This world will not kill my son like I am going to do everything in my power to ensure that he is safe to ensure that I try to shift systems and communities so that he is safe and not just him everybody like him.

What's going on Emily Abadi here you are listening to episode 225 of hurdle. A wellness focus podcast where I connect with everyone from your favorite athletes to top experts and industry CEOs about their highest highs toughest moments and everything in between.

We all go through hurdles in life and my goal through these discussions is to empower you to better navigate yours and move with intention so that you can stride toward your own big potential and of course have some fun along the way.

For episode 225 I am chatting with Allison Mariela Dezier. She's the new author of running wall black as well as a disruptor and a mother. In today's episode she talks about being in a really dark place before picking up running using drugs and trying to numb the pain of her depression and how doing that how choosing sport reminded her of what it was like to feel again.

Again really powerful imagery there. Allison talks about starting a running movement in Harlem called Harlem run with a goal to make running more inclusive and welcoming to people of color. She also chats with me about what it felt like to be at the forefront of media attention for her efforts despite knowing that so many people that looked like her felt other in the space.

Allison really opens up about so many topics here from what it feels like to be a black mother raising a black son in today's world her feelings about the establishment of the running industries diversity coalition.

And ultimately Allison just really challenges us all to level up right to level up to create the community that we want to see.

To be a part of the conversation to be a part of the change so that ideally we can all run free really really happy to have had the opportunity to sit down with Allison.

If you're like me you've probably seen her name a whole bunch over the last few weeks in your podcast feeds it was important for me that this episode that this conversation brought things to light that I hadn't heard her talk about just yet.

So I hope that it is one that you enjoy again her book new book called running wall black I will link to it in the show notes make sure you are following along with hurdle over on social at hurdle podcast.

I am over at Emily a body and I have two new York City marathon events to share with you all the sign ups aren't live just yet.

But save the date for both Wednesday November 2nd and Saturday November 5th more information to come soon.

But you were asking me if there's going to be a moment and opportunity for us to get together especially on the home turf and of course there was never any doubt.

So save those dates again more info to come soon I cannot wait to come back together last little bit of housekeeping.

I'm hunting listener questions so please send me one let me answer your question on an upcoming episode of the show the link to leave me a voice message and ask one is in the show notes with that let's get to hurtling.

Today I am sitting down with Allison Mary Ella days year are you doing today.

I'm feeling so great and happy to be here.

I'm so happy to have you you know I thought a lot about how I want to start this conversation and I want to kind of invert it from my normal conversation here on the show by asking you a question I typically reserve for the end.

Right now someone comes to your Instagram page they see the new author of running wall black they see a mother a disruptor when you look in the mirror what is it that you see looking back at you.

That's a great question I still see myself honestly is being like in my early 20s trying to figure things out and I have to pinch myself and remind myself I've come a long way I have a voice that not only matters just inherently but that people are listening to like I'm not just this like person floating around in space trying to figure it out like there's still a lot for me to figure out.

But I'm making an impact so I sort of have to be like you're not a child anymore Allison you are grown as woman.

A grown as woman but isn't that interesting because I can sympathize with that idea that note that when I look in the mirror more often than not I also see a version of my younger self.

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