Toni Carey and Ashley Hicks are two smart, innovative women who make fitness more than just a factor in their lives — they make it a priority! The dynamic duo has been promoting the importance of health among African-American women since 2009, and while they understand how difficult or time-consuming it can be to balance your hair maintenance routine with an engaging workout schedule, they still want you to get up and get off your butt.
Carey and Hicks founded Black Girls RUN!, a blog with 60 affiliates that encourages African-American women to up their health game by increasing the amount of in their lives by going out and running. With well over 50,000 members, the co-founders have a finger on the pulse of what makes curlies take the leap from couch potato to marathon mama, and also what stops them — their hair.
In a conversation with BET.com, Carey shares that most members have admitted that their hair was one of the major obstacles that prevents them from engaging in all types of exercise.
Whether your hair is chemically-treated or natural, exercise can be a major obstacle to keeping your ‘do just the way you want it. You may be trying to avoid getting drenched in sweat, ruining your curls for your after-work plans or having to start the long, arduous process of getting your look just right again for the next day, but it’s time to stop letting your coils get in the way of your health.
The Black Girls Run founders are now touring cities in the “Stroke Belt” to host one-day health and fitness clinics in the cities that need it most. Feeling inspired? Check out BlackGirlsRUN.com for information on how you can get started on your healthy running journey and to register to preserve your sexy. The tour dates are below and is open to beginner runners, walkers, non-Black Girls RUN! members and current Black Girls RUN! members. Now get running, curlies!
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Preserve the Sexy Tour Dates
February 2 – Birmingham, Alabama
February 9 – Miami, Florida
March 16 – Richmond, Virginia
April 20 – Atlanta, Georgia
May 11 – Jackson, Mississippi
June 8 – Greenville/Spartanburg, South Carolina
Has your hair stopped you from exercising? Tell us why!
