National Black Marathoners Association

The Theodore Corbitt Institute for Running History Research is excited to share the most recent update to The List of American-born Black male marathoners who have run sub-2:37, with honorable mention for sub-2:48 and recognition for sub-3:00: https://tedcorbitt.com/black-male-marathon-history

Please like, share, and tag others in this post to help spread the word!

Since introducing this list last year, we have added 55 runners, bringing the total to 199.

We have also implemented tiers for sub-2:20 and sub-2:30 to distinguish outstanding achievement and look forward to adding additional names to these elite segments as more American-born Black men continue pursuing the marathon at the highest levels and changing the narrative about the potential of Black American distance runners.

We will continue updating and adding to this list as more American-born Black men make their mark on the marathon distance, and plan to add recognition for sub-3:00 Black male marathoners who are naturalized US citizens, US Olympic Marathon Trials participants, and/or US Olympic marathoners.

We cannot claim to have found every single American-born Black male marathoner who has run sub-3:00 and welcome any revisions or additions to this living document. To update a current PR, add a new name to this list, or identify a naturalized US citizen who has run a sub-3:00 marathon, contact us via DM or by email: [email protected]

Let’s keep making, rewriting, and celebrating running history!

Sarah Franklin
Project director
Theodore Corbitt Institute for Running History Research

Tuesday – Consider Supporting The Theodore Corbitt Institute!

Help us reach our goal of growing the sport of road running by building and disseminating inspirational running history stories to all age groups. Our groundbreaking research and oral history projects are focused on these five areas:

*Ted Corbitt
*New York Pioneer Club History
*Early Women Running Pioneers
*Black Running History
*Running History before 1976

We’re a new foundation having started in 2024. Long term we wish to develop programs and services that reflect the life to Ted Corbitt (1919-2007) a selfless American pioneer who lived in a scholarly manner always working to better the sport and advocating a life of health, fitness and continuing education. He would answer all his mail, including people he didn’t know seeking his advice. He often used his innovative conventional and holistic skills as a Master Physical Therapist treating athletes at no cost.

Ted Corbitt truly followed the adage “it is better to give than to receive.”

Your tax-deductible contribution will help us reach these goals.
Donate
https://tedcorbitt.com/foundations-four-components-mission-statement/

Gary Corbitt
Archivist: Theodore Corbitt Institute for Running History Research
[email protected]

Giving Tuesday, December 2, 2025

Alex Ramsey Makes American Ultramarathon History!
29th Annual Sri Chinmoy Self-Transcendence 3100 Mile Race
4th Place Finish: 50 days + 9:53:11

Alex joins these HistoryMaking Black Ultramarathon Pioneers:

Alan Price: “An American Centurion Legend”
Centurions are race walkers who complete 100 miles in less than 24 hours.
Alan Price did this 23 times between 1978 to 1993.

Yolanda Holder: “World Champion Pedestrian”
In 2017 she became the only person to have completed the 3100-mile road race walking. Yolanda and Alex are two of only five Americans to ever finish the world’s longest footrace.
Yolanda is also a centurion achieving this standard in 2019 which requires walking 100 miles in under 14:24 per mile pace.

Ted Corbitt: “The Father of Ultramarathon Running in the United States”
Has held the Age 50-54 age group 50 Mile American record since 1970 for a total of 55 years 5:34:11.
Set an age (82) group world record walking 303 miles in a 6-day Sri Chinmoy race in 2001.

Gary Corbitt
Archivist: Theodore Corbitt Institute for Running History Research

Sad news out of Chicago about a runner, who was caught up in an enforcement action.

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/us-citizen-assaulted-border-patrol-chicago-halloween-parade-b2853988.html?fbclid=IwdGRjcANvNplleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHpozRqJ8Qyubn4Quoed5JrCt-h9KRKLeZ0dt9Lxfr8nRG0z-EAiWkIaCWgfs_aem_lQ7Fmu0sZdCvC2Le1VfDwA

US citizen, 67, ‘has six ribs broken’ by Border Patrol agents, his running club says The incident unfolded Saturday in Chicago’s Old Irving Park neighborhood, where residents say federal agents disrupted a children’s Halloween parade

After twenty-one years, I have decided to resign as the NBMA volunteer executive director effective November 14 because I have worked myself out of a job!

On December 4, 2004, the seeds for the current Black running boom were planted when the NBMA’s organizational paperwork was registered. Since then, we have fertilized and watered the seeds through our groundbreaking, trailblazing programs, which other organizations have replicated. Today, those seeds have grown into a mature, vibrant, and sustainable Black running community. In recognition of two decades of organizing and advocacy, it was an honour to be one of eight recipients of the President’s Council on Sports, Fitness, and Nutrition 2024 Hero Award.

Growth of Running Clubs and Crews

In 2004, the NBMA was the only national Black running organization. Today, there exists at least three national organizations. Thanks to our influence and social media, there are nationwide groups, such as Black Runners Connections and Wakanda Running Warriors, who coordinate both national and international events.

There were five Black running clubs in 2004.

- Avondale Running Club (Cincinnati)
- South Fulton Running Partners (Atlanta)
- South DeKalb Running Club (Atlanta)
- Team Marathon (Cleveland)
- Rainbow Runners (Chicago)

The NBMA’s plans for growing the running community were published in the 2016 National Physical Activity Plan Final Report. Today, over one hundred local Black running clubs and crews serve major cities with several cities hosting more than one group.

