Almost twelve years ago, I decided to cross off a bucket list item that required me to lace up, dedicate countless hours on the pavement and trails and get sweaty. I knew I was opting in to training for a half marathon but had no idea that this hobby would open up a host of endless opportunities that still scare me until this day. Within the last month, I completed my 30th marathon and my 7th or 8th ultra marathon distance. With a little over a decade under my belt, I’ve crossed over 300 start and finish lines at road events, trails, obstacle course races, a triathlon, several duathlons and century rides. One of my favorite races and longest distance to date was in the blazing hot Arizona desert. I ran, walked and found joy, along with several indescribable emotions for 100 kilometers – that was in October 2018. It was the first time I was celebrated as a final finisher and this changed my entire perspective moving forward. I bottled up that feeling since completing the Javelina Jundred 100K and tried to share this newfound joy on every course since.

I have a soft spot for introductions and it’s only right that I introduce myself. My name is Latoya Shauntay Snell and I’ve been a Global Athlete Ambassador with HOKA since January 2019. On social media platforms like Instagram, Threads and TikTok, I’m known as iamlshauntay but others were introduced from my blog turned creative playground and part time pseudonym on Facebook as Running Fat Chef. As a Brooklyn, NY native, outside of seeing a handful of outdoor tracks in my neighborhood or running around with friends, my childhood knowledge was limited about the sport, especially long-distance running.

Photo by Rhoam Creative Studio

Entering this sport in my twenties felt a bit daunting; I never quite fit into most circles. Even when I ran significantly faster, I was, at best, in the middle of the running field. When my medical conditions hit its peak, I longed for my former 10 – 14 minute mile pace as I started seeing times kicking up as high as a 20 minute mile. Admittedly, sometimes it is challenging pushing through these events as a plus size, disabled and marginalized runner. It’s hard to feel a sense of belonging when you don’t see people or hear narratives similar to your own. I have intimate stories about moments when I read strong opinions about my pace or efforts dismissed by peers because I walked entire events when I could’ve opted to stay home. If you talk to someone who doesn’t hold the conventional body type or run at a certain speed, there’s a chance that they’ve been in a similar position. Once the weight of self-doubt felt too heavy, I quickly realized that being open about these feelings would help me find others who equally wanted to run without carrying the insecurities of others or ones we placed on ourselves.

Photo by Rhoam Creative Studio

Ensuring that I have the best experience possible, I do a fair amount of research into events that I am interested in, as well troubleshooting anything that may present itself as a unique challenge. During the NYC Marathon week, I kicked off a discussion at the HOKA Fifth Avenue flagship store about mentally and physically showing up on race day. While I provided tips and tricks about course strategy unique to the course, I also talked about the importance of looking up events that keep our unique challenges and concerns in mind. For instance, some people worry about cut off times. If this is the case for you, look into events with longer cut offs or races that extend an early start or share that they’re willing to keep the course open for the last runner. Additionally, I highly recommend runners at any distance or speed to bring enough fuel to carry you throughout the distance plus a little more just in case it takes longer than anticipated. For destination races, I like creating a list of items to pack in my suitcase. It is easy to feel excited or overwhelmed from packing. In turn, we may accidentally leave essential items behind. Don’t be afraid to be that person who double and triple check their carry-on luggage – I may be talking about myself here. Another thing: I remind myself to stick to my training plan versus getting caught up in the comparison trap. It is easy to see another runner and assume they’re not as frazzled because we think they’re moving effortlessly or packed lighter. Their training plan is not your strategy.

Photo by Rhoam Creative Studio

Sometimes I opt to take my chances and sign up for races where I know there will be a SAG vehicle babysitting me the entire time. Instead of looking at it from a negative perspective, I reframe my thought process. I get a good chuckle as I am reminded that it’s hard to get lost with a clean up crew behind me. And here’s something to remember: The people who are in the vehicles, on foot or on a bike are possibly fellow runners too. This year, I ran the Lifetime Chicago Half Marathon as part of my fall running tour to seven cities. I knew I’d make it through the course on time but I’d be cutting it close. An officer in the vehicle checked in on me and asked if he could provide me any necessary essentials like water. I declined but joked that he could turn the music up in his car. For a bit over five minutes, he played two songs for me as I sang terribly. It gave me a surge of energy to move faster, and I was reminded that I wasn’t forgotten nor pitied. At the final 800 meters, I asked him if he’d run with me to the finish line and he happily accepted my offer. While it’s easy to get stuck in your head wondering if you’ll get lost – and less than a handful of times I evaded this from having a course map – remember that your cheer section can be small, mighty and from unexpected sources.

Photo by Rhoam Creative Studio

Perhaps you’re reading this with hopes of lining up to your first start line. Maybe you’re returning after a long break or injury with anxiety that you will not move like you did before. I can assure you that you do belong in this sport and there’s more to celebrate than surface level things. When in doubt, ask yourself why you show up. And please know that you don’t need to have that answer today, tomorrow or even on race day. If your only reason is to try something new, this is something worth celebrating. You possibly laced up because someone else convinced you that running only sucks when climbing up hills or during speed workouts. Perhaps, you’re like me, slightly socially awkward but longing for a community and decided to create the one you dreamt of while doing solo runs. And maybe you’re reading this with hopes of being a better supporter to your loved ones who are viewed as unconventional runners. Perhaps, you’re trying to understand their world just a bit more because you’re debunking old notions of how you formerly viewed distance runners. I am grateful for whatever brought you here. This sport is not about a certain type of look, limited to an age group, an education level nor does it require you to make running your entire identity. It can help you unravel layers of yourself that you didn’t think existed. You may tell yourself that you’re only signing up for one race and find yourself betraying your brain as you do another track Tuesday or get an adrenaline rush as you hit the yes button to sign up for another race. Continue hoarding those pockets of joy, even while moving slowly. And if anyone tells you differently, remember we aren’t running for them; we’re running for us. See you at the finish line.

Follow Latoya Shauntay Snell on Instagram, Threads, TikTok, and on her website iamlshauntay.com. You can also find her work on Facebook and runningfatchef.com.