Martinus Evans does not mind being last in a race. Instead, he wants to celebrate and enjoy the community with other back-of-the-pack runners. Evans is a fitness influencer and author of the blog “300 Pounds and Running,” who wants to make running more inclusive and create space — especially for Black recreational runners. He is the author of “Slow AF Run Club: The Ultimate Guide for Anyone Who Wants to Run,” a book of the same name as an online club he founded with more than 10,000 members around the world dedicated to supporting and encouraging people who have felt left out of the sport, to get out and run.
Darryl C. Murphy, host of WBUR’s daily news and culture podcast The Common, moderated a conversation with Evans about his inspiring story from the doctor’s office in 2012 when he was called “fat” to his New York City Marathon where at mile 16 a spectator shouted that he was “slow AF!” — which became the inspiration for the Slow AF Run Club.
About “Slow AF Run Club”
“Slow AF” is a book for those who may not fit the image of a “traditional” runner. It’s a how-to guide aimed at helping those at the back-of-the-pack feel empowered to lace up their running shoes and get moving in their body as-is.
The book contains specialized advice for slow runners from someone who started his running journey by falling off a treadmill (literally). Martinus Evans has been through it all–and has the cautionary tales to prove it. It’s a book designed to make getting started less intimidating,
Covering everything from the gear you need as a beginner and simple nutrition to training schedules, recovery tips, finding a group and running races (including why it’s OK to come in dead f*cking last).
Part blueprint, part workbook and part hard-truth and humorous memoir, “Slow AF” is here to help you on every step of your journey, from jogging your first block to your first finish line and beyond. Whether you’re just beginning to run or struggling to keep up your progress, you’ll also find tools and resources to help reach your running goals.
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