Our impact can best be represented by two photos, which were taken twenty years apart. We started with a dozen runners at our first summit at the 2005 Lewis and Clark Marathon in St. Charles, MO on September 18. I was the only person who had completed a marathon on multiple continents. Two years later, I became the first Black in the world to complete marathons on seven continents.

On August 31, 2025, over one hundred NBMA members attended our international summit at the Sydney Marathon. Many of the runners had completed marathons on multiple continents.

These two photos illustrate the national and international impact of our programs.

Celebrating Black Running History

In 2013, we started the National Black Distance Running Hall of Fame to bring attention to the accomplishments of Black runners. Thanks to the arduous work of our official historian, Gary Corbitt, Black runners are learning more about our history, making history, correcting history, and celebrating long forgotten and/or overlooked trailblazers, such as Marilyn Bevans and Ted Corbitt. We also gave achievement awards to our members for reaching various goals. These individuals became role models and opened doors for others.

Also, our documentaries won over thirty awards at film festival around the globe. This exposed the world to African American distance running history. The films led to growth in sub-three marathoners, Boston qualifiers, international pursuits, ultramarathoning, trail running, and middle and distance track runners.

A personal highlight was winning a Best Director award at the Orlando Urban Film Festival over The Six Triple Eight documentary.

I pondered my decision to resign for many months. It occurred to me that my time with the NBMA is analogous to raising children. We start small and with baby steps. At some point, we must accept, that if we did it right and had the best intentions, then we must let go because the child has reached adulthood. The new adult is ready to live and flourish without our daily support and guidance. That time is now. I am so proud that my individual and collective goals were achieved through the NBMA. It has been an honor and a privilege to interact with and to serve you, both in person and online.

Thank you for the fun and memorable twenty-one years. My job is done. Hopefully, we’ll meet on a running path somewhere around the world.

Safe running,
Tony Reed

The US Trail Running Conference will be livestreaming two sessions this year!
The first session on Wednesday, October 15 from 4:00PM to - 5:00PM EDT. The “Breaking Down Barriers to Entry - Ethnicity, Age & Adaptive Athletes” session includes panelists�• Tony Reed,CPA – National Black Marathoners Association�• Paulette Odenthal – Run the Ritter & RRCA State Rep�• Shea Aquilano – The Trail Team�• Kim Levinsky – Sassquad Trail Running�Moderator: Olivia Affuso – Researcher

Watch live on the YouTube Channel:�

US Trail Running Conference The US Trail Running Conference is an annual industry leading event that delivers educational and inspirational content for trail race directors & trail runners. Whether you’re an experienced trail runner, an ultra-marathoner, a trail newbie, a trail race director, or somewhere in between, the US ...

Unfortunately, we had to cancel our 2026 Summit at the 2026 Atlanta Marathon. Information about the cancellation is in our latest newsletter.

https://mailchi.mp/blackmarathoners/nbma20250507-15079793?e=ed4783e269

NBMA members at our Sydney Marathon meet up. A special thanks to Lisa Davis and Cyeria Jackson for meeting the members and Marathon Tours and Travels for providing the facilities.

NBMA Sydney Marathon Summit Meet Up Information

Join us to meet other NBMA members, including Lisa Davis. Her accomplishments and recognitions include

- National Black Distance Running Hall of Fame honoree
- featured in the documentary “We ARE Distance Runners”
- multi-time Boston Marathon qualifier and finisher
- former world record holder for marathons on seven continents
- fifty states marathon finisher
- over 200-time marathon finisher (her 200th was at the Tokyo Marathon!!!) AND
- six-star World Marathon Majors finisher

Due to the number of members attending the international summit (over 100), Marathon Tours and Travel (MTT) secured a larger room for the event

Where: Sofitel - Wentworth’s Edwin Flack Room, located on level 5, the same level as the Wentworth Bar.
Date: Saturday, August 30
Time: 4:30 to 5:30

Here's the July NBMA Newsletter. Topics include

- Summer Tips
- 2025 Sydney Marathon Meet Up
- 2026 NBMA National Black Distance Running Hall of Fame and Achievement Awards Summit at the Atlanta Marathon & Half Marathon

https://mailchi.mp/blackmarathoners/nbma20250507-15079557

Let’s talk about one of the most underrated habits that separates elite runners from the constantly injured: post-run recovery.

Most people treat their run as the main event and then just move on with their day. No cooldown, no mobility work, no refueling. But what you do in the 30 minutes after your run is just as important as the kilometers you log.

When you finish a run, your body is in a high-alert state. Muscles are inflamed, cortisol is elevated, glycogen is depleted. This is your golden window to help your body adapt and come back stronger or ignore it and slowly break down.

Here’s the recovery sequence that works:
First, don’t stop abruptly. Jog or walk for 5–10 minutes to bring your heart rate down gradually. That simple step can drastically reduce stiffness and soreness the next day.

Second, hydrate. Even if the run didn’t feel hot, you lost fluid. Add electrolytes if it was longer than an hour or you’re a heavy sweater.

Third, refuel. Aim for a mix of carbs and protein within 30 minutes. This helps replenish energy stores and kick-start muscle repair. A smoothie, banana and peanut butter, or a recovery shake works great.

Fourth, mobility. You don’t need a full yoga session but 5 minutes of stretching or foam rolling can help signal your body it’s time to shift into recovery mode.

Skip recovery and your body accumulates stress. Prioritize it, and you can handle more training, feel better, and reduce injuries.

Running doesn’t end when the watch stops.