with one another.”

Perez had set out to find outside grants because his school could not afford to fully fund the material needs of the Norte Vista cross country program.

“I had started my cross country career in a program with a large parent booster group in an affluent neighborhood that always had funds for resources for the team,” he recalled. “I wanted to help the Norte Vista team gain the same level of professionalism that my previous team had, like canopies with the school’s name and jackets to wear on meet day. There was not a lot of funds at my disposal to make this happen and expected it would take years for me to get the team to where I envisioned it could be one day.”

The Brooks Booster Club support helped him achieve his goal, and he also applied for and received grants from the Aftershokz Making Stridez Grant, Running Warehouse, and Donorschoose.

The impact on his athletes has been evident.

“The investment in our program from Brooks made a huge impact on our sense of pride. Many of our students took greater ownership in raising the standards of our program. Many of the leaders on the team would say it helped them create a stronger legacy among the team and proud to wear the gear we got that has our names on it,” Perez said.

Back at Brooks, Hamm explains that the company is motivated to support the program not only to help schools in need and improve access to great running gear, but to encourage the next generation of runners from all walks of life. One of the program’s goals is to reach more coaches who have never heard of the program before and help raise up their efforts. He hopes to use the power of word of mouth within the running community to do that.

“There’s things that we often take for granted. When you say, ‘it’s so easy to go out for a run, just put on a pair of shoes and go.’ That’s not always so easy, depending on your scenario. We want to make sure that kids have the opportunity to try running and love it,” Hamm said.

Perez agrees. “Young athletes are the future of running. We have events all year round that bring runners out to compete in local 5ks to marathons and so many say they wish they tried it sooner. I think the more companies that follow Brooks in creating grants and scholarships for young programs may attract more people to the sport at younger ages. Running is a hard sell to high school athletes, and when we get grants like this it helps us boost our numbers because students want to be in programs that have investment.”

Learn more about the Brooks Booster Club at https://www.brooksrunning.com/en_us/programs/booster-club